Festival des Dessins Animés

A festival dedicated to animated cinema in the heart of Haut-Lignon

Every summer, at the end of July, the associative cinema Ciné Tence transforms into a true temple of animation for the Festival des Dessins Animés. This festive and family-friendly event offers a whole week of carefully selected animated film screenings for both children and adults. Located in the small town of Tence, on the Haut-Lignon plateau in Haute-Loire, the festival provides an ideal setting to discover the latest gems of world animation in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

A rich and varied program for all ages

The festival stands out for the diversity of its program, with a dozen films screened over a week, spread across nearly thirty sessions. The youngest (from 3 years old) discover short films and adapted animated films, while teenagers and adults enjoy more ambitious feature films. The 2025 edition featured titles such as Elio, Buffalo Kids, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon in preview, and Rock Bottom for a more mature audience.

Previews and exclusives

The festival is distinguished by its ability to offer national previews and exclusives. Each edition features at least two or three films released nationally, making Tence one of the first places in France where the public can discover these new animated releases.

Workshops and activities to extend the magic

Beyond the screenings, the Festival des Dessins Animés enriches its program with numerous activities and creative workshops:

• Introduction to animation workshops: stop motion, clay modeling, dreamcatcher making
• Snack screenings: screenings followed by a snack offered by the cinema for the little ones
• Cinema breakfast sessions: an original experience for early risers
• Screenings of award-winning short films: in partnership with the association Le Disjoncteur, the festival presents short films awarded at major international animation schools
• Grand festival game: a fun competition with prizes to be won (TCAP vouchers, posters, cinema tickets, goodies)
• Interactive exhibitions: some editions offer immersive universes with arcade machines and pinball

An associative cinema committed to young audiences

Ciné Tence has been an Art and Essay associative cinema since 2008, with the Young Audience label. With its single 172-seat digital and 3D equipped room, this small village cinema, run by passionate volunteers, offers nine screenings per week throughout the year. The Festival des Dessins Animés is the summer highlight of its programming, perfectly embodying its mission of cultural democratization in rural areas.

A family event on the Haut-Lignon plateau

Tence, a small town in Haute-Loire perched at 850 meters above sea level on the plateau du Vivarais-Lignon, offers a preserved natural setting, ideal for family vacations. The Festival des Dessins Animés is part of the summer cultural offerings of this Famille Plus labeled territory, alongside other events such as Musiques en Vivarais-Lignon or Lectures sous l'Arbre in neighboring Le Chambon-sur-Lignon. The festival contributes to the tourist and cultural attractiveness of Haut-Lignon during the summer season.