Annecy International Animation Film Festival
The world's largest festival dedicated to animation
About Annecy Animation
The Annecy Festival: World Capital of Animation Since 1960
Created in 1960 on the initiative of Pierre Barbin and ASIFA (International Animated Film Association), the Annecy International Animation Film Festival was born from the desire to give animation a global reference event. Biennial at its beginnings, it became annual in 1998 and has not stopped growing since, establishing itself as the largest animation festival in the world, both in terms of the quality of its official selection and the scale of its professional market, the Mifa.
Annecy annually hosts the biggest international studios — Pixar, DreamWorks, Studio Ghibli, Netflix Animation, Walt Disney Animation Studios — alongside independent directors, animation schools, and emerging creators from over eighty countries. The official selection includes feature films, short films, TV films, commissioned films, graduation films, and immersive works.
The Annecy Cristal: Animation's Highest Distinction
The Annecy Cristal, the festival's supreme award, is considered the equivalent of the Palme d'Or for animated film. The greatest names in animation have been celebrated in Annecy: Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Michel Ocelot, Sylvain Chomet, Tomm Moore, Mamoru Hosoda, and Guillermo del Toro. The festival's list of winners is a true anthology of the best of world animation.
An Exceptionally Rich Program
Beyond the official competition, the festival offers a remarkably dense program: special screenings, world premieres, masterclasses, professional conferences, exhibitions, and open-air screenings on the Pâquier facing the lake and Mont Veyrier. The open-air screenings, free and open to all, gather thousands of spectators each evening in a breathtaking natural setting.
The Mifa: The Premier Global Animation Market
The Mifa (International Animation Film Market), created in 1985, is the largest professional market dedicated to animation. It brings together over 4,000 professionals from more than seventy countries each year for pitching sessions, business meetings, round tables, and project presentations. The Mifa is an essential driver of the global animation industry, fostering international co-productions and the financing of new projects.
Strong Local Roots
The festival is inseparable from the city of Annecy and its exceptional setting between lake and mountains. The Cité internationale du cinéma d'animation, scheduled to open in 2026, will strengthen this unique link between Annecy and animation, offering a permanent space dedicated to the creation, training, and dissemination of animated film. The festival benefits from the support of the CNC, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, the Department of Haute-Savoie, and the City of Annecy.
Annecy Animation — edition 2026
The 50th edition of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival will take place from June 21 to 27, 2026, marking half a century of excellence in global animation. This historic edition will coincide with the opening of the Cité internationale du cinéma d'animation and will be organized around a new theme, « Animated Thrills », celebrating animation as a limitless cinematic art. The Mifa, the world's largest animation film market, will be held from June 23 to 26, 2026.
50th edition — a historic anniversary
The Annecy International Animation Film Festival will celebrate its 50th edition from June 21 to 27, 2026, a major milestone in the history of global animation. The dates have been exceptionally shifted: on June 17, the Presidency of the Republic announced that the next G7 summit would be held in Haute-Savoie on the dates initially scheduled for the festival, leading to major constraints on local infrastructure (transport, accommodation, security). The organizers therefore chose to postpone the event by a few days to preserve its quality.
A Cité internationale du cinéma d'animation for this anniversary edition
This edition will be marked by the opening of the Cité internationale du cinéma d'animation, a unique permanent venue in France and worldwide, dedicated to the creation, training, and dissemination of animation, which will become one of the festival's new beating hearts. The Institut de l'animation, supported notably by Laika and Ankama studios, will open its doors on June 19.
The theme: « Animated Thrills »
For the first time, the festival breaks with its tradition of a guest country in favor of a theme: « Animated Thrills » (Animated Thrills and Chills). Artistic director Marcel Jean explores « the vast territory of films that make us shiver with fear, pleasure, anxiety, or adventure », reminding us that animation can embody all cinematic genres: horror, science fiction, fantasy, thriller.
A Cristal d'honneur for Mike Judge
American director and producer Mike Judge, co-creator of King of the Hill and creator of Beavis and Butt-Head, will receive a Cristal d'honneur for his entire career. A special event will be dedicated to him, in the presence of Greg Daniels and showrunner Saladin K. Patterson, with a preview of season 15 of King of the Hill.
A significant official selection
The 2026 official selection brings together 44 feature films from 26 countries, including 11 in competition. France (14 films) and Japan are strongly represented. The opening film will be Minions & Monsters by Pierre Coffin.
Programme Annecy Animation 2026
Official Selection 2026
44 feature films representing 26 countries, including 11 in feature film competition. The selection also includes short films, TV and commissioned films, graduation films, immersive works, and open-air screenings on the Pâquier.
Opening Film — Sunday, June 21, 2026
- Minions & Monsters by Pierre Coffin (United States) — animated comedy
Feature Film Competition (11 films)
- Viva Carmen! — France
- In Waves — France / Belgium
- Nobody — China
- The Violinist — Singapore / Spain / Italy
- Tangles — Canada / United States
- Tana — China
Contrechamp Section (11 films)
- Welcome to Dolly's House (rotoscopie, Taiwan) — section opening, Sunday, June 21 at 1:30 PM
- A New Dawn — Japan / France
- Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise — Japan
- Winnipeg, Seeds of Hope — Spain / Chile / Argentina
Other programs
- Annecy Presents — 15 general public films and Japanese animated feature films
- Midnight Specials — genre films (science fiction comedies, thrillers), echoing the theme « Animated Thrills »
Special Event — Tribute to Mike Judge
- Tribute session with the presentation of the Cristal d'honneur, in the presence of Greg Daniels and Saladin K. Patterson, preview of season 15 of King of the Hill and signing session
The Mifa — International Animation Film Market
- From June 23 to 26, 2026 — 975 companies across 7,000 m² of exhibition space
- Mifa Talents, Mifa Business, Mifa Trends, Mifa Cross IP, Mifa AI, Mifa Invest
- European Animation Summit on industry challenges (AI, private investment)
The detailed program of screenings, with times and venues, is progressively published on the official website as the festival approaches.
Highlights Annecy Animation 2026
- 50th anniversary edition of the festival, founded in 1960
- Opening of the Cité internationale du cinéma d'animation, a unique permanent venue worldwide
- New theme « Animated Thrills » replacing the traditional guest country
- Cristal d'honneur awarded to Mike Judge (King of the Hill, Beavis and Butt-Head)
- Opening film: Minions & Monsters by Pierre Coffin
- 44 feature films from 26 countries, including 11 in competition
- Free open-air screenings on the Pâquier, facing the lake
Prices Annecy Animation 2026
Practical information — Annecy Animation
Practical Information
Access
By car: Annecy is accessible via the A41 motorway from Lyon (1h40) and Geneva (40 min). Park & Ride facilities with free shuttles are recommended during the festival period.
By train: Annecy station is served by TGV from Paris (3h40), TER from Lyon (2h), and Chambéry (50 min).
By plane: Geneva Airport (45 min) or Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (1h30).
Accreditations and Ticketing
Access to theater screenings requires an accreditation (professional or general public). Open-air screenings on the Pâquier are free and open to all.
- Professional accreditation: from 200 EUR
- General public accreditation: from 15 to 70 EUR depending on the package
- Open-air screenings: free
Festival Venues
Screenings take place in several venues in the city: Bonlieu Scène nationale, Cinéma Pathé, Salle Pierre Lamy, MJC de Novel, and the Pâquier open-air space.
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Where does it take place — Annecy Animation
Bonlieu Scène nationale et divers lieux
Bonlieu Scène nationale, 1 rue Jean Jaurès, 74000 Annecy