With two weeks still to go until Christmas, there’s still time to pick up the perfect gift for that special animator in your life. Or, if you’re an animator yourself, maybe you’re already thinking about what to spend those gift vouchers on from your nan come the new year…

Skwigly has you covered! 2025 (and late 2024) has been a bumper year for the release of animation-related books. We have picked out 10 of the stand out titles. Read on for our list of Essential Animation Books of 2025, in no particular order:

Beryl (£22.75)

This book offers an in-depth look into the creative process of director Joanna Quinn and screenwriter Les Mills.
Through revealing and often hilarious anecdotes, you’ll learn about Joanna and Les’s creative backgrounds and how they develop their ideas. With comprehensive behind-the-scenes insights, you’ll see how they take the initial concept of an idea to final production.
Buy from Amazon.co.uk

Studio Ghibli: Architecture in Animation (£27.78)

Learn how Studio Ghibli brings its vibrant worlds to life through hundreds of pieces of concept art, sketches, and background paintings that illuminate the historical, architectural, and personal inspirations behind such iconic buildings as the bathhouse from Spirited Away, Howl’s moving castle, and Satsuki and Mei’s country home from My Neighbor Totoro.
Buy from Amazon.co.uk

The Art of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (£30.63)

Explore the world of Aardman’s 2024 film with The Art of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. This captivating book offers a behind-the-scenes look at the film’s creation, featuring concept art, Nick Park’s sketches, and interviews with key crew members. Explore the meticulous craftsmanship and boundless creativity that bring Wallace and Gromit’s latest adventure to life.
Buy from Amazon.co.uk

Intimate Animation (£37.49)

Join Skwigly’s very own Ben Mitchell and Laura-Beth Cowley (and of the Intimate Animation podcast) as they take you on a tour of the landscape of contemporary animated films that deal with themes of love, intimacy, relationships, anatomy and sexuality – and the incredible artists behind them.
Buy from Amazon.co.uk

Animation for the People: An Illustrated History of the National Film Board of Canada (£32.59)

A celebration of the influential and Academy Award–winning animators of the National Film Board of Canada. Featuring interviews with filmmakers and animators, behind-the-scenes insights, and original artwork from iconic shorts like The Sweater and Neighbours, this book reveals how the NFB became a hub of innovation, collaboration, and artistic freedom.
Buy from Amazon.co.uk

On the Animation Trail: 20 Years of Animation Festival History (£42.99)

Documenting more than 20 years of travels, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in animation. If you are a young animator and want to know what festival life is like, this is the book for you. If you are a seasoned veteran and want to bring back some memories of festivals past, this book should bring some smiles to your face. Read our review here.
Buy from Amazon.co.uk

ANIMATION ME: An illustrated memoir with Pencils, Pixels & Arnie (£14.61)

In ANIMATION ME, Tony – a British Academy Award-winning animator, author and teacher – tells his fascinating and unique life story – from art school and early career struggles, to becoming a recognized master animator in his own right. This is a perfect book for students, professionals, or anyone interested in how a great tradition was once practiced.
Buy from Amazon.co.uk

The Art of Elio (£23.59)

The Art of Elio presents the story behind the newest film from Pixar Animation Studios. It highlights the stunning artwork from the film’s creation, including character designs, storyboards, color scripts, and much more; plus, exclusive interviews with the creative team along with behind-the-scenes details.
Buy from Amazon.co.uk

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Ultimate Visual History (£29.93)

What’s this?! Why, a tour through the story of Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, featuring behind-the-scenes details about stop-motion animation, concept art, removable inserts, and more.
Buy from Amazon.co.uk

Disney The Art of Moana 2 (£20.99)

The Art of Moana 2 is a behind-the-scenes hardcover book showcasing the development art, character designs, storyboards, and color scripts from the Disney film, featuring exclusive interviews with the creative team, and offering deep dives into the artistry, character aging, and visual storytelling of Moana’s new voyage.
Buy from Amazon.co.uk

The post 10 Essential Animation Books of 2025 appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

The confirmed speakers so far include: The BFI, CreativeUK, The British Business Bank, Yamination (Birmingham), Bomper Studios (Wales), Kavaleer Productions (Ireland) A Productions (Bristol), Zaratan Studios (Scotland), Revenent Studios (Scotland) and more being confirmed.

The post Get Animated Conference 26 appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

“Christmas Eve, somewhere in a gray suburb, a young daydreaming pizza delivery boy named Abdou, meets the real Father Christmas, whose name is Marcel. The journey of this worn out and tired old man is jeopardized by a stupid accident with a scooter. Thanks to Abdou, who calls on the help of some of the neighbourhood’s unusual characters, Santa’s distribution is done. In a mayhem of song and dance, Christmas is saved!”

Film details:

• Director(s): Nicolas Bianco-Levrin & Julie Rembauville
•  Country, year: France | 2023
•  Duration: 54 mins
•  Language: French with English subs

The post Animated Christmas Special at Ciné Lumière: Marcel Santa and the Little Pizza Delivery Man appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

“Christmas Eve, somewhere in a gray suburb, a young daydreaming pizza delivery boy named Abdou, meets the real Father Christmas, whose name is Marcel. The journey of this worn out and tired old man is jeopardized by a stupid accident with a scooter. Thanks to Abdou, who calls on the help of some of the neighbourhood’s unusual characters, Santa’s distribution is done. In a mayhem of song and dance, Christmas is saved!”

Film details:

• Director(s): Nicolas Bianco-Levrin & Julie Rembauville
•  Country, year: France | 2023
•  Duration: 54 mins
•  Language: French with English subs

The post Animated Christmas Special at Ciné Lumière: Marcel Santa and the Little Pizza Delivery Man appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

The London International Animation Festival (LIAF 2025), the UK’s largest, longest-running and most eclectic animation festival, returns for its 22nd year celebrating the whole spectrum of animation with a mammoth 27 programmes showcasing every style, technique and genre within animation. All indie and all spotlighting talent from impressively sparkling newbies right through to established veterans of our beloved artform. A 10-day feast of 240 of the best animated shorts from 30 countries around the world, with many of the filmmakers present to introduce their films in person.

Be prepared to feast your eyes on a sumptuous banquet of the world’s best, wildest and most awe-inspiring animated films.

We are excited to be back screening for our live audiences at 5 London venues – the Barbican, The Garden Cinema, The Horse Hospital, The Puppet Theatre Barge and Close Up Cinema.

For those unable to travel to London, virtually the whole festival will also be available worldwide to view online on our streaming platform, bringing the best independent animation directly into people’s homes. Everything our audience loves about LIAF is being transformed into a virtual version: screenings, free industry panels, audience voting and insightful and entertaining talks.

Screenings will be available daily from 28 November to 7 December, running alongside live and pre-recorded panel discussions with many of the world’s leading animators and industry players.

As ever, this year’s uncompromising programme promises to inspire, delight and challenge the notion that animation is merely a 3D CGI blockbuster genre or cute cartoons for kids. Independent animation is an art form that continues to thrive and develop as a breathtaking medley of styles, materials, techniques and production – from hand drawn, paint on glass, collage, pixilation, cut outs, puppets, abstract, sand and everything in-between to some of the more interesting developments in CGI – all of which can be seen at this year’s LIAF.

A Snapshot of LIAF 2025

Opening Night Special Screening: A Tribute to Emma Calder (fierce and independent to the end) – Barbican Cinema

LIAF 2025’s opening night is dedicated to the late Emma Calder, a trailblazing force in independent animation. For over 40 years, Emma shaped the animation landscape through film, books, design, and teaching, fiercely advocating for independent voices and new funding opportunities. In 2024, at the height of her career, she began work on House of Love before being diagnosed with a rare, aggressive cancer. Though she couldn’t complete the film herself, she left detailed notes and direction, allowing her team to bring it to completion. Tonight marks its world premiere. The programme also features a near-complete retrospective of her work – films that channel a punk spirit and continually redefine the possibilities of animation. Following the screening, friends and collaborators will gather onstage for a panel discussion on Emma’s enduring legacy.

8 International Competition Screenings – The Garden Cinema, The Puppet Theatre Barge and The Horse Hospital

Including From Absurd to Zany (humorous shorts), Into The Dark (scary shorts), Animated Documentaries, the Abstract Showcase and the Stop-Motion Panorama. 77 films of every technique, genre and style from the international indie animation universe and the world’s most creative talents showing that animation is alive and well and thriving. Many of the filmmakers from the UK and around the world will join us in cinemas and onstage for post-screening talks and introductions.

The British Showcase – Barbican Cinema

A snapshot of what’s happening now in British animation. Independent British animated films have carved out a unique niche in the cinematic landscape, characterised by their distinct artistic styles and innovative storytelling. These films frequently explore themes of identity, culture, and social issues, reflecting the diverse experiences of contemporary Britain. Before the screening there is a chance to meet many of the animators and hear them talk about their films as they take to the stage to introduce them.

Figures in Focus – Skin Shows: Barbican Cinema

A programme of contemporary animations in recognition of the under-representation of female and non-binary animators and their stories within independent animation. The title ‘Skin Shows’ is a nod to Jack Halberstam’s book of the same name; a work that explores gothic horror, monstrousness, corporeality, otherness, and its representation in contemporary film. In this programme the female body is viewed as grotesque, abject, and perverse. These films show that getting under the skin of this conceit can be empowering rather than horrifying. The screening will be followed by a discussion with filmmakers May Kindred Boothby, Lizzie Watts, and Dr Laura-Beth Cowley.

Disrupting the Narrative – The Beauty of Resilience in the Face of Adversity: Barbican Cinema

This programme takes viewers on unexpected journeys across London, India, DR Congo, Nigeria, Belgium, France, Germany and beyond with 11 films that portray characters who confront societal pressures, whether it’s environmental destruction, discrimination, or personal identity struggles that tell stories about the urgency of sustainable living. Several of the filmmakers will join programmer Osbert Parker for a post-screening discussion.

Lesbian Space Princess (Feature Film): The Garden Cinema

Heartbreak. Kidnapping. Gay-pop idols. And one impossibly needy space princess blasting through the cosmos. Buckle up your glitter belts: Lesbian Space Princess has officially landed at LIAF after snatching the coveted Teddy Award at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. Part space opera, part rom-com, part glitter-fuelled fever dream, Lesbian Space Princess is a love letter to queer resilience and messy, magical relationships – with enough camp to fuel a rocket.

Are You OK? Destigmatising Mental Health: The Horse Hospital

Animated shorts are a powerful medium for addressing mental health issues, offering a unique and often visually compelling way to explore complex emotions and inner struggles. This special programme vividly depicts experiences like anxiety, depression, trauma and personal growth. Several of the filmmakers will be present for a panel discussion after the screening.

Queer Shorts: The Horse Hospital

A programme of short animated films that celebrate queer lives, loves, and imaginations. Animation lets us bend reality, dream big, and tell stories in ways words alone can’t. These films remind us that animation is not just entertainment, but a medium for visibility, resistance, and imagination.

40 Years of RCA Animation: The Horse Hospital

40 years ago, the Royal College of Art launched its animation programme. This LIAF selection from over 1000 archived student films includes early work by key figures in UK animation and internationally acclaimed shorts that have stood the test of time.

Animation at War: Barbican Cinema

How do filmmakers use the expressive potential of animation to address ever-relevant themes of war and conflict? These films range from abstract to activist, tracing the scars of trauma and meditating on the nature of war.

Late Night Bizarre: The Horse Hospital

A programme of the weirdest, wildest and most demented films submitted to LIAF this year featuring a bunch of anti-classics guaranteed to be as far away from Disney as possible.

Music Video Programme: The Horse Hospital

The world’s best music clips made by the world’s most inventive animators. Featuring Wet Leg, Aphex Twin and Black Country New Road alongside several others.

The Best of the Next: The Horse Hospital

The 33 best student films from the world’s best film schools made in the last 18 months. The first step on the animation ladder for these talented filmmakers.

Two Programmes for Children Aged 0–7 and 8–15: Barbican Cinema

Several short animated films, full of joy from all around the world containing cheeky, loveable humans and animals in all sorts of mad adventures.

The Best of the Fest: Barbican Cinema

A roundup of LIAF 2025, where the best films as chosen by audience and industry judges are announced, awarded prizes and re-screened one final time.

Free Online Panel Discussions

LIAF presents the 2025 UK Animation Industry Event – 5 panels giving insider access to some of the hottest topics of the year. Chaired by Julian Scott, Babak Jani and Saint John Walker, with discussions covering accessibility in animation, funding, mental health, and innovation in storytelling.

Full Programme Online

View full programme online at liaf.org.uk

Tickets for in-venue screenings available from cinema box-offices.

Buy passes for online screenings

VIP PASS – £79 (access to 23 screenings and 5 talks)
CURATOR PASS – £39 (access to 8 screenings of your choice)
Single tickets for online screenings – £5

The post London International Animation Festival (LIAF 2025) Returns for Its 22nd Year appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

Kateryna, Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

In just a few years, Ukrainian filmmaker Mary Yanko has established herself as an original, emerging voice in animation. Splitting her time between Kyiv and Paris, with a background in fine art and animation, she has been remarkably prolific since graduating from Gobelins in 2022. While still a student, she co-directed one of the 2020 Annecy Festival opening sequences. Her graduation short Vulvine Reine d’Extase (2022) went on to screen at over 60 festivals worldwide; even as it was blocked from YouTube, Instagram, and Vimeo for its erotic and violent content. The film eventually found a home on the UK-based platform Shadows Streaming via Amazon Prime, and you can watch it here.

More recently she directed La Princesse de Babylone for France Télévisions, which premiered at Annecy in 2024 and received a Special Mention at the Linoleum Animation Festival.

Her latest film in development, the animated documentary Kateryna, explores how the Russo-Ukrainian War is depicted across social media, following the unique perspective of a webcam model who becomes a soldier. Co-produced by Miyu Productions (France) and Moon Man Prod (Ukraine), the project won the ARTE France Prize at this year’s Annecy MIFA pitch, demonstrating its powerful message and well-received concept.

Mary Yanko presenting her film at Linoleum Festival (Photo by Roman Shalamov)

We chatted with Mary about her career so far and to delve deeper into her new project.

First of all, congratulations on ‘Kateryna’ winning the ARTE France Prize at Annecy’s MIFA this year! What do you think resonated most with the jury, and what does this recognition mean for you and the project?

Having now spoken with Helene who curates the Arte program “Short circuit” I can surely say that she actually appreciated Katryna’s writing and the “best script” mention that came with the MIFA prize is another testament to it. As an author I’m reassured that the film will have a life outside film festivals, because once Kateryna is finished it will be available on the Arte’s online platform and will be broadcast on TV.

I consider Kateryna an international story, even though the film is about Ukrainians who grew up with the war, it is also a story about foreigners who watch them through screens and accidentally become spectators of this war while sitting in the comfort of their homes. The foreigners are only depicted in the form of comments that appear on the screen, but it is interesting that Europeans identify with this digital image when watching. Arte’s commitment during this early stage of production proves that they believe French and German audiences will find this story interesting.

Kateryna, Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

Although the film is based on a real friend’s story, you also drew from many conversations with women in the Ukrainian army, whose stories are rarely told. Did these conversations change your original idea, and in what ways (if any) did they help shape Kateryna’s character?

Talking to soldiers with active online activity experiences was crucial for me to understand what I was dealing with. We are given so much power as filmmakers to present and amplify our points of view. When we’re working with such sensitive topics I believe in staying humble and keeping this power in check by doing extensive research and consulting with those who have actually lived what we are writing. Many soldiers are deeply traumatised by their experience and it’s my responsibility to fact check and be as empathic as I can when I work with such a subject. Some of them helped with important visual details and dialogue, mostly they confirmed the narrative was on the right track.

A female soldier I interviewed admitted to me that she had a hidden past as a camgirl. I was surprised because there was no explicit content on her account. She told me that she sold sexual videos to strangers online to be able to feed her daughter when she couldn’t find work, and she’s afraid that one day someone will find out. She confirmed that it was important for her to be able to read or see stories like Kateryna’s. Animation makes this story anonymous and universal; many Ukrainian women can see themselves in it, and their experience can be shared with viewers in a story designed to be understood, felt, and shared.

Kateryna, Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

One of the themes running throughout the film is the use of social media; while you shared how you created your first Instagram account in the same year that Russia invaded Ukraine (2014). How do you think platforms like Instagram or TikTok have shaped the way your generation experiences war?

When I need to shelter from ballistic missiles I put a picture online and people thousands of kilometers away can see it and become aware of what I’m going through.

We are people of a modern, very digitalised country with almost no military industrial complex facing one of the world’s greatest powers. We have to constantly remind the international community of our existence to have a chance to defend ourselves. This means playing by the rules the social media are imposing.

In June 2023, my father sent me a video of him making jokes on the front lines. Three days later, he died in combat near Sloviansk. The first thing I did was delete a post promoting a fundraiser for his equipment because I found it too depressing for my followers. I also knew I would need them for other fundraisers and to share information about what’s happening in my country. Like other Ukrainians, I adapt my life to algorithms.

Kateryna, Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

You trained in both fine arts in Kyiv and animation at Gobelins in Paris, giving you a mix of traditional and digital techniques. How has that background influenced the way you approached Kateryna, which will blend traditional 2D, rotoscoping, 3D techniques and documentary material?

I see endless possibilities in the transformative nature of animation as an art form and a filmmaking tool. If painting is captured in time, then in cinema we have complete control over time. The dynamics of editing, the transition from scene to scene can have an ironic, sarcastic or calming effect on the viewer, adding new contexts.

I am lucky to have a good set of technical knowledge and good producers so I feel very free as a director to mix all the animation techniques I want, and most importantly be able to work with talented teams of artists and animators to make my vision come true.

In your pitch, you described how you want the film to be “aesthetically beautiful, understandable to all, and entertaining”. With the film following two timelines – one depicting the horrors of the frontline; the other with flashbacks to Kateryna’s civilian life – how do you walk the line between beauty and horror?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder right? Well not really. I believe we all choose when to make something aesthetically appealing or appalling, in animation more so than in realtime shooting. Then we make that choice again when we choose to keep or remove the footage. Should war be represented as something aesthetically appealing? When a soldier films herself bleeding in a trench in order to fundraise for her team’s equipment should she add a contrast filter or adjust colors before posting? My film asks these questions, but I don’t have definite answers. What I can say is that when I post a video of a missile hit during a beautiful sunset I get more views and reactions then when it’s raining.

You have mentioned how you plan to use real photos and videos of women soldiers in the closing credits. Why was it important to close with documentary material after such a stylized approach?

I think it’s necessary to anchor the film in reality. Animation is an excellent way to convey emotions, but it’s also important to show that these aren’t fictional characters and fantasy drawings. These women exist and are fighting as we work on the film.

Kateryna, Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

What do you hope international audiences will take away from this film – not just about the war but about your generation’s experience?

I hope they see how a whole generation of Ukrainians like myself end up curating our own trauma, turning survival into a kind of performance through screens. It would be good if they understood through watching the film that we didn’t choose to live like this, but we make it work. Streaming our fate in hopes that the algorithms carry it further is better than dying in silence.

Compared to live-action documentary, what do you think are the strengths of animation in terms of telling a story like this and engaging audiences emotionally?

It wouldn’t be interesting to watch 15 minutes of a film where everyone is looking at the screens! All the shots and all the dialogues of the soldiers in the film are based on real videos, testimonies, interviews. And thanks to animation, I can go beyond the vertical frame shot for social media, change angles, visualize text posts. I can animate flashbacks and scenes that weren’t documented to complete the narration. I have the footage to back up my story, but at the same time I’m free from it.

And lastly, when working with sensitive topics like war PTSD and online sex work, which is by the way still illegal in Ukraine, it’s important to provide the promise of anonymity to the real people behind these stories – animation assures that.

Kateryna, Mary Yanko (Source: Mary Yanko / MIYU Productions)

Kateryna is currently in production, with the Ukrainian portion completed and the French animation phase about to begin, ahead of its scheduled 2027 release. You can keep up to date with Mary and her work at her website, her Instagram, or Twitter/X.

The post Emerging Ukrainian Animator Mary Yanko Discusses Latest Project ‘Kateryna’: Interview appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

Manchester Animation Festival’s Animation Nation Forum (ANF) is always one of my favourote parts of the week. After watching some great short films and maserclasses, it is a welcome break to take a full day away from the festival environment and immerse myself fully in the more ‘industry’ side of things. Taking place all day at Bridgewater Hall on Wednesday 12th November. the ANF gives animation professionals a chance to hear what is happening throughout the industry, and where things are heading next.

With the difficult period that the industry seems to be going through of late, the lively and insightful ANF brings together a host of speakers to answer some of the hot topics and questions facing the industry as we see off 2025 and head into a fresh 2026…

In the Frame: The Future Normal

The past 5 years have seen seismic changes to the animation landscape; not only for how it is made, but also how it is consumed. Experts will explore how creators and studios are adapting to this rapidly evolving landscape and discuss what sustainability looks like in a digital first, direct to audience world. This event will examine how these massive creative, commercial and cultural shifts are creating a new normal for animation businesses. Panel guests include:

• James Cameron — Creative Director and co-founder of Imaginakery, developing innovative family-focused IP like Jungle Squad.
• Rob Doherty — Veteran of children’s TV and animation, founder of festivus and FSTVS recruitment service.
• Darran Garnham — Licensing and merchandising expert, founder of Toikido, bringing hit games and original IP from screen to shelf.

State of the Animation Nation

Presenting the State of the Animation Nation roundtable discussion; a session where a spectrum of animation’s finest paint a contemporary picture of the animation industry by answering a wide range of hard hitting questions. This panel is a space to reflect on the challenges and triumphs that the industry has been subject to, and what may lay ahead. Panel guests include:

• Andrew Ruhemann — Oscar-winning filmmaker and founder of Passion Pictures, behind The Lost Thing, Gorillaz, and acclaimed documentaries.
• Julio Bonet — Director of Animation Series (UK & EMEA) at Netflix, driving international hits from Blue Eye Samurai to Ricky Gervais’s upcoming Alley Cats.
• Camilla Deakin — Award-winning producer and co-founder of Lupus Films, known for beautifully crafted adaptations like Ethel & Ernest and The Tiger Who Came to Tea.
• Kate O’Connor — Senior screen industries consultant and Executive Chair of Animation UK, representing and advocating for the UK’s animation sector.

State of the Animation Nation (2024)

Animation Nation Forum (ANF)

Running alongside the ANF is the annual MAF Marketplace, which allows companies, animation, and educators to showcase their work and meet the festival delegates. The marketplace is free and open to all. – just drop in.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The post Animation Nation Forum (ANF) at Manchester Animation Festival – Top Picks for 2025 appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

With so much going on at this year’s Manchester Animation Festival, it would be easier to write a top 5 list for each day of the festival, instead of a one that covers the whole 5 days. MAF 2025 kicks off on Sunday 9^th November with its traditional Family Day, and stretches all the way to the evening of Thursday 13^th November when the awards ceremony and party will wrap up a week of animation.

However, as the title of this article stipulates, I have had to make some firm decisions, and have put together my five highlights of the festival that I am most looking forward to. Sadly, artist talks with Will Anderson and Anna Ginsburg did not make the list (although I won’t be missing these!), and neither did The Art of the Ad, which will explore the craft behind commercials. Without further ado…

1. Animated Answers: Kick Start Your Animation Career
   10 Nov 2025 at 10:30

   About the event: Breaking in feels tougher than ever, but this one cuts through the noise. Early-career pros share how they actually got hired, what tripped them up, and the practical moves that made a difference. Real talk, real tactics, and a confidence boost to kick-start your own path.

   

   An Animated Answers panel event

2. Neurodiversity in Animation: Unlocking Creative Potential
   10 Nov 2025 at 15:45

   About the event: Join Aardman Animations and Flycheese Studio for an inspiring conversation on the value of neurodiverse minds in animation. We’ll explore the creativity and fresh perspectives neurodiverse talent brings to the industry, while also addressing the biases and barriers often faced. Discover how studios can build more inclusive environments, where every voice has the chance to thrive.

3. How it Works: Breaking through on YouTube
   11 Nov 2025 at 14:30

   About the event: Audiences are scrolling, not channel-hopping. This session maps the current YouTube reality and what the platform wants, how creators grow without a broadcaster, and how institutions are adapting. The panel brings together industry professionals and rising creatives, alongside voices from YouTube itself, to discover what it takes to thrive in this fast-moving space.

4. Keeping Things Creative in an AI World
   13 Nov 2025 at 12:30

   About the event: The idea of including AI in digital animation workflows has shifted from an avoidable option to an ever-present integration. Rapid change raises pressing issues, such as how to prioritise and safeguard artists. Which structures can guarantee moral behaviour? And how can individuals and studios improve their skills without sacrificing their creative vision? This panel brings together industry experts to discuss pressing issues, break down hybrid workflows, and share practical steps for working ethically in a rapidly changing landscape.

   

   Keeping Things Creative in an AI World

5. WIA UK: Where we go from here
   13 Nov 2025 at 15:30

   About the event: We reflect on the career journeys of three directors and creatives, and how they’ve navigated the animation industry as women. Despite the progress our industry has made in terms of representation, the Names Will Be Made discourse has shown us that there’s more work to be done to support women and underrepresented genders in animation. With Neeraja Raj, She Drew That’s Hannah Lau-Walker, Lindsey Adams, and Rosa Kennedy. For more context, see our recent piece: Women on Screen, Men in Charge: The Industry’s Open Secret

Northwestivus networking/social gathering at the Manchester Animation Festival

One of the things I love about MAF is the networking opportunities it offers, and I don’t think there has been as many varied and frequent events as there are this year. Whichever days you find yourself at MAF this year, be sure to tag along and grab a beer/coffee/tea at one of the many social gatherings:

• BlackFrame Networking – 11 Nov 2025 at 17:45
• MAFter Dark (18) – 11 Nov 2025 at 21:00
• Northwestivus – 12 Nov 2025 at 18:00
• Skwigly Quiz – 12 Nov 2025 at 20:30
• WIA (Women in Animation) UK Meetup – 13 Nov 2025 at 16:45
• The AfterMAF – 13 Nov 2025 at 21:30

The Skwigly team look forward to seeing you there!

The post 5 Events Not to Miss at Manchester Animation Festival 2025 appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

The post Skwigly Quiz @ Manchester Animation Festival 2025 appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

Flaka Kokolli (speaking) at the How to Start (and Maintain) a Career in Animation in the Balkans panel

Although Kosovo’s animation scene is still young and emerging, its future talents are clearly shining through – demonstrated by the many young creatives who gathered in Peja for the festival, including 18 projects pitched at the Kosovar-French Anibar Pro Genesis forum and an additional 9 projects presented at the Pitch It! event.

Despite all the wonderful projects and directors I encountered, one creative stood out for me during the festival – Flaka Kokolli. This may be in part to her asking the first question during my panel (Ask the Pro: Navigating the International Animation Landscape) – about how local directors can find producers in such a young industry. However, there was no denying how prolific she was during this edition of Anibar: she was a panelist on How to Start (and Maintain) a Career in Animation in the Balkans, won first prize at Pitch It! with her new project I Still Haven’t Cried, and represented her previous short film 17 O’Clock, which competed in the Animated Documentaries category.

Flaka Kokolli’s film ’17 O’Clock’ in competition

We caught up with Flaka to discuss her journey from festival volunteer to studio owner, the Kosovan animation scene, and her latest short film.

You were born in Kosovo, studied animation in Budapest, before returning to found your animation studio Flammorum in 2020. Could you share more about your journey and what inspired you to return to Kosovo and start your own studio?

I went off to study one month before turning 18, so when I graduated, I was only 20. At the time, my return back home was necessary to the point that there was no doubt I would return. This was in the year 2019, and Kosovo still needed VISAs to travel almost anywhere in Europe; Hungary included. To stay there, I needed proof of enough financial security to sustain myself for about a year, which for 20 year old me was impossible. Even getting there in the first place took one Student VISA rejection, and I was only granted the chance to go when I applied the second time. So, up until 2024, going and staying abroad was a bureaucratic hell for Kosovars.

Upon my return, I quickly realized that there were no opportunities for animated film; no studios had existed at the time, and all initiatives were on an individual basis, and of course, difficult to push through since it was hard to gather teams. I worked in motion graphics and illustration for 6 months, and when COVID hit, I decided to open a studio. Looking back, I never had a clear sense of what the consequences would be if that did not work out, but I am glad that was not the case.

Flaka Kokolli (centre) at the How to Start (and Maintain) a Career in Animation in the Balkans panel

Anibar is the only major animation festival in Kosovo. How important has it been for the local animation scene?

Anibar has been an amazing platform since its beginning. My first engagement with it was in 2013 when I participated in a workshop of theirs. I had been looking for a way to do animation and go past illustrating in class for some time, and when I was told about that workshop I immediately applied.

It was where I met some of the people I am closest to today, but I also kept in touch with the festival regularly. A large part of the encouragement to keep going with the studio definitely came from the festival and everyone I was meeting there. Being in contact with animators, workshops, masterclasses – plus, being given so many opportunities from the festival to see how animation is done elsewhere – made it a lot more tangible. And suddenly animation wasn’t this thing they just do in developed countries because they have solved some of their basic issues which we haven’t. Instead, it started feeling like another career that you can simply decide to do.

In terms of Anibar’s goal to start an animation industry in Kosovo – a place that had little to no animation tradition and no animation school, I believe it has truly achieved it.

I would like to delve more into your studio, Flammorum, and how it come together, especially during the middle of the pandemic! Could you tell me a little more about your team, structure, and how you all operate?

My first few jobs came purely through word of mouth, and I immediately applied in the National Film Fund with my first personal film. It was still during the pandemic, so everything was done remotely; even the interviews with our Center for Cinematography. In a few months, I received a positive answer and started calling up friends of mine – and one way or another I gathered up enough of a team to make that film happen.

One project came after the other and I had friends and people I met along the way, mostly through Anibar Animation Academy, and we were all working together. At a point, with two friends of mine we tried to start a collective, but none of us had the maturity and knowledge to keep that going. I kept getting projects and making teams based on the project. Two years ago, the projects were consistent enough, and the collaboration with the team was smooth enough, that it organically transitioned into a full-time team.

Now, and for the past two years, we are four women – Leonita Thaqi, Diellza Franca, Elsa Talla, and myself – and we still work interchangeably in our roles. The goal is for this to eventually change, so we can all stay in the creative roles we find ourselves most suited for. However, the wish to work as a collective is still present. The point of having a studio for me was to be able to work on animated films, not to run a business, so we are constantly working on arranging our team in such a way that we can all make decisions together, and there is more of a hierarchy in the project, based on who is directing it, rather than in how we function as a studio.

Flammorum Animation Studio, Prishtinë, Kosovo

What types of projects does Flammorum mainly focus on (e.g., short films, music videos, educational campaigns)? Which projects do you enjoy working on the most?

Currently, we do animated films, both commissioned and personal, educational videos, and music videos. All of these have been very fun to work on, especially considering the fact that creatively we treat them all in a similar way, working on films is the smoothest, just because it is a more long-term project and there is less worrying about when the next project will come up, since you have a longer period of scouting to find something.

But one thing that is impossible to ignore is the lack of producers in the country, we do produce for one another when needed, but it is a gap that’s noticeable and takes a lot of energy to fill.

As a studio owner, would you mind sharing your most challenging experience running a studio?

While I am the founder, our aim is for it to be a worker-owned studio, so both the privileges and the burdens that come with it are spread across everyone who is dedicating so many hours of their day to work here. A big difficulty so far has been knowing exactly how to do this and not really having any examples of similarly run businesses locally. But the more we get in touch with international studios that work in a similar way, the easier it feels. Just this week, I have already set up two meetings with Animation collectives where I intend to go into detail with questions and see how they are internally managed.

Aside from your new short film, what does the future hold for Flammorum? What projects do you have in the pipeline?

My short film ‘I Still Haven’t Cried’ has a long way to go until production (I expect that to be around the middle of next year), so the personal films of Leonita and Diellza, both of whom won funding from the Anibar Genesis pitch, are what we will prioritise. At the same time, part of our team, alongside our external collaborators Agon Ahmetaj and Blend Leci, are working on a video game that I am very excited about. While I am not personally engaged in that project, it is something that was born out of passion and I am very excited to see where that will go.

We took the summer off, partly due to a lack of projects, and partly to avoid a serious burn out, but it seems that we all used it to come up with great ideas of projects to do in the future and I am just really happy to be surrounded with people with so much passion, creativity and will to work hard.

The most difficult part in all of this has been the general feeling that “I have no fucking idea what I am doing” that has been following since the beginning, but the more time passes, the more that feeling seems to go away, and maybe one day I won’t hear from her at all.

Congratulations on pitching, and winning first prize for, I Still Haven’t Cried at Anibar this year! Can you walk us through the core idea of the project and why you decided to tell this particular personal story?

I Still Haven’t Cried is a project I have a hard time speaking about at this stage. It was triggered from a very specific encounter but that moment also seemed to be a culmination of so many similar encounters in life. Constantly being viewed through a sexual lens is a burden all women carry, and it is like a heavy cloud that stays on top of you no matter what you are trying to do. The film is not so much about the perspective of women, it is more about voyeurism and, untimely, sexualisation.

How is the project being supported now, and who/what are you looking for now to take the project to its next stage?

Besides winning the first prize at Anibar, I was awarded at the Euro Connection in Clermont-Ferrand by Dokufest, which I am extremely grateful for. I have also applied for the National Film Fund, which I will find out about in a couple of months.

So far, I have just been trying to pave the way for this film to have as much time and effort as it needs. Besides funding, co-production, and assembling an experienced team, I have been looking for sound designers and editors to work with; but most importantly I am still looking for a local producer.

Participating in all of these events has been very useful and proved extremely worthy; not just for the prizes but also for the people I have met, so I intend to keep going on like this for a while more.

I Still Haven’t Cried wins first prize at Anibar’s Pitch It! 2025

Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future of I Still Haven’t Cried, Flammorum, and the broader Kosovar animation community?

For my film, for now, I just want it to be something I can look at and be truly proud of.

For my studio, I hope we will keep going and improving – keep the collaborative spirit both inside the team but also with our fellow animators and filmmakers outside of our studio.

And for the industry, I just hope to see it be a healthy industry where we prioritize self-expression and the well-being of each-other in that process. In this current economical climate it feels too easy to let go of anything you are passionate about and only work from a place of fear about survival, which in turn prioritizes profit and growth, and that is often where original, strange, and risky ideas die. So I truly hope we can stay away from that as much as possible.

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For as long as I’ve been covering animation festivals, Anibar has been lingering in the back of my mind: its striking logo, a festival that everyone talks about with passion, stories of late-night screenings, creative venues and parties, and an atmosphere you just can’t put into words.

After years of hoping, the stars finally aligned and I made my way to Peja, Kosovo, for the 16^th edition. And what better year to do it than when Anibar’s theme was the unapologetic and ambiguous WTF?! (What’s The Future / What The F**k ?!). The theme was not just a tagline: it was everywhere. It was plastered across tote bags, erected on signage throughout the city, and shouted out in acceptance speeches. And it resulted in one of my favourite festival trailers so far:

Peja: The City That Becomes a Festival

Anibar is much more than a festival that pops up for one week every year and then disappears from everyone’s mind. I was fascinated to discover what it has grown into and how integral it is (and will be) to the future of the Kosovan animation industry.

Founded by Vullnet Sanaja and a passionate team of animation enthusiasts, the first edition of was born out of a desire for a group of friends to learn the craft of animation and make their own films. With no formal animation school or training available in Kosovo – a nation still rebuilding after recent conflict – the idea was to bring the best international talent to the city. This would help nurture an animation community by sharing skills, knowledge, and experience. And what better way to do that than by hosting an animation festival.

That first edition was started on a budget of less than €500 and comprised of 80 films sourced from friends. Today, it has grown into one of the most popular animation festivals in Europe with 160 films screened from 51 countries this year.

Beyond the annual festival, Anibar plays an important role in shaping the animation landscape through educational and community initiatives. One such initiative is the Anibar Animation Academy – the only formal animation education offering in the country. Every Kosovan animator I met at the festival had come through the Academy, and all of them credited it with kickstarting their careers.

Another fascinating aspect of Anibar is how they came to manage the city’s main venue – the Jusuf Gërvalla cinema. Originally built in the 1950s as a state-run workers’ cinema, it remained in public use until 2016, when local authorities placed it on a ‘liquidation list’ – meaning it was ear marked for privatization (and likely demolition, as per other cinemas in Kosovo – only 4 like this remain). That’s when Anibar sprang into action, launching a successful campaign to save the cinema. Ownership and operations were transferred to Anibar the same year and since then they have revitalized the venue with year-round events including film screenings, music nights, and community events.

Aside from the cinema, Peja boasts some truly unique makeshift venues for Anibar screenings: the outdoor lakeside cinema (with boats!), the open-air Cinema Cubes, and new for 2025, the Bazaar of Peja, which drew in large swaths of the local community.

So, Peja, almost by default, became the place where the seed of Kosovo’s animation industry was planted. Its relaxed pace of life (even during festival week), framed by the surrounded mountains and river, make it an ideal setting to host a festival.

The Heart of Anibar: What Makes It So Special?

Every festival tries to create a sense of community, but Anibar takes it to another level. Where else can you start your morning with a festival-led yoga session or short run; enjoy mountain picnics with rakia (a strong Balkan alcoholic spirit), party seven nights in a row with live music that switches between English and Albanian; or – my favourite – watch a short film programme from a paddle boat as you try not to spin out of control?

It’s hard to separate the festival from its social life – two are closely connected.

Meet the Filmmakers. Krste Gospodinovski holds a puppet from ‘Silent Cinema’

Mornings at Anibar started with Meet the Filmmakers, a cosy, early-day tradition where strong coffee was served alongside even stronger rakia (40% proof!). It’s the only festival I’ve been to where you can toast with filmmakers before lunchtime and it’s completely normal!

From there, the day would unfold into screenings, workshops, and panel events, with just enough time in between to explore Peja, share a picnic or hike in the mountains, or take a swim in the river.

The Get Together was a staple of the daily schedule. These mysterious, semi-secret gatherings became an event in themselves. You never knew what was planned until a cryptic email dropped into your inbox a couple of hours beforehand. That daily message became a highlight in itself for me: Where are we heading tonight? What unexpected venue awaits?

Next up: a few more screenings, this time by the lake or floating around on a boat.

When the day was done, the after-parties kicked off. From 11pm, a separate venue opened into a celebration of more than just animation: bands, DJs, rappers, VJs and other live acts brought together locals and festivalgoers in one of the most fun and energetic atmospheres I’ve seen at any festival.

And all of it is made possible by the lifeblood of the festival – the huge team of volunteers – who manned the multiple information centres that were dotted around the city. Always smiling, always helpful, always finding time for a chat – they gave a welcome that made me instantly feel part of the Anibar family. Thank you!

Highlights: Screenings, Panels & Events That Defined Anibar

I don’t want to give the impression that all I did was eat, drink, and party! With most screenings and events lasting 60-minutes or less – and venues located close together – it was easy to attend nearly every event in the schedule.

Anibar’s programme is diverse and thought-provoking – not just in its selection of films, but in the discussions it encourages. The panel talks covered a lot of ground: from practical advice around starting an animation career in the Balkans, to open conversations on mental health in the industry. I had the pleasure of joining the Ask the Pro: Navigating the International Landscape panel, where we covered everything from distribution challenges to the role of the producer, and how to stay positive in the current climate.

Ask the Pro: Navigating the International Landscape panel: (left to right) Britt Raes, Aaron Wood, Lucia Dubravay Trautenberger, Olivier Catherin, Aneta Ozorek

The screenings were just as varied. I took in animated documentaries (favourite: Girls Are Made to Love), student films, experimental shorts, commissioned work, and international highlights. 2025 marked the first year Anibar introduced a dedicated Balkan Competition category, where Silent Cinema, a beautifully crafted stop-motion film from North Macedonia that took eight years to make, was my standout film. In the Human Rights category, Inside, the Valley Sings – a film exploring the life of three U.S prisoners surviving years of solitary confinement through their imagination – left a lasting impression on me

But the screening that will stay with me is the Palestine Animated Shorts at the Bazaar of Peja. Projected on a makeshift screen in the middle of the historic square, there wasn’t a seat left. People stood, sat on the pavement, leaned out of windows, and even wheeled out office chairs to watch. It was one of those moments where I witnessed the power of animation and how it can bring together communities of all backgrounds.

Palestine Animated Shorts at the Bazaar of Peja David Çavollari

Central to Anibar’s mission to nurture the next generation of animation talent were two standout initiatives: Pitch It! and the newly launched Anibar Pro: Genesis. The latter marked its debut this year, selecting ten emerging directors and giving them the support to push their projects forward. There are plans to make Anibar Pro: Genesis a regular fixture at the festival, and if this year’s pitches are anything to go by, I look forward to seeing what next year brings. (Keep an eye out for Stick with Me (Albana Hajdini) and Fading Echoes (Alisa Fejza).) Also, stay tuned for an upcoming interview with Pitch It! winner Flaka Kokolli.

Until Next Time, Anibar…

As with any great festival experience, it all ended too soon.

If you’re a filmmaker reading this and your film gets selected in the future, here’s my advice: GO. Don’t put it off for years like I did. You can fly to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, and take an hour taxi journey for a reasonable price. From there, let Anibar (and Peja) guide the experience.

Anibar isn’t just a seven-day festival – it’s a space where international guests bring their knowledge, passion, and openness; and everyone is thrown together to share amazing experiences and spark new relationships. But most importantly, Anibar gives emerging Kosovan talent a visible platform, not just to be part of the future of animation, but to shape it.

Anibar screening at Lake Cinema David Çavollari

A big thank you to Anibar for inviting Skwigly, and to Vullnet Sanaja, Arba Hatashi, Vita Kasapolli & the whole team for your hospitality.

Recap of 2025 Award Winners

International competition – Dog Alone by Marta Reis Andrade
Special Mention – Dollhouse Elephant by Jenny Jokela

Balkan competition – How by Marko Mestrovic

Student competition – Children of the Bird by Julia Tudisco
Special Mentions – The Eating of an Orange by May Kindred-Boothby and Poppy Flowers by Evridiki Papaiakovou

Pitch It! first place – I Still Haven’t Cried by Flaka Kokolli
Pitch It! second place – Transporting Woman by Verica Tenekedjieva
Pitch It! third place – The Last Bookstore in the World by Katarina Zaharijev and Marija Maletić

Human Rights category – Romina by Bee Grandinetti
Special Mention – Cimarron by Rémi Vandenitte and Cédric Bourgeois

Animated Music Videos category – Coldplay – feelslikeimfallinginlove by Raman Djafari
Special Mention – Bob Dylan’s Big Dick by Chris Lambourne

Young Audience category – Down in the Dumps by Vera van Wolferen
Special Mention – The Legend of the Hummingbird by Morgan Devos

The post WTF?! Anibar 2025 Review – Where Animation Meets Uncertainty, Balkan Charm, and the Warmest Animated Welcome appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

This year’s Young Audiences and Teen competitions bring together a fearless array of international animation—stories that trust young viewers to interpret and be moved, rather than speaking down to them. By handing the judging power to kids and teens themselves, we celebrate their freshest perspectives and ensure a competition full of surprises. It’s our hope that seeing animation pushed to these creative limits will ignite the spark in the next generation of Ottawa filmmakers.

Chris Robinson, OIAF Artistic Director

The Young Audiences 7+ category includes:

• Complexo Floral Artesanal (The Handmade Flowery Complex) (dirs. Class 5ºB Elementary School 2 and 3 Palmeira, Braga, Portugal)
• Omedodeedu (Edu’s Fear) (dirs. Bruno Mazzilli and Tiago Judas, Brazil)
• Get a Grip (dir. Abbey Collings, Canada)
• Les bottes de la nuit (The Night Boots) (dir. Pierre-Luc Granjon, France)
• Kinder Conversations (Big Stories, Small Scribbles) (dir. Diana Reichenbach, United States)
• Robot Leo (dirs. Piret Sigus and Silja Saarepuu, Estonia)
• Family Dinner (dir. Huayi Yu, United States)
• Rajskie Ptaki (Birds of Paradise) (dir. Tomek Ducki, Poland)
• Le tunnel de la nuit (The Night Tunnel) (dir. Annechien Strouven, Belgium/France/Netherlands)
• We’re Kinda Different (dir. Ben Meinhardt, Canada)

This year’s Young Audiences 7+ lineup features a vibrant mix of international storytelling and animation styles. Highlights include Get a Grip by Canada’s Collings, a playful exploration of perseverance and self-discovery, and Les bottes de la nuit (The Night Boots) from France’s Granjon, which invites viewers into a magical nighttime journey. The category also features Complexo Floral Artesanal (The Handmade Flowery Complex), a collaborative project from young students in Portugal, celebrating creativity and teamwork.

The OIAF 2025 Kids Jury, composed of animation enthusiasts aged 7 to 12 from the Ottawa area, will select the winner. The applications for the Kids Jury are open until July 29, 2025, at 11:59 pm ET.

The Teen Audience 13+ competition includes:

• Balconada (dir. Iva Tokmakchieva, Bulgaria/France)
• Play Fight (dir. Katrina Larner, United States)
• Autokar (dir. Sylwia Szkiłądź, Belgium/France)
• Super Pilut (dir. Keith Pakiz, United States)
• Dječak i Demon (The Boy and the Demon) (dir. Paula Petković, Croatia)
• Superspice (dir. Adriana Lopez Escalante, USA)
• OLIVE PLACE, Luxury Inn (dir. Jarrod Prince, Australia)
• L’étrange humeur adolescente (Strange Teen Spirit) (dir. Frank Ternier, France)

The Teen Audiences 13+ competition showcases bold and thought-provoking films that speak to the challenges and adventures of adolescence. Notable selections include Dječak i Demon (The Boy and the Demon), a haunting coming-of-age tale from Croatia, and L’étrange humeur adolescente (Strange Teen Spirit), a visually inventive French short exploring the complexities of teenage emotions. Superspice, from the United States, brings a burst of energy and humour to this year’s lineup.

Teens attending the Festival will have the opportunity to watch and judge these films during the Teens @ OIAF Day.

The winners for both competitions will be announced live at the OIAF Awards Ceremony on September 27, 2025, at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.

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The CEE Animation Forum, the leading platform for pitching, financing and co-production in Central and Eastern Europe — and a key meeting point for the wider European animation industry, announces the official selection for its 13th edition, taking place in Pilsen (Czechia) from 4 to 6 November 2025.

A total of 29 animated projects from 16 countries are selected across 4 categories: 9 short films, 8 student short films, 6 series and 6 feature films. Projects were chosen from a record 199 submissions, which marks a 62% increase from 2024 and more than double the number from 2023.

What’s most rewarding for us is seeing so many creative teams returning to our event with new projects and knowing that it was right here where they found the right partners or new co-producers. We’re proud to be a launchpad where new European animation projects begin their journey,

Marta Jallageas, Managing Director of the CEE Animation Forum

Geographically, the lineup features a blend of CEE countries and the most developed markets of Western Europe. CEE countries account for around 70% of the projects, with Czechia (5), Hungary (4) and Poland (4) topping the list. In terms of target demographics, the selection addresses a wide range of audiences, with 12 projects aimed at children, 6 targeting teenagers and young adults, and 11 intended for adult viewers.

Once again, hand-drawn animation emerged as the most popular animation technique, used in 14 projects, often combined with 2D or stop-motion animation, which are the next most popular techniques. The selection also highlights the creative use of 3D animation utilised in 6 projects. With approximately half of female directors and producers in this year’s lineup, CEE Animation Forum proudly maintains a tradition of equal representation of women.

CEE Animation Forum’s main activities are Pitching Competition, the Market and One-to-One meetings. Projects compete for a combined value of over €50,000 in cash and non-monetary awards, including placements at top European training programs, markets and services.

Accreditations for CEE Animation Forum will open in September 2025. 

CEE Animation Forum 2025 Official Selection

See detailed information about all selected projects at the official website.

FEATURE FILMS

• A Loyal Friend, d. Luka Rukavina, p. Jaka produkcija, Croatia
• Maryam & Varto, d. Gorune Aprikian, p. Tchack, France
• Pink Punk Delta, d. Alba Sotorra, p. Alba Sotorra, Spain, Artichoke, Slovakia
• Rani, d. Joachim Herisse, p. Komawe, France
• The Golden Butterfly, d. Goce Cvetanovski, p. Makedonska Krepost, North Macedonia
• Until Death Unites Us, d. Nawojka Wierzbowska, p. GS Animation, Poland

SERIES

• Brother Deer, d. Lucija Buzancic, p. Jaka produkcija, Croatia
• Coco, d. Stepan Gajdos, p. Blue Light Pictures, Czechia
• Electric Water, d. Gali Blay, p. Counterintuitive film, Germany
• Jurassic Talks, d. Salvatore Di Paola, p. Megadrago, Italy
• Tolo & Bolo, s. Szymon Wroblewski, p. Filmograf, Poland
• Tulip, d. Juli Tudisco, p. Avec ou sans Vous, France, CUB Animation, Hungary

SHORT FILMS

• Ancient Woods, d. Vykintas Labanauskas, p. Just a moment, Lithuania
• I’m Not Nearly Cool Yet, d. Anastazja Naumenko, p. Blurred, Poland
• Planet, d. Laura Pop, p. Safe Frame, Romania
• Pogo, d. Jana Svermova, p. Maurfilm, Czechia
• Sunshine for Everyone, d. Anete Melece, p. Studio Locomotive, Latvia
• Tense, d. Konrad Hjemli, p. Mikrofilm, Norway
• The Molepire, d. Marek Cermak, p. Films & Chips, Czechia
• The Rabbit-Shaped Dog, d. Roland Kazi, p. Kedd Animation Studio, Hungary
• Two for Me, One for You, d. Jan Gadermann, p. Fabian & Fred, Germany

STUDENT SHORT FILMS

• Ergot, d. Damjan Lazin, p. Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Hungary
• Fell a Tree Burn a House Kill a Son, d. Marcin Senderowicz, p. Lodz Film School, Poland
• Foolish Fish Fable, d. Yiyang Sun, p. Estonia Academy of Arts, Estonia
• Lunar Landscape, d. Foivos Chalkiopoulos, p. Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, Germany
• Martirologium, d. Mariia-Kristina Klimt, p. Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, Czechia
• Perfect, d. Andrea Olivares Lopez, p. Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Hungary
• Reus, d. Ondrej Tesnar, p. Tomas Bata University, Czechia
• Wavebreaker, d. Lilia Aleksandrova, p. New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria

The post CEE Animation Forum 2025 Unveils Lineup of 29 Projects Across Europe appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

The newly elected board reflects the diversity of European animation, bringing together film and series producers from across the continent. The new composition includes Ivan Agenjo (DIBOOS/ProAnimats, Spain), Philippe Alessandri (AnimFrance, France), Annemie Degryse (VOFTP, Belgium Flanders), Moe Honan (Animation Ireland, Ireland), Robert Jaszczurowski (SPPA, Poland), Reka Temple (HAPA, Hungary).

Four key priorities for the new term

For the 2025–2026 mandate, the federation has set four strategic priorities:

• The upcoming revision of the AVMS Directive, aiming for stronger support of the animation sector within the European Union.
• The development of a European carbon footprint calculator tailored to the animation industry.
• Support for Anima Mundi, an academic research initiative examining the cultural, economic, and environmental impact of European animation.
• And a constructive dialogue with European broadcasters to rethink the business model for animated series and promote original content.

A growing and unified European network

The inclusion of Austria (ASIFA Austria), Latvia (LAA), Croatia (HRUP), Hungary (APA), and Slovakia (APAF) as full members, and Armenia (AAA) as associate member, reflects Animation in Europe’s continued efforts to unify and amplify the voice of European animation producers. Full members now include professional associations from 24 EU countries plus Norway and the UK, while associate membership is open to associations from other European countries such as Armenia. The specific roles within the new Board – including the election of the President and Vice-Presidents – will be defined during the first Board meeting, scheduled for late June / early July.

“We can be proud that, after less than a decade, Animation in Europe has succeeded in federating 27 countries and 30 associations within the EU and in becoming a key discussion partner of the European Commission on essential topics such as the regulation and the MEDIA programme,” says Philippe Alessandri, Chairman of Animation in Europe.

Throughout the year, Animation in Europe pursues its policy of organizing workshops where professionals from all over Europe are invited to exchange ideas and build collective responses to the industry’s most pressing issues — such as sustainability, media regulation, evolving business models, and artificial intelligence.

The post Animation in Europe Expands to 27 Countries and 30 Associations appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

Rise & Shine, animation project development & pitching lab for young talents and their short films, is excited to announce the projects and participants of 2025!

Eleven inspiring animated short films in development have been carefully selected from more than 60 applications to participate in the three-part programme, organised as a collaboration between Animafest Zagreb, Animateka IAFF and CEE Animation.

Participants will train their skills through guidance from experienced industry professionals, network with fellow animators, and have the opportunity to present their project to a wider international professional audience connected to both festivals.

The first part of Rise & Shine will take place at the World Festival of Animated Film – Animafest Zagreb in June. The second part will take place online in October 2025. Third and the final part will take place at Animateka International Animated Film Festival in Ljubljana in December 2025, culminating in the pitching presentation in front of the international audience and a selected panel of animation professionals.

Throughout the programme the participants will be led by experienced scriptwriter and pitching mentor Anna Vášová. A special focus will be on the story of the project, which they will work on with mentor – screenwriter, director and producer Pedro Rivero. Additionally, they will be exploring production specifics for their projects with mentor – creative producer Jelena Popović from National Film Board of Canada.

“We are very excited to welcome the fourth generation of inspiring projects and talents for Rise & Shine this year. We had a tough time selecting the projects, especially as this year we received the record number of applications, more than 60! For this, we are sincerely thankful to our tutors and team, and previous participants, as they are not only helping us to enjoy as we embark on this creative journey every year, but also to promote the programme as unique and useful, helping us reach quality projects with each new edition”, stated the project managers, Matea Milić and Saša Bach.

Participating projects will compete for several valuable awards: Rise & Shine Audience Award, CEE Animation Forum Award which grants direct selection to the CEE Animation Forum  2026, Rise & Shine Film Centre of Montenegro Award and Short Film Market Clermont-Ferrand Attendance.

The selected projects are:

• Daylight, d. Ayala Shoshana Guy, p. Fabian Driehorst, Fabian&Fred GmbH, Germany
• Family Recipe, d. Lou-Anne Gérard, p. Titouan Tillier, Frigo Films, France
• I Was Born Under This Tree, d. Mihaela Mîndru, France / Moldova
• The Place of Home, d. Henri Veermäe, p. Erik Heinsalu, GRAFIK OÜ, Estonia
• Lovers in a Dangerous Time, d. Daniel Sterlin-Altman, p. Alexandre de Paillerets, Une boîte de plus, France
• Redefining Island, d. Julie Černá, p. Michaela Režová, Pure Shore, Czechia
• Runaway Heart, d. Mery Gobec, p. Nataša Vugrinec, Studio Virc, Slovenia
• Seal the Deal, d. Lea Vučko, p. Damir Grbanović, Octopics, Slovenia
• Sighthounds, d. Marko Por, Slovenia
• The Chestnut Fair, d. Valeria Weerasinghe, p. Eleonora Muzzi, Sayonara Film, Italy
• Waltz on the Shore, d. Anna Tőkés, p. Bálint Gelley, CUB Animation, Hungary

More info about selected projects is available at the CEE Animation website.

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For the second year, animation industry leaders have joined forces with the organizers of The Telly Awards to hold The Collision Awards – the first global and holistic platform solely dedicated to honouring excellence in Animation and Motion Design in all its forms. Following a successful inaugural year, they continue to celebrate the unique and incomparable creativity and technical talent in Animation and Motion Design across Digital Communication, Commercials, Television, Film, Experiential, Games & XR. This year, new opportunities for recognition include the Best in Style category, which will be awarded to excellent work in various artistic styles, such as stop-motion, anime and puppetry. Whether an indie game, an explainer video or short form film, all animated work has a place here. With winners set to be announced in July 2025, the call for entries is now open at https://collisionawards.com.

Key industry partners include Animation Magazine, Animation World Network, Animation Nights New York, Epic Games, Motion Plus Design, SIGGRAPH ACM London, Skwigly, Stash, VIEW Conference and WeTransfer.

“I’m most excited for the people behind the animation and motion design industry to finally have a world-class awards show designed specifically for them – and most importantly, to have those awards created and managed by the team who built The Telly Awards into a household name. Scale and gravitas matter and The Collision Awards already feel like they have both,” says Stephen Price, Executive Editor of Stash Magazine, a founding Collision Awards partner.

Leading animators and executives across television, marketing, advertising, games and film will review and judge thousands of expected entries. This year’s jurors include Rikke Asbjoern (Writer, Director and Executive Producer/We Lost Our Human and Pinky Malinky), Justin Cone (Global Head of Communications/BUCK), Sarah Cox (Executive Creative Director/Aardman), Marge Dean (Head of Skybound Animation Studio and President/Women in Animation), Ronnie del Carmen (Co-director & writer of Pixar’s Inside Out), Suresh Eriyat (Founder and Creative Director/Studio Eeksaurus Productions), Maureen Fan (Chief Executive Officer/Baobab Studios), Jinko Gotoh (Producer/Finding Nemo), Jorge Gutierrez (El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera, Maya and the Three), Patrick Harpin (Creator and Executive Producer/My Dad the Bounty Hunter), Michael Knapp (Production Designer/Blue Sky Studios and Hornet), Andrew Millstein (Co-Head/Annapurna Animation), Gilles Monteil (Animation Expert/Ubisoft), Ramsey Naito (President/Paramount Animation and President/Nickelodeon Animation), Miles Perkins (Business Development/Epic Games), Troy Quane (Director/Nimona), Claire Renton (Animation Director/Ludo Studio), and Phil Rynda (Director of Original Animation/The Pokemon Company International) among others.

“I really want to contribute to the recognition and reward of talent and quality work in our field,” says Sarah Cox, Executive Creative Director and a member of the Board of Directors at renowned studio, Aardman.

The Collision Awards is supported by the executives behind the annual Telly Awards, an award “honoring excellence in video and television across all screens,” since 1979. With over 13,000 annual entries, The Telly Awards has seen the vast amount of remarkable work being done by talented people working specifically in animation across industries and realized there was a critical need and opening for this kind of recognition.

The awards honor work by studios, production companies, brands, agencies and individuals with a varied list of categories specifically focused on the intersection of creativity and technical skills unique to this community and inclusive of everyone working in the medium of animation and motion design. Last year’s winners included Pixar Animation Studios, The Daily Show, Bloomberg Media, Sony Pictures Animation, Crunchyroll, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Netflix and Buck.

Winners of The 2nd Annual Collision Awards will be announced in July, 2025. Call for entries are now open. The early entry deadline is 30th May 2025. Complete details on the submission process are available at https://collisionawards.com.

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Belfast-based independent producer Paper Owl Films has been greenlit to produce a second season of its fast-paced Celtic-inspired adventure anime series Lí Ban. Commissioned by Cúla4/TG4 in Ireland and S4C in the Welsh language, the series is being made with funding support from Coimisiún na Meán, as well as Northern Ireland Screen’s Screen Fund and Irish Language Broadcast Fund and is being distributed internationally by Aardman.

The new 13 x 11-minute episodes are for children aged 7-9, but will appeal to the whole family, with hooky storytelling through Lí Ban’s quest for answers in an ancient world of gods and monsters. The series features Sadbh Breathnach as the voice of Lí Ban and Jude Petticrew as the voice of Con.

The new series finds Lí Ban and Con settled in Manannán’s kingdom, getting to know Morveren, Dylan, Manannán and Bíreog better but Lí Ban’s wish to regain the human side of herself is never far from the surface.

Lí Ban and Con overhear that Mídenn is still alive, imprisoned by the evil Balor on an island in otherworldly Annwn. Determined to save him from Balor’s clutches, they embark upon a quest to free the druid. But the way into Annwn is not a straightforward one. They seek help from the great Sorceress Ceridwen, and meet young Tali, her son, who befriends them and joins them in their mission.

Fantastical heroes, legendary villains and a reality that bends around Celtic magic remain at the heart of the new season. The tales are some of the wildest ever passed down the Celtic generations, with origins as old as the lands and shores that shaped it.

Siobhán Ní Bhrádaigh Commissioning Editor & Acquisitions Executive, Children’s Content TG4 says: “The TG4 & Cúla4 teams are delighted that series 2 of this wonderful series has now been greenlit. We look forward to working alongside the amazing creatives at Paper Owl, S4C and Aardman once again and to bringing more stories of Lí Ban and friends to life. We’re very grateful to the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, Northern Ireland Screen and to Coimisiún na Meán for supporting this project.”

Gráinne McGuinness, Creative Director at Paper Owl Films adds: “We are so thankful for the continued support from our partners which is enabling us to make a new series of Lí Ban, telling ancient Celtic stories that resonate with children worldwide. The international popularity of anime and fantasy storytelling allows us to tell Lí Ban’s coming of age story for a modern audience and her struggle to find out who she is in the world is as real for today’s kids as it was for her centuries ago.”

Áine Walsh, Head of the Irish Language Broadcast Fund at Northern Ireland Screen says: “Supporting kids’ content that puts the Ulster dialect of Irish to the fore is a key priority for the Fund and we’re delighted that there will be a second series of this original Irish language animation available for our young viewers. We look forward to following Lí Ban’s new adventures across the Celtic countries.”

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Kaboom Animation Festival (and before that, KLIK) has been on my festival list for a long time. Other Skwigly colleagues have been and always returned with tales of the ‘mad’ atmosphere, the quality of panels and guests, and what a well-run festival it is. But it was always the ‘mad’ aspect that piqued my interest the most. I had to see for myself… Although Kaboom takes place in two Dutch cities – Utrecht and Amsterdam – I set off for the Amsterdam leg of the festival.

Amsterdam’s Eye Filmmuseum – venue of Kaboom Animation Festiva

Provocative Shorts & Discussions

Taking place at Amsterdam’s Eye Filmmuseum – a fantastically spacious cinema/museum complex – this year’s festival theme was Provocation: celebrating animation as a powerful medium for defiance, resilience, and transformation. True to the theme, the festival team went around with ‘protest’ placards promoting the screenings, the quiz was ‘interrupted’ by a protest against the questions, and the opening night featured an interactive installation where guests could pay to destroy a virtual city.

One thing that Kaboom has always done well is packaging its short films into tightly themed programmes with alluring names: Dateable or Relatable, Punk It Louder, Your Yuck is My Yumm, Bonkers Shorts – all of which enticed me in on the title alone. Of all the shorts programmes I saw, Your Yuck is My Yumm stood out as the most interesting and enjoyable for me. Curated by Schmutz Cinema, this screening explored sexual themes of shame, disgust and consent through its selected films; interspersed with brief discussion points by Linda Duits.

Your Yuck is My Yumm screening

Another favourite short programmes was Danger! Better Safe Than Sorry, which allowed the audience to view rarely seen 16mm films projected on the big screen. I did not realise that Kaboom curator Roloff de Jeu regularly screened films from his personal collection at the festival, but this year’s focus was on safety, public information and educational films which contained animation. Roloff, clutching a megaphone and sporting a high-vis vest channeled the character of a health and safety officer; bellowed safety warnings as the cinema filled with its guests. I was really enjoying this ‘unorthodox’ side to the festival! As the shorts played out on the screen, I revelled at how the language, tone and overall messages within old public information films age and become out of date to modern audiences; often resulting in unintended humour and a new-found appreciation.

There was only one panel event, but it was a much needed question that I have not seen addressed yet at festivals: Should We Screen This Old Racist Stuff? The three panellists explored the subject of racial stereotypes in film, if these films should still be shown, and if so, how? The discussion looked at who should be allowed to curate these films, the use of trigger warnings, and how to acknowledge the past. Of course, no fixed answers were able to be given to such a question within 90-minutes, but the general consensus was: perhaps, in the correct context.

Should We Screen This Old Racist Stuff? panel

My Highlights: From Iraq to North England

One of my highlights of the festival came when I discovered a gap in my schedule and decided to squeeze in the feature film Flavours of Iraq. The 2024 documentary animation, by Feurat Alani and Léonard Cohen, follows Iraq under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, the American occupation, and the control of the Islamic State; told from Feurat’s point of view from childhood to adulthood. The striking graphic visuals and brilliantly scripted narration pulled me in from the first few seconds, and somehow managed to comfortably (and engagingly) fit 28 years of the country’s history (1989-2017) into 90 minutes. Despite being aware of the social and political realities of what has happened in Iraq, I couldn’t help but leave the cinema with the impact of just how much the country has been through and how it affected daily lives. I was happy to see the film scoop the Audience Award for Best Feature Film. I would highly recommend it.

Something that I rarely dabble in nowadays (as I know I would become quickly addicted) is gaming. Aside from pulling on a VR headset at various festivals, it has been a few years since I have picked up a controller and played what you would consider a ‘traditional game’. This all changed at Kaboom, who hosted a free walk-in games area; showcasing the latest games that incorporate various animation styles and techniques. Of the twelve games on offer, unfortunately I only played two: Poke a Nose (fun, but one of those frustrating games!) and Thank Goodness You’re Here. The reason I only played two? I became completely addicted to the latter, and for the rest of the festival I could not walk past the games area without being known as the guy who spent hours on this game. Thank Goodness You’re Here is simply brilliant.

Screenshot from ‘Thank Goodness You’re Here’ game

Created by Yorkshire based Coal Supper, and set in the fictional Northern English town of Barnsworth, this game has it all: charmingly designed characters and environments, a plethora of background gags and scripted lines that wallow in good old Northern (English) humour, plenty of innuendo, and a simplicity to the gaming element that leaves you wanting to explore and complete the many challenges. It was great that Kaboom were able to bring in one of the game’s animators, Pip Williamson, for an informal Q&A session. I challenge you to watch the trailer and not want to try this game…

Making New Friends

I am always looking forward to meeting old and new faces at the opening and closing parties, but there were two social events that I was particularly anticipating: Nancy’s Winter Picnic and the Animation Pub Quiz. If you’ve ever attended Nancy’s ever-growing annual picnic at Annecy (where the Joanna Quinn/Skwigly rounders game takes place), you will be familiar with the format: bring food, bring drink, talk, have fun, EVERYONE is welcome. Despite it being March (and held inside) this event was no different. Kaboom rolled out the fake grass on the festival café floor, invited people to lay blankets, and offered snacks to all. The picnic served as the perfect backdrop for an ‘in-conversation’ style presentation with both Nik and Nancy Denney-Phelps, where the excellent Anna Eijsbouts posed questions about Nancy’s life, career and festival adventures; all of which can be found in her new book: On the Animation Trail: 20 Years of Animation Festival History. The talk was rounded off with an insightful pre-recorded video by Joanna Quinn, who discussed her process of designing the book’s cover.

Book cover of “On the Animation Trail: 20 Years of Animation Festival History” and Nic, Nancy and Anna Eijsbouts at Nancy’s Winter Picnic event

Moving on to the final day of the festival, the Animation Pub Quiz was a fun, yet VERY competitive, way to meet one last group of new friends. As a regular at the Skwigly Quiz each year, I was eager to see how quizmasters Roloff de Jeu and Maarten van Gageldonk compared to our very own Steve and Ben – and in short, they were fantastic. Bouncing off of each other, they provided laughs and sarcasm as they wove anagrams, trivia, picture and buzzer rounds together. Unfortunately, my team did not win (one of the cool Kaboom t-shirts) prizes, but we had a great time and I hope to see this quiz return year after year.

My Animation Pub Quiz team

Kaboom was truly a blast and lived up to my expectations in every way: from the well-curated shorts programmes to the insightful panel talk; from the games area to the inclusive social events, I can now join my fellow Skwigly colleagues in returning to the UK with nothing but praise and the desire to return again next year.

Kaboom Animation Festival will return in 2026 (dates T.B.C), in Utrecht, Amsterdam and Online. (Additionally, opening on 10th July 2025 and ready for next year’s festival, the Eye Filmmuseum will host a new permanent exhibition about analogue animation techniques.)

Full List of 2025 Award Winners

As the winners of the Best Animated Short Film and Best Animated Dutch Short are automatically eligible to enter the Academy Award® Short Film competition, both Scars We Love (Raphaël Jouzeau) and Skroll (Marten Visser) will get the chance to be qualified for an Oscar®.

Scars We Love, by Raphaël Jouzeau

Additionally, the winners of Best Short Film, Best Documentary, Best Jamie Bolio, Best VR, and Best Student Short will be going to the Annie Awards.

BEST VR
Project: Impulse: Playing with Reality
Barry Gene Murphy, May Abdalla

NANCY AWARD
Film: Pelikan Blue
László Csáki

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Film: Will You Come With Me?
Derya Durmaz

BEST DUTCH STUDENT SHORT
Film: Mother’s Child
Naomi Noir

BEST DUTCH STUDENT SHORT SPECIAL MENTION 1
Film: States of Matter
Marvin Hauck

BEST DUTCH STUDENT SHORT SPECIAL MENTION 2
Film: Immature
Eddy Wu

BEST DUTCH SHORT
Film: Skroll
Marten Visser

BEST STUDENT SHORT INTERNATIONAL SPECIAL MENTION
Film: A Blue Summer
Juliette Ragot

BEST STUDENT SHORT
Film: The Shortest Relationship in the World
Xiaoxuan Han

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT
Film: Scars We Love
Raphaël Jouzeau

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT SPECIAL MENTION
Film: Father’s Letters
Alexey Evstigneev

JAMIE BOLIO AWARD
Film: MIMT
Ted Wiggin

AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM
Film: On Weary Wings
Anu-Laura Tuttelberg

AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
Film: Scars We Love
Raphaël Jouzeau

AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST KIDS FILM
Film: Hoofs on Skates
Ignas Meilunas

AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE FILM
Film: Flavors of Iraq
Léonard Cohen

AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST COMMISSIONED FILM
Film: Group Session
Studio Mals, Setreset Films, Koen Berkhout, Martin van der Molen, Silas Nout

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