Spain, through the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA) and in collaboration with ICEX España, is enhancing its participation at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2025, taking place until June 15 in France. country’s presence is evident in both the official festival program and a professional agenda at MIFA (International Animation Film Market), held from today to June 13, which serves as a global industry forum.
This year, Spain is competing in the Official Feature Film Selection with Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake, directed by Irene Iborra and produced by Cornelius Films and Hampa Studio. The film is described as a delicate story about childhood trauma, utilizing stop motion and 2D animation techniques. Its inclusion in the Annecy competition marks a new recognition for the quality and sensitivity of contemporary Spanish animation.
Institutionally, Spain will host a national pavilion under the «Animation from Spain» brand, a joint initiative by the Ministry of Culture and ICEX. This pavilion, active during MIFA, will gather over 60 companies and more than 100 professionals from the sector. It will serve as a platform for networking, visibility, and exchange with international delegations, in addition to hosting meetings, pitch sessions, and professional presentations.
The institutional agenda also includes the ‘Women in Animation from Spain’ session, organized with ICEX, which highlights projects led by women. There will also be a presentation on ‘The Spanish Animation Industry in the Spotlight,’ focusing on the current state of the sector and its co-production opportunities. Furthermore, ICAA will participate in a co-production meeting with Proimágenes Colombia at their official stand within MIFA.
Ibermedia Next program highlights new generation of beneficiaries
The Ibermedia Next program, supported by the IBERMEDIA Program and funded by Next Generation EU Funds, will have a notable presence at Annecy 2025 with two official presentations during MIFA. These sessions will focus on projects that were beneficiaries of its first call in 2023 and will also announce the selections for the 2025 edition.
The first presentation, “Ibermedia Next 1.0: New perspectives in Ibero-American animated shorts and features”, is scheduled for Wednesday, June 11, from 5:15 PM to 6:30 PM, in the Sala Haendel of the Impérial Palace. This session will showcase seven short and feature film projects that combine unique authorship, visual quality, and the pioneering use of technologies such as 2.5D animation, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and open-source tools.
The second activity, “Iberoamérica en serie + Generación Ibermedia Next 3.0”, will take place on Thursday, June 12, from 5:15 PM to 6:30 PM, also in the Sala Haendel. This session is dedicated to six series developed with the program’s support, featuring the presentation of unreleased materials by their creators. The session will conclude with the official announcement of the projects selected for the Ibermedia Next 2025 call.
These activities underscore the program’s commitment to innovation and international collaboration within Ibero-American animation, featuring proposals from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, Guatemala, Italy, Mexico, Peru, and Portugal.
