The MIFA professional market, parte of Annecy Festival, widely considered the premier meeting point for the global animation industry, is set to run from June 23 to 26. This year’s edition is particularly significant as the sector navigates a profound transformation driven by streaming trends, artificial intelligence, and new digital tools.
Setting the tone for the 2026 festival is its new visual identity designed by Canadian artist Randall Finnerty. The official poster features a surreal array of birds and creatures inspired by the Haute-Savoie region, serving as a metaphor for the diversity of creators and audiences that gather in Annecy. Additionally, legendary British studio Aardman, currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, has produced the official teaser. Titled The Making of Annecy, the piece blends live-action and stop-motion with the signature humor of the creators behind Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep.
Annecy‘s programming continues to be anchored by its major competitive sections. The Official Feature Films category includes entries from France, Spain, Japan, China, Belgium, Canada, Singapore, Italy, and the United States, highlighting titles such as Decorado, The Violinist, Tangles, Lucy Lost, and We Are Aliens. The Contrechamp section, dedicated to more daring and experimental projects, features films from the Philippines, Taiwan, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and beyond, with standouts like 58º, Welcome to Dolly’s House, Peleliu – Guernica of Paradise, and Winnipeg, Seeds of Hope.
The official short film competition remains one of the festival’s most robust spaces, blending stop-motion, traditional animation, hybrid techniques, and experimental cinema. The selection encompasses works from 14 different countries, including Mexico, Estonia, Japan, and the UK, consolidating the festival’s massive international reach.
Spanish animation maintains a highly significant footprint across the programming. Key selections include Galician filmmaker Alberto Vázquez’s Decorado, the Singapore-Spain-Italy co-production The Violinist (co-directed by Raúl García), and the Spain-Chile-Argentina shared project Winnipeg, Seeds of Hope. Furthermore, the Spanish short film The Quinta’s Ghost is competing in the official shorts section.
This year’s guests of honor include Mike Judge, creator of Beavis & Butt-Head and King of the Hill, who will receive an Honorary Cristal and present an exclusive preview of his show’s 15th season during a masterclass. The legendary Brothers Quay will also be honored, while Catherine Winder, President of Wind Sun Sky Entertainment, will serve as the patron of the MIFA campus, delivering a keynote on multi-platform narratives and new technologies.
The festival juries feature a diverse mix of industry veterans, including The Simpsons director David Silverman, Swiss filmmaker Marina Rosset, and Chilean-Canadian composer Cristóbal Tapia de Veer, confirming an expansive and global edition where major studios, independent cinema, and emerging talents converge.
