Film Festivals
Notable Animation Festivals
Below are a few links to lists of highly regarded international film festivals.
Animation Festivals a listing and application service that is up-to-date and provides festivals listed by deadlines for application. Very good!
Global Animation Syndicate: Best Animation Festivals List
Film Festival Life: also a festival application service.
Animation and Film Festivals within Canada
Below are a selection of Canadian film festivals worth submitting to; some are entirely animation-centric and others are film festivals with animation programming.
- Vancouver International Film Festival - mixed
- Ottawa International Animation Festival - animation
- Giraf - animation
- Toronto International Film Festival - mixed
- TIFF Next Wave Festival - mixed
- The Animation Festival of Halifax - animation
- SPARK - animation
- Montreal Stop Motion Festival - animation
- Animaze Montreal International Animation Film Festival - animation
- Calgary International Film Festival - mixed
- Festival du nouveau cinéma - mixed
- Antimatter - mixed
- Toronto Animation Showcase - animation
- Toronto Animation Arts International - animation
- World's Smallest Animation Festival - animation
Festival Application Services Worth Noting
Film Freeway animation and film/video, internationally focused. Most festivals use FilmFreeway as the standard.
Animation Festivals animation, internationally focused
FestHome animation and film/video, internationally focused
Reelport animation and film/video, internationally focused
Why should I apply to festivals?
Film Festivals are a sure way to have your work seen by other filmmakers, media professionals, and by people/businesses/groups that love films and want to support the practice. You’ll have your work put into a passionate and dedicated environment that is all about what’s new and creative in your field of practice.
Examples of what you can expect to take place:
- There's an impressive collection of curated, brand new animation that you get to binge watch
- New and old animation filmmakers are attending
- Filmmakers and media professionals will meet each other and make friends (if you also make the effort)
- You're building your national and international network
- The energy and passion for filmmaking suffuses the festival, and is really inspiring
Examples of what can take place:
- Competition screenings means that there are Awards (variations of money, physical awards, certificates, or verbal announcement)
- People want to meet you because they saw your film
- Your film does well, and wins an award!
- Creative studio recruiters and producers attend the large festivals so they can scout out new talent
- Other festival programmers see your film and send you an invitation to participate in their festival
- Distributors see your film and propose a representation or distribution deal
- Your film does well, you meet a producer at the festival, and they suggest proposing something to their studio
- Local news coverage runs a piece that includes something about your film and you
Who goes to festivals?
Hopefully, you will! It’s a truly inspiring experience to have your own creative work in festivals, and especially to also attend in person.
- Other filmmakers: independent, studio, student, famous, and the not-famous-yet (all festivals)
- Festival programmers from other festivals (major and medium festivals)
- Studio reps, producers, arts funders (major festivals)
- Film fans, curious general public, arts-friendly people (all festivals)
What happens at festivals?
- The larger festival includes screenings (a week long +), talks, workshops, parties, and awards (money and physical). People from around the world attend. An example is the Canadian Ottawa International Animation Festival.
- The medium festivals include screenings (maybe a week long) and awards (certificates), maybe filmmaker talks, maybe a party. Attendees are regional, and possibly with some international.
- The small festivals include screenings (a day to a week long), maybe filmmaker talks, maybe awards. Attendees are usually locals and some regionals.