The dynamism of French animation shines through a rich program of international events throughout the first semester of 2025. From specialized festivals highlighting features and short films to essential professional gatherings and prestigious ceremonies such as the Academy Awards, discover how French animation continues to captivate, innovate, and make its mark on the world stage.
French animation in major international events
Academy Awards
At the Academy Awards 2025, Flow, directed by Gints Zilbalodis and produced by Dream Well Studio, Sacrebleu Productions, and Take Five (Latvia, France, Belgium) won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film.
An international co-production supported by France, the film was also screened at several French festivals, confirming the impact of independent animation on the world stage.
The short film Yuck! by Loïc Espuche and produced by Ikki Films and Iliade et Films was nominated in the Best Animated Short Film category. It humorously and poetically explores children's reactions to their first kiss and illustrates the talent and international influence of French animation.
Annecy International Animation Film Festival
The 2025 edition once again pput the spotlight on the creativity and diversity of French animated cinema, with seven films selected for the Official Competition.
- Arco by Ugo Bienvenu made a lasting impression with its ambitious futuristic universe, both in style and content.
- Little Amélie or the Character of Rain by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, an adaptation of Amélie Nothomb's novel, won over audiences with its bold graphic style and original reinterpretation.
- Dandelion's Odyssey by Momoko Seto, combining digital animation and live action, was praised for its scientific and innovative aesthetic.
- Death Does Not Exist by Félix Dufour-Laperrière offered a tragic tale painted on paper, exploring politics, friendship, and guilt.
- The return of Sylvain Chomet with A Magnificent Life was also celebrated: a poetic adaptation faithful to his visual signature.
Last but not least, this edition featured some powerful and moving works: Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake by Irene Iborra, a stop-motion film about family dynamics and poverty, and Allah Is Not Obliged by Zaven Najjar, an adaptation of Ahmadou Kourouma's novel about the harsh reality of child soldiers in Guinea.
Animafest Zagreb, Croatia
France stood out this year at Animafest Zagreb with a strong presence, demonstrating the diversity and vitality of its creative output: the country was represented by Living Large by Kristina Dufková and Flow by Gints Zilbalodis; and in the short film category by: S the Wolf, a youth film directed by Sameh Alaa, Scars We Love by Raphaël Jouzeau, Dog Alone by Marta Reis Andrade, a Portugal–France co-production, and Hurikán, a Czech Republic-France-Slovakia-Bosnia and Herzegovina co-production, as well as two student short films: Trash by ESMA students and Between the Gaps by students from La Poudrière.
Locarno Film Festival, Switzerland
Arco by Ugo Bienvenu opened the festival, while Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake by Irene Iborra, and Fantastique, a French-Belgian-Dutch co-production directed by Marjolijn Prins, were screened as part of the Locarno Kids program.
Venice International Film Festival, Italy
The French delegation made its presence felt at the 82nd Venice Film Festival. Two French animated films were screened, showcasing the creativity, diversity, and innovation of French production on the international stage. Arco was shown in a special screening, while the XR work Eddie and I, a French-Israeli-German co-production directed by Nitay Dagan, Maya Shekel, Lawrence Bennett, and Anna Zuckerman, was screened in the Venice Immersive section. This immersive experience combining animation and virtual reality offers an original reflection on memory and identity and has been recognized for its innovative approach to interactive storytelling.
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Canada
At the 50th TIFF, the French animation industry was represented by several artists.
Momoko Seto, director of Dandelion's Odyssey, participated in a discussion entitled “Creative Visions in Animated Feature Films,” where she shared her ideas on how she balances artistic integrity with industry realities, as well as what it takes to create animated films that captivate audiences and stimulate the imagination on a global scale.
To the Woods (a short film by Agnès Patron), which had its world premiere at Semaine de la Critique at the Cannes Film Festival 2025, won the Short Cuts Award for Best Animated Short Film at TIFF. In it, a woman recalls, through fragmented and poetic memories, an escape into the forest with her childhood brother.
Two short films had their North American premieres at TIFF: Water Girl, directed by Sandra Desmazières and co-produced with the Netherlands and Portugal, and Death of the Fish, directed by Éva Lusbaronian.
Three animated feature films were presented as part of the Centerpiece program: Arco by Ugo Bienvenu, Dandelion's Odyssey by Momoko Seto, and Little Amélie or the Character of Rain by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han.
Animation festivals around the world
🇭🇰 Little Amélie or the Character of Rain opened MOViE MOViE Anifest,which took place in Hong Kong from mid-August to early September.
🇩🇰 The film by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han also screened at the opening of the Viborg Animation Festival (VAF), held in Denmark from September 8 to 14.
🇲🇽 Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds by Benoît Chieux, co-produced with Belgium, was screened at the Mexican festival Pixelatl.
🇨🇦 Three feature films linked to France were selected in Official Competition at the prestigious Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF), which took place in Canada in September: Death Does Not Exist, Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake, and Tales From the Magic Garden. The French-Israeli short film, Letter to a Pig was also screened for the public.
🇬🇧 During its 25th edition, Encounters (Bristol, United Kingdom) awarded Special Mentions to the film Hurikán. The festival, focused on animation, short films, and virtual reality, also hosted the UK premiere of Michel Gondry's Maya Give Me a Title recently awarded the Crystal Bear for Best Family Film at the Berlinale.
🇷🇴 Anim'Est in Bucarest (Romania), held from October 3 to 12, hosted an exceptional selection of French and international films, highlighting the creativity and talent of young people and animation professionals. The French student short film Trash (ESMA),which has won several international awards this year, was screened at the festival. The French-Canadian co-production Hola Frida, directed by André Kadi and Karine Vézina, was also part of the official selection.
The festival offered participants enriching encounters and exchanges, notably the masterclass “Faces from Places” by Bastien Dubois.
Among other notable works, viewers were able to discover: Living Large, Tales From the Magic Garden, Dandelion's Odyssey, Maya Give Me a Title, A Magnificent Life, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, as well as the series Flavors of Iraq (a Belgian co-production), offering an intimate and insightful look at a wounded country through the eyes of a child and then a young adult, brought to the screen thanks to the superb animation work of Léonard Cohen.
This edition of Anim'est once again demonstrated the dynamism and inventiveness of French and international animated creation, strengthening cultural and professional exchanges at the heart of Europe.
🇨🇭 Animatou in Switzerland, which took place from October 2 to 11, featured Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake and Savages in the feature film section, an encounter with director Claude Barras, as well as several short films included in the Best of Clermont-Ferrand Kids and Best of Annecy Kids 2025 programs.
🇺🇸 Animation Is Film will celebrate its 8th edition in Los Angeles from October 17 to 19.
The American festival provides a wonderful showcase for the most notable and innovative animated films of the year. Animation Is Film is a partner event of the Annecy Festival and an important step in the race for the Oscars. The festival will present more than 25 feature films and short films, including the French selections Arco, the kaleidoscopic film by Ugo Bienvenu, and Little Amélie or the Character of Rain by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, based on the eponymous novel by Amélie Nothomb. The three filmmakers are expected in Los Angeles to present their films to the American public.
A program of short films bringing together a best-of selection of films presented at Annecy, including the French short film Sulaimani by Vinnie Ann Bose, is also part of the selection. The majority-French short film GiGi by Cynthia Calvi, and the minority-French productions Playing God by Matteo Burani and Shadows by Rand Beiruty complete the line-up.
In partnership with GKIDS, the festival organizer, Unifrance and the Annecy Festival are planning, as they do every year, a cocktail reception on Sunday, October 19 to celebrate this selection.
Unifrance events: MyMetaStories and MyFrenchAnimationDays (MyFAD)
MyMetaStories: a lively and immersive third edition!
The 3rd MyMetaStories, organized by Unifrance with the support of the Creative Europe MEDIA program, runs from October 10 to November 2, 2025, and will showcase 18 European films, including several French animated works: the short films Yuck! and Forever, and feature Living Large.
The highlight of the event? A unique experience in Minecraft® from October 10 to 12, where players can discover the first four episodes of the French animated series Samuel directed by Émilie Tronche and the exclusive trailer for Sylvain Chomet's new animated film A Magnificent Life, alongside short films screened in themed virtual theaters and numerous mini-games.
MyFrenchAnimationDays (MyFAD): A second edition to celebrate animation!
Unifrance is launching the second edition of MyFrenchAnimationDays (MyFAD), which will take place from October 11 to 31 (dates corresponding to the Fête du Cinéma d’Animation in France). This initiative aims to highlight the creativity of French animation and its industry, in order to raise awareness of this dynamic sector among audiences around the world. This event is carried out with the support of Unifrance's partners, notably its distributor, producer, and animation exporter members.
The 2025 edition is centered around International Animation Day, celebrated on October 28 by the ASIFA (International Animated Film Association).
Three highlights of the event:
- Discovery workshops in schools
- Online discussion: “French animation: from creation to international development,” moderated by Unifrance's Executive Director Daniela Elstner, and featuring Jean-François Tosti (TAT Productions) who will look back on the studio's 25 years of development, from the creation of television series to animated feature films; Grégoire Melin, director of Kinology, an international sales company, who will share his expertise on the distribution of French films abroad. Together, they will shed light on the creation and development of animation in France and its deployment on international markets.
- Special physical screenings where audiences in several countries will be able to discover a selection of exceptional French titles in theaters, via local distributors or Instituts Français: Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, Arco, Pets on a Train, A Magnificent Life and Maya Give Me a Title.
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