Animafest Zagreb

Festival Description:

The World Festival of Animated Film – Animafest Zagreb, established in 1972, is the second oldest film festival in the world completely dedicated to animation. Launched thanks to the global reputation of the filmmakers sprung from the Zagreb School of Animation, founded based on the decision of ASIFA, International Animated Film Association, Zagreb Film production company, and the City of Zagreb, Animafest Zagreb takes place every year early in June. Until 2005 the festival was held biennially and afterward continued in the annual rhythm, devoting even years to short films and odd years to feature films. After Zagreb Film and Zagreb Concert Management, in 2007 the festival organisation was taken over by the private production company Hulahop with the aim of further development and balancing the programme with the requirements of contemporary tendencies, approaching broader audiences and providing added values to professionals.

Animafest Zagreb always has been, alongside festivals in Annecy, Ottawa, and Hiroshima, a part of the obligatory circuit in the animation community’s calendar. Animafest’s Grand Prix winners directly qualify for the Academy Award and the European Animation Award.

Since its establishment in 1972, this festival and its competitions, retrospectives, presentations, exhibitions, pitching forums lectures, awards, panoramas, workshops and all other additional events have consistently influenced and greatly contributed to their city’s artistic life, as well as promotion of animation art throughout the world.

This is a festival by the filmmakers for the filmmakers. Creative animation, in all its different forms – from traditional drawings, to stop motion, CGI, to most experimental cross-media explorations – has been the focus of attention since the very beginning Daniel Šuljić
, Art Director

2023 Festival Coverage

• Animafest Zagreb’s Reanimation of Aleksandar Marks (GoCritic! Review)
• Animafest Zagreb's Science Fiction in Animation Programme 2: World of Tomorrow (GoCritic! Review)
• A Safe Space for Stupidity: William Kentridge's Masterclass at Animafest Zagreb 2023 (GoCritic! Review)
• 'Oneluv', 'My Love Affair with Marriage', 'Eeva' in the Animafest Zagreb Winners 2023
• Croatian Animation Films to Watch at Animafest Zagreb 2023
• Animafest Zagreb: Selection Results 2023
• William Kentridge to Receive the 2023 Animafest Zagreb Lifetime Achievement Award
• Suzanne Buchan Receives Animafest Zagreb Award for Outstanding Contribution to Animation Studies
• Animafest Zagreb 2023 Report: On Rendezvous with the Day and Time(s)

2023 Call for Entries (Archive)

Short films (maximum running time 40 minutes) can be submitted to the following competition categories:

• Short Film Competition
• Student Film Competition - films produced in an educational institution (art schools and film schools)
• Films for Children Competition
• Croatian Film Competition - films whose majority producer is Croatian and/or films by Croatian directors.

Feature films (minimum running time 40 minutes) can be submitted to the following competition category:

• Feature Film Competition

VR/360/interactive projects can be submitted to the following competition category:

• VR Animation Competition - open to immersive works (created for the Oculus, HTC Vive, or Samsung Gear VR) that include animation as the main component

Films compete for awards that are given by international juries. There is no entry fee.

• Festival Regulations
• Entry Form
• The submission deadline for short films in all categories is 1 February 2023.
• The submission deadline for feature films and VR projects is 15 March 2023.

2022 Coverage

• 107 Animation Shorts for Animafest Zagreb 2022: Selection Results
• Nedeljko Dragić Gets Animafest Zagreb Lifetime Achievement Award
• Animation Scholar Rolf Giesen Gets Animafest Zagreb Award

2021 Coverage

• Animafest Zagreb 2021: Our Top Picks

• Winners 2021
• 42 Films for Children at Animafest Zagreb

• 6 Animation Features for Zagreb 2021

• Lucerne School of Art and Design Gets Zagreb Award 
• Selection Results
• Ralph Bakshi Gets Lifetime Achievement Award

2020 Festival Coverage

• All Animafest Zagreb 2020 Winners
• 41+25 Films in the World Panorama and Films for Children Competition
• More about the Student Films
• More about the Grand Competition Films
• Check the festival Animation Insights
• Animafest Zagreb: Selection Results

• Acid Rain, Ruben Brandt Get 2019 Animafest Zagreb Awards
• 36 Films for Children For Animafest Zagreb
• 2019 Selection Results
• Outstanding Award for Animation Studies to Jayne Pilling
• Suzan Pitt To Receive 2019 Animafest Zagreb Lifetime Achievement Award 

2018 Festival News:

• Zagreb and Cinema D' Auteur
• Boris Labbé, The Magnificent Cake Win at Zagreb 2018
• Animafest Zagreb Celebrates Horror
• 8 Animated Features for Animafest Zagreb
• Paul Fierlinger to Get Lifetime Achievement Award at 2018 Animafest Zagreb
• Paul Wells Receives Award for Outstanding Contribution to Animation Studies at 2018 Animafest Zagreb
• Animafest Zagreb 2018: Selection Results
• Animafest Zagreb Poster and Trailer Signed by Stipan Tadić
• Animafest Zagreb presents films in the Grand Competition
• Animafest Zagreb presents Films for Children Competition and World Panorama 

 NB: 2024 Festival Dates are tentative