2026 Editorials

Antoine ARMAND
Mayor of Annecy

"The 2026 edition of the Annecy Festival marks a major turning point in the narrative our city has been creating through animation since 1960 with the opening of the Cité internationale du cinéma d'animation on the Haras site. Annecy is now firmly establishing the moving image both at the heart of the city and in the hearts of the people of Annecy! As a centre of excellence for Annecy's animation sector, it is a perfect setting for the annual Festival and a cultural hotbed accessible daily to everyone. This extraordinary facility endorses our ambition to establish Annecy as the world capital of animation all year round.

Thanks to both the City of Annecy's allegiance and CITIA's diligence, the Festival has become an intrinsic part of Annecy's DNA, spreading its influence from Les Papeteries – Image Factory to the Haras, from cinema theatres to creative studios as well as exhibition spaces.

This Festival week will give visitors the chance to experience an eagerly-awaited promise come to fruition: one that unites innovation, creativity and heritage together in dialogue. Over the course of a whole week, we are thrilled to welcome delegations from across the globe who have come to Annecy to showcase the rich and diverse talent that is the motor behind a constantly evolving industry. Therefore, the Festival and its Market are evidence of their rightful reputation as the must-attend event for animation professionals and enthusiasts.

We'd like to welcome you all to another exhilarating edition, where our imaginations collide, take flight and are in perpetual motion." 

For a week every year, Annecy is transformed into the world capital of animation when the Festival and the International Animation Film Market attract talent from all five continents.  

Over the years, the Festival has established itself as the must-attend event for artists, studios, broadcasters and enthusiasts alike, offering an exceptional showcase for the diversity of animation creation with a premium programme, all the while supporting the emergence of exciting new talent.

This year's edition is particularly noteworthy with the opening of the Cité internationale du film d'animation, a pioneering project that represents a new milestone in the history of our region. As a true hub for creation, knowledge-sharing and influence, it will further cement Annecy's reputation as the global leader in animation.  

A long-standing partner, the Conseil départemental has doubled its support for all aspects of animation, whether for cinema, creation, distribution or training and is now a key partner of the Cité internationale du film d'animation.  

Hats off to the CITIA team, all the volunteers and everyone involved in this event who are propelling the Haute-Savoie into the spotlight both on a national and international scale.  

Have a great time at the Festival!

Cinema, rather than just being an art form, is a cornerstone that defines our historical and cultural heritage. It is an intrinsic part of the Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes' identity and has been a source of pride since 1895, when the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph. We believe it is our duty to keep this heritage alive, make it shine and entrust it to the generations to come.

This encapsulates the very core of the cultural policy we adopt in the Région by supporting both film production within our territories as well as their distribution through events and initiatives that raise their profile ensuring the widest possible audience. Animation film is one of the most quintessential cinematic techniques in the rich and diverse realm of the seventh art. The Région is committed to promoting events and initiatives that raise animation's profile as exemplified by the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

Now the world's must-attend event, this festival has awarded many films that have since become classic masterpieces in the animation film sector, including Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox, Michel Ocelot's Kirikou and the Sorceress and more recently Ugo Bienvenu's Arco and Gints Zilbalodis' Flow. The Region is proud to support the Festival, the artists and the film industry, all of which play an essential role in our territorial vitality and spreading our cultural influence.  

Enjoy this 50^th edition! 

Delphine Ernotte Cunci
President of France Télévisions 

As a long-standing partner of the International Animation Film Festival, France Télévisions is proud to be the leading advocate of the French animation industry.

This festival provides the opportunity to showcase the abundance of original creations for a variety of audiences and to promote creative freedom and unique storytelling. Given the many challenges facing the animation industry, France Télévisions remains firmly committed to fostering the talent that generates its vibrancy.

France Télévisions is keenly invested in a genre that plays a key role in the public broadcasting's mission to inspire and educate as well as forging meaningful connections with our youngest audiences. We have increased the proportion of animation on our linear channels and continue to develop our digital offerings for young children within a well-managed and responsible framework. We are proud to further reinforce Okoo's leading position as well as its role as a media platform for children.

At France Télévisions, we have always known that we can rely on entertainment to expand horizons and provide insight into the future. I hope you all enjoy this Festival bursting with surprises, discoveries and shared emotions.

Pierre SIRACUSA
Director of Animation, Young Audiences and Education
France Télévisions
 

In these uncertain times, it is worth remembering the major role Europe has played in the short history of our sector.

After all, animation is, in many respects, emblematic of the immense techno-industrial challenges facing the Old Continent.

Animation is, by its very nature, a desperately slow industry, yet one that is in a perpetual state of change, as well as a costly one that requires highly specific skills.

But above all, it is a sector that cannot, in most cases, be envisaged solely within individual countries.

Yet European animation has developed considerably over the past thirty years, to the point where it has reached a remarkable degree of maturity and competitiveness.

Substantial national efforts (CNC, public audiovisual services, institutional and regional subsidies) would have been in vain without the European framework and the support of its bodies.

MEDIA first and foremost, through direct funding for production, but even more, through the creation of forums for dialogue and exchange between the various players in the industry and its creation (Cartoon Forum, Movie, Next, Springboard, etc.).

At a time when fiction was still describing its international co-productions as Europudding, European animation was already creating global hits.

These have been undeniable industrial successes, but they have also been artistic successes, proving firstly that European nations can develop a passion for content from another part of Europe, but also that artistic collaboration can exist between creators from different countries.

It would undoubtedly be premature to refer to a common European culture, but the strengthening of European collaborations over recent years could herald the start of one.

Long live the essence of Europe in animation!