05/06/2024 - 30 films and 5 projects from the region will take part in the world’s premier animation event, with a delegation consisting of 34 industry professionals

CEE Animation, a one-stop shop for Central and Eastern European animation, will once again participate in MIFA, the world’s biggest animation market, taking place from 11-14 June in Annecy, alongside the Annecy International Animation Film Festival (9-15 June). Besides promoting Central and Eastern European animated films, auteurs and their projects, CEE Animation’s activities in Annecy will include various networking opportunities as well as meetings between project holders and international co-producers.

CEE Animation’s MIFA delegation gathers 34 industry professionals – producers, directors, and representatives of national associations, film funds and schools – from six countries and 26 companies. Thanks to the successful long-term collaboration with Creative Europe – MEDIA, CEE Animation will continue to be a part of the Creative Europe - MEDIA Stand, where exchanges between animated film exhibitors, distributors and buyers will take place. Adding to the already vibrant market atmosphere, the CEE delegation will have a special reason to celebrate: the 20th anniversary of eight CEE countries joining the EU in 2004 (the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia).

MIFA is organised in conjunction with the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. A total of 30 CEE films are selected for this year’s festival programme in 13 categories, including the Feature Film Competition entries Flow [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Gints Zilbalodis
film profile] by Gints Zilbalodis (Latvia/Belgium/France) and María Trénor’s Rock Bottom [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Spain/Poland), as well as two Feature Films Contrechamp titles: Kristina Dufková’s Living Large [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kristina Dufková
film profile] (Czech Republic/Slovakia/France) and Lászlo Csáki’s Pelikan Blue [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laszló Csaki
film profile] (Hungary).

Five projects will take part in MIFA Pitchings: the feature films Beckoning by Sava Živković (UK/Serbia) and A Door to the Woods by Jola Kudela (Poland); the short films God, What Bullshit by Barbora Halirová (Czech Republic) and Joy by Agata Wieczorek (Poland/France); and the digital experience Frustrain by Pavel Pavlyukov (Kazakhstan/Estonia). The full list of CEE Animation activities, films and projects at Annecy and MIFA can be found here.

What’s more, CEE Animation invites all interested industry professionals to several networking events: two international networking breakfasts, comprising a series of “speed dates” between CEE and other European professionals aimed at matching project holders with international co-producers; three CEE Animation Happy Hours (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 5:30 pm at the Creative Europe - MEDIA Stand); and a Garden Party (Wednesday at 4 pm at the Imperial Hotel).

The CEE Animation delegation is financially supported by the Czech Film Fund, the Audiovisual Producers’ Association, the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and Creative Europe Desk CZ.