The 25th anniversary edition of the International Animation Festival of Cyprus will take place this year in the picturesque village of Koilani, in the Limassol district, from 7 to 9 August.

The festival is one of the longest-running animation events in Southern Europe. Since 2002, it has been held annually in the Cypriot countryside, presenting author animated films in their Cyprus premieres, many of which have been screened and awarded at the world's leading animation festivals. The festival also showcases the work of Cypriot artists through screenings, exhibitions, workshops, live music performances, and activities for audiences of all ages.

The 2026 Festival Poster

As every year, we invited one of the leading artists from the international animation community to create the festival poster. This year's artwork was designed by acclaimed German animation filmmaker Andreas Hykade, who previously served on the festival's international jury and whose films have competed and received awards at earlier editions of Animafest Cyprus.

International Competition Programmes

This year's international competition features 30 films from 17 countries, selected from hundreds of submissions from around the world.

The programme is curated with the long-standing goal of introducing audiences in Cyprus to the forefront of international indepentent animation while fostering appreciation for works distinguished by universal themes, international perspectives, and a human-centred approach that reflects the major concerns of our time.

The International Competition for Young Audience includes 15 films from 7 countries. The winning film will be selected by two three-member juries composed of children and teenagers.

The full competition programme is available on the festival website: www.animafest.com.cy.

Cyprus Competition and Cypriot Artists

This year's National Competition includes seven Cypriot animated films.

For the fourth consecutive year, the festival is also organising, in collaboration with the Cyprus Association of Graphic Designers and Illustrators, an open collaborative project inviting Cypriot graphic designers, illustrators, and animators to co-create a collective artwork. This year, participating teams will design posters and animated visuals for the Fairy Tale Museum in Koilani.

Second Stage (After Stage)

This year, the festival launches a second stage, dedicated to experimental films and audiovisual performances by emerging Cypriot and international artists.

International Jury

The festival's two major "Dimitris Eipides" Awards—for Best Narrative Film and Best Non-Narrative Film—along with the Best Cypriot Film Award and the Special Mentions in both the National and International Competitions, will be presented by the distinguished international jury:

• Roberto Panganelly (Italy)
• Jakob Schuh (Germany)
• Kaiti Papadima (Cyprus)

The festival will also welcome international filmmakers whose works are competing in this year's programme.

Handmade Animation Workshop for Children and Families

As every year, the festival will host a hands-on animation workshop for children and families.

This year's workshop will take place as a pre-festival event on Thursday, 6 August, one day before the official opening. Throughout the day, families and children will have the opportunity to visit the Environmental Centre in Koilani and experiment with a variety of traditional handmade animation techniques under the guidance of professional animators and educators.

In the evening, the International Competition for Young Audience will be screened outdoors in the village.

The full programme for the day is available at www.animafest.com.cy.

4th Animation Film Camp

The Animation Film Camp, the first programme of its kind in Cyprus, is Animafest Cyprus' flagship professional development initiative for animation artists. Established in 2023, it provides networking opportunities for emerging artists and students with international animation festivals and institutions.

The programme is organised in collaboration with the World Festival of First Animations PRIMANIMA in Budapest.

This year, the camp will welcome Anna Mouyi—Cypriot academic and internationally recognised animation filmmaker—as its mentor. The workshop will focus on the animated documentary.

Recording Local History and Oral Testimonies

For the fifth consecutive year, Animafest Cyprus, in collaboration with the Cyprus Music Archive, is organising a workshop on collecting oral histories, taking place from 6 to 8 August in Koilani.

The workshop will be led by dr Nikoletta Demetriou, ethnomusicologist and Director of the Cyprus Music Archive.

Music Programme

This year's festival also features a rich music programme with five live concerts by outstanding Cypriot bands and solo musicians.

The complete festival schedule is available at www.animafest.com.cy. Daily updates on film screenings, concerts, workshops, and practical information will also be shared through the festival's social media channels.

Funding and Support

The festival is funded by the Department of Contemporary Culture of the Deputy Ministry of Culture of Cyprus and the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme of the European Union.

It is organised by the Views of the World Festival, a non-profit organisation, in collaboration with the Hambis Printmaking Museum.

Scaffolding Solutions is a festival's sponsor, while Omega Channel serves as the official media partner.

Tickets

• All workshops are free of charge.

• Evening screening ticket: €5

• Three-day festival pass: €10