About the Festival: The Canlandıranlar International Animation Film Festival has been organised annually by the Canlandıranlar Association since 2011.  Dedicated entirely to animation, the festival contributes to the development of animation culture in Türkiye through its international competition programmes, feature film screenings, retrospective programmes, masterclasses, workshops, and industry events. 
Over the years, the festival has welcomed internationally acclaimed animation artists including Peter Lord, Nelson Shin, Florence Miailhe, and many other influential figures, helping to establish lasting cultural connections between the Turkish animation community and animation professionals from around the world.

Canlandıranlar International Animation Film Festival Coverage

This year, the festival explores animation's endless possibilities under the theme "What Else?". it presents animation films from Turkey and around the world to animation enthusiasts through screenings, special selections, masterclasses, presentations, talks and workshops.

Competition
The festival program features 82 films: 66 international and 10 national competition entries, plus 6 non-competition films. The international competition films were selected from 27 countries outside Turkey. The program presents a total of 14 selections to audiences, including 10 international competition selections, the ‘Short Films from Turkey’ selection and the ‘Out-of-Competition’ selection,

Guest of Honor Thomas Renoldner

A leading figure in Austrian experimental animation, Renoldner is internationally recognized for his work combining rhythm, abstraction, and film history. His short film Don't Know What received the Grand Prize at the Ottawa International Animation Festival, the Off-Limits Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and was nominated for an Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject. His latest film, Stampfer Dreams, was nominated for the Austrian Film Award for Best Short Film, and for many years he has served as Programme Director of the Animation Avantgarde section at Vienna Shorts. As part of the festival programme, he will present screenings of his films, participate in talks, and lead a masterclass at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, where he will meet audiences and emerging animation artists.

International Main Jury
The festival's International Competition Jury consists of Guest of Honour Thomas Renoldner, South Korean filmmaker and educator Miyoung Baek, and award-winning director and animator Sinem Vardarlı.

The feature-length programme includes the Turkish premiere of the award-winning Blaise, alongside 'Iron Boy', 'Planets', 'Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman' and 'Persepolis'. 

Tribute Section: Yılmaz Büyükerşen and a Screening of *Maarif*

The festival’s traditional Tribute Section focuses on *Maarif*, a little-known 1988 film in Turkish animation history. Directed by M. Kazım Sönmez and written by Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Büyükerşen, this award-winning short film serves not only as a critique of the education system but also as a historical document chronicling the beginnings of animation production in Turkey and animation education at Anadolu University. In addition to the screening of the film, the program will feature excerpts from a video recording of a discussion held by Berat İlk with his film crew in Eskişehir.

The festival’s masterclasses and presentations at the Institut français include Thomas Renoldner’s “My Life as an Artist”, exploring his experimental animation practice and the relationship between life and art, and Miyoung Baek’s “Starting an Animation”, offering insights into her creative journey and the process of bringing ideas to life. In “A Conversation with Clémence Lebatteux”, the screenwriter of Blaise will discuss the art of writing for animation, from developing characters and stories to shaping narratives.

Canlandıranlar International Animation Film Festival Call for Entries

2027 Festival call for entries - Currently not open. Submission details will be posted here when the festival announces them.

(2026 Archive)

Eligibility:

- Any frame-by-frame created animation (produced for cinema, television, or other screening platforms) may apply to the festival.
- Only films completed after October 2025 will be accepted. Films that have previously applied to the Canlandiranlar Film Festival will not be considered.
- Films must be no longer than 30 minutes.

Awards:

International Competition:
Best Film
Best Director
Best Script
Best First Film
Best Student Film
Best Sound Design
Best Experimental

National Competition:
Best Turkish Film
Best Script
Best Sound Design
Best Experimental

Audience Award (determined by audience voting, National & International)

Important Information:

• Application via FilmFreeway
• Application deadline: 17 July 2026

NB: 2027 Festival Dates are Tentative