Niigata International Animation Film Festival 2025

Event Description: The festival will screen feature films for theatres, and feature films for platforms, but also feature films remounted from TV series for theatrical release on an equal basis with theatrical works. 

"VOD has changed the way we watch movies and the codes of cinema. The 7th art has become accessible and mobile. The experience of watching a film at home is different from the one in a movie theater, where time, space, and reactions are shared. Our ambition is to honor every animated film, whether it is shown in theaters, on VOD services or on television. We refuse to rank anime by the form of its exploitation. Creativity and storytelling are at the heart of our festival" - Tadashi Sudo - Program director

● Animated films are now being produced all over the world, in Asia, Europe, America, Africa, the Middle East, and Oceania. Each country produces works that vary greatly in style, carrying different stories and cultural values. Previously intended for children and fans, animation is becoming increasingly popular around the world. In this context, and while the major animation events tend to be centered in Europe and North America, the Niigata International Animation Film Festival wants to give animation its rightful place every year, in the heart of Asia by creating a place for meeting, exchange and transmission that brings new perspectives to the world.

Team:

Festival Director: Shinichiro Inoue (former Editor-in-Chief of Newtype)
Artistic Director: Tadashi Sudo (Animation Journalist)
Secretary General: Taro Maki (Producer of Genco/"In This Corner of the World" "Mobile Police Patlabor" production)

2025 Call for Entries

Eligibility criteria

• The festival accepts only feature animation films for 40 minutes or longer, including end credit—no limit to the methods of animation.
• The film has to be completed in or after the year 2023.
• The film has to come with English subtitles unless the work is in Japanese at the time of the entry. For the Japanese-only video, English subtitles will be required after shortlisting. 

Niigata International Animation Film Festival 2024 (NIAFF 2024) is hosted by Niigata International Animation Film Festival Executive Committee and operated by the Niigata International Film Festival Office.

• Festival's regulations and submission via its webpage or FilmFreeway
• Deadline: 30 November 2024 (no entry fee)

ARCHIVE

2023 Festival Coverage

Winners:
Grand Prix was Awarded to Blind Willow and Sleeping Woman by Pierre Földes. (original author Haruki MURAKAMI)
“Contemporary literature met the best way to illustrate its world” – Mamoru Oshii, President of the Jury commented.

The Grand Prix was won by “Blind Willow and Sleeping Woman” directed by Pierre Földes. The film was based on the six short stories of Murakami, “Super-Frog Saved Tokyo”, “Birthday Girl” “Kaitsuburi”, “Blind Willow and Sleeping Woman” “The Wind-Up Bird and Tuesday’s Women”, “UFO in Kushiro” 

President of the Jury, Mamoru Oshii commented on the film for the reason of awarding:

“Those who saw the film must have been shocked by this awarding. The film looks sober at a glance, but the film style is just appropriate to describe contemporary literature. This is the only one in which three of the juries had no disagreement with the award.”

The brand-new awards were invented for this film festival. KABUKU Award was won by “Khamsa – The Well of Oblivion (directed by Vynom)”, Kyokai Sho or Evolve Award was won by “Thee Wreckers Tetralogy (directed by late Rost). Honorable Mention was won by “Vampire in the Garden; the Movie (directed by Ryotaro Makihara)”