The festival started in 2008 and it is annually held in the capital of Cyclades, the neoclassical town of Hermoupolis. The festival comprises screenings, tributes to international animation festivals, artists and studios, media literacy activities for children, youngsters and adults, parties and tons of parallel events. 2020 marks the 6th year of "Agora" animation market, a major concurrent event, steadily evolving into an important international hub of creative professional networking, targeting the development of synergies among animation professionals.
Εvents are free to the public and take place at the imposing Apollo Theatre, the Hermoupolis Cultural Centre, the University of the Aegean premises, the central Miaouli Square and various locations across the island of Syros.
On the occasion of the 200th Anniversary of the Greek Revolution, the festival draws inspiration from the words of the emblematic Greek Revolution hero, Theodoros Kolokotronis, “Just like rain, the desire for freedom fell upon us […], and we started the revolution.”, hence dedicating its main theme to Freedom and Revolution.
2021 Call for entries
This year's Festival includes a thematic tribute with screenings of animated short and feature films from around the world, with reference to personal social freedom & revolution. At the same time, Animasyros 2021 will host MEDAnima, a tribute to creators and animated films from the wider Mediterranean region, such as North Africa, Israel, France, Italy, Malta and selected Balkan countries. The rich program of Animasyros will be presented in a hybrid, 'phygital' format, including physical screenings on the island of Syros, as well as through a special digital screening platform.
Competition Categories
First public screening of submitted films must have occurred strictly AFTER 1st of January 2019
Feature Animation - International Competition (Animation with a duration of 45' and longer)
Short Animation - International Competition
Short Student Animation - International Competition
TV & Commissioned Animation - International Competition
K.ID.S (Animation suitable for children of all ages)
Animapride
LGBTQI animation
Awards
Best Feature (Audience Award)
Best Short Film (Professional)
Best Student Short Film
Best TV & Commissioned Film
Best Greek Film
Best K.ID.S Film
Best Animapride Film (LGBTQI+ Film)
Best Pitch for an Agora Project
For the AnimaSyros Agora call for entries and info, check here.
The visual identity of Animasyros 2021 was designed by the Italian visual artist, illustrator and animator Luca de Salvia. The trailer of the new visual identity was created by the leading Cypriot studio Zedem Media
The Awards:
All the awards of the 13th AnimaSyros International Animation Festival + Agora (23-27 September 2020).
International Competition Section:
TV Commissioned Films Competition Section:
Jury (International Competition & TV Commissioned Films Competition): Calliope Charalampous (Athens International Children's Film Festival), Pedro Serrazina, Anca Damian.
Student Competition Section:
Jury (Student Films); Martin Vandas (MAUR Film), Tomek Popakul, Bruno Collet.
Best Greek-Speaking Film (awarded by the Greek Film Centre):
1st Prize: «The little elephantι» (GR) Effie Pappa
Special Mention: «The Parrot Lady» (CY) Michalis Kalopaidis
European Values Award -#ThisIsEU (awarded by the Representation of the European Commission in Greece)
1st Prize:«Bear With Me» (NL), Daphna Awadish.
Animasyros Agora / MIFA, Animation du Monde: Pitching Session Prizes
Special mention: «Travel Bugs» (GR), Fokion Xenos, prdo. Neda Films.
Agora Jury: Geraldine Bache (Annecy-MIFA), Antoine Lietout (LAIDAK Studios), Marineta Mak Kritikou (Animasyros Agora), Nancy Denney- Phelps (journalist), Tunde Vollenbroek (producer, Kaboom programmer)
Trailer:
2019 Festival Coverage:
This year's theme festival, AnimaGreen, is dedicated to the environment and sustainability. Animasyros approaches sustainable development not only in relation to the environment but as a process that ensures the preservation and spread of artistic heritage and creation through new technologies.
2019 marks the 5th year of “Agora”, the festival’s animation marketplace, a major concurrent event, steadily evolving into an important international hub of creative professional networking, targeting the development of synergies among animation professionals
2018 Festival Coverage