With more than 1,700 films submitted, Anima programmers have taken up the challenge of selecting the best of the past year's animation. Of the 182 films selected, 154 jewels will make up the short film selection, completed by the 22 films in the feature film selection and 6 virtual reality shorts.
This year's programme for adults and teenagers will feature 11 feature films, 10 of which will be previews, and will open with José Miguel Ribeiro's first feature film, Nayola. The traditional Best Of Shorts and It's Belgian will of course make a return and will be accompanied by special programmes such as the return of the LGBTQIa+ Queer Stories programme, animated documentaries of Real-Life Stories, as well as the famous Animated Night.
This year's focus will be on Spanish animation with a number of short film programmes selected by Carolina López, artistic director of the Catalan International Animation Film Festival Animac Lleida.
Nayola©Urban Distribution International UDI
Anima remains the festival for all audiences and will pay special attention to young people. The Kids programme will include 11 feature films, including 5 previews, and will open on Saturday 18 February 2023 with the hilarious and sublime Oink (Un amour de cochon), directed by Mascha Halberstad. Anima will of course offer the best in short films with 9 new programmes specially tailored to each age group.
Futuranima's professional meetings promise to surprise this year, with two guests of honour for new master classes. They are Joanna Quinn, 2D animation virtuoso and director who won two Emmy Awards, four BAFTAs and was nominated three times for an Oscar®, as well as Jim Capobianco, former screenwriter at Disney, Pixar and nominated for an Oscar® for his work on Ratatouille.
A Behind the Scenes of the famous Arcane series will also be presented by the studio Fortiche, while many other Making of and Works in Progress presentations and round tables will leave no one indifferent.
La Soupe de Franzy©Folimage
Finally, Anima returns to its basic formula with numerous festive meetings such as concerts, animations, meetings and Q&A’s with the directors.
Three free exhibitions will be available to all festival-goers: Kitty Crowther's Fluorescent Box, which will take us into the world that inspired the Anima 2023 poster in complete darkness, Knor & Décors, which will take us behind the scenes of the making of the film Oink (Un amour de cochon), and finally, Réalité Cachée, an augmented reality exhibition.
The Virtual Reality Festival is also back with a selection of 6 films not to be missed for an extraordinary experience!
