From 8 to 14 June, Latvian animation film directors, studio representatives and other industry professionals will participate in one of the world's most important animation forums – Annecy International Animated Film Festival. Latvian animation in the festival will be represented in the festival's student film competition, in other screenings of the festival program, also in the ambitious film market MIFA.
Published: 06.06.2025.
The Annecy International Animation Film Festival, known as the Mecca of Animation (this year June 8-14), and the parallel film market MIFA (Marché international du film d'animation, this year June 10-13) have been bringing together the world's leading animation professionals for 66 years and last year reached a attendance record – more than 16,000 accredited industry professionals participated in the festival; submitted from 100 countries of the world. For several years now, Latvian animation has also been represented in this important forum – both with films at the festival shows and with the Baltic animation stand in the film market.
This year, Latvian animation will be represented in the Annecy competition programs by the animated short film Cleanliness by the young director Andrejs Brīvulis, which is based on the poem of the same name by the poet Kārlis Vērdiņš and, interspersed with humorous moments and bitter revelations, reveals the everyday life of an office worker. The short film, made in computer animation technique, made as part of the director's studies at the Art Academy of Latvia, has been included in the Annecy Student Film Competition and will be screened in four screenings.
Latvian animated films will also be shown outside of competition shows. Annecy Presents, which highlights the diversity of international cinema by offering a selection of animated feature films from around the world, includes the animated fairy tale Thelma's Perfect Birthday (2025, Studio RIJA) directed by Reinis Kalnaellis work created in the technique of coloured pencils and computer animation, which follows the adventures of the penguin girl Thelma, was shown on the big screens in Latvian cinemas this spring. In turn, in a special free open-air screening, guests and visitors of the festival will have the opportunity to enjoy world-famous film Flow by Gints Zilbalodis (2024, Dream Well Studio), which last year received four awards in Annecy – both jury and audience awards.
Meanwhile, in the Annecy film market MIFA, in a joint stand with colleagues from Lithuania and Estonia, Latvian animation will be represented by a wide delegation of professionals. Representatives from the National Film Centre and Latvia's leading animation studios – Atom Art, Studio Kokles, Ego Media, Sunday Rebel Films and others – will go to the film market to develop future professional cooperation and promote several upcoming animation projects – the feature-length film Born Happy (Atom Art, dir. Edmunds Jansons), The Northern Star (Studija Kokles, dir. Kārslis), Roachcoach (dir. Ilze Burkovska-Jakobsen) and the educational short film cycle Urga, Jo & Po (dir. Ilze Lasmane-Brože un Raitis Kalniņš). The Latvian animation representation in Annecy is organized by the Latvian Animation Association with the support of the National Film Centre of Latvia.
More information: Lauma Kaudzīte, Project Coordinator of the Latvian Animation Association | 26261864, office@latviananimation.com