09/02/2026 - The programme within the EFM brings together 28 animated feature projects, international showcases and in-depth case studies, positioning animation at the heart of global co-production strategies

The European Film Market is expanding its focus on animation with the launch of the EFM Animation Days, a dedicated industry platform running from 12 to 14 February as part of the Berlinale’s 2026 market activities. Designed to strengthen the visibility of European and international animation within the EFM framework, the initiative brings together producers, financiers, sales companies, broadcasters and distributors around a concentrated programme of pitches, works in progress, case studies, workshops and curated networking formats.

Over three days, the Animation Days will present 28 early-stage animated feature projects across five pitching sessions, spanning family entertainment, arthouse animation and animated documentary. The programme combines international and country-focused showcases from Canada, Central and Eastern Europe, Germany and the UK, alongside an International Animation selection highlighting globally oriented co-productions at an early stage of development.

A central highlight of the programme is the Annecy Animation Showcase at EFM, curated by the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and Market (Mifa). The showcase presents five animated works in progress expected to premiere later in 2026, offering an early look at projects with strong auteur identities, international co-production frameworks and clear market positioning. The selected works explore a wide range of themes and genres, from folklore-infused horror and historical drama to environmentally themed fantasy and formally innovative auteur animation.

Beyond pitching, the EFM Animation Days place a strong emphasis on knowledge exchange and practical insight. A series of case studies examines contemporary production models, with a particular focus on cross-border collaboration and technological innovation. The UK–Germany co-production The Amazing Maurice 2 is explored as a model for building creative and financial resilience through international partnerships, while The Last Whale Singer, a German–Canadian–Czech collaboration directed by Reza Memari and Pavel Hruboš, offers a candid look at real-time animation pipelines, hybrid production tools and unconventional majority co-production structures.

Workshops and panels also address the specific challenges facing the animation sector today. Producing animated documentaries is examined as a distinct and still-fragile market segment, drawing on examples such as Flee [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jonas Poher Rasmussen
film profile] and Chris the Swiss [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Anja Kofmel
film profile], while a dedicated panel asks how independent animation can claim a stronger position within financing structures, co-production frameworks and cultural policy. Further sessions focus on theatrical distribution strategies for animation in Europe, as well as the realities of adapting animated properties across formats, from feature films to series and documentary hybrids.

The Animation Days also include a series of curated networking formats and consultations, offering participants direct access to experienced animation professionals. One-on-one meetings with figures from companies such as Aardman, Red Kite Animation and the BFI aim to provide tailored guidance on development, financing and certification, while studio showcases spotlight the breadth and diversity of the German animation landscape as a potential co-production partner.

With its combination of project presentations, high-level case studies and targeted industry exchange, the EFM Animation Days signal a strategic step by the European Film Market to integrate animation more fully into its co-production ecosystem, reflecting both the sector’s growing artistic ambition and its increasing relevance within the global film economy.

The full selection is as follows:

Annecy Animation Showcase at EFM

A Door to the Woods – Jola Kudela (Poland)
Production: Opus Film

Granny Is a Tree! – Hugo de Faucompret (France)
Production: Laïdak Films, Dandelooo, Doghouse Films, MouMoush

The King of Plastic – Milorad Krstic (Hungary)
Production: Mumus Production

Pesta – Hanne Berkaak (Norway)
Production: Mikrofilm

ZAKO – Tigran Arakelyan (Armenia/France/Lithuania)
Production: OnOff Animation, Sacrebleu Productions, Broom Films

Spotlight On: Canadian Animation

Beshader – Seth Smith (Canada)
Production: CUT/OFF/TAIL Pictures

Eliak and the End of the World – Mélanie S. Dubois (Canada)
Production: L’Unité Centrale

Fifteen Dogs – Chris Landreth (Canada)
Production: Copperheart Entertainment

Spotlight On: Central and Eastern European Animation

Acorn’s Adventure – Filip Mašek (Czech Republic)
Production: Pure Shore, Fabian & Fred

Hello, Oscar – Edmunds Jansons (Latvia)
Production: Atom Art

Red Zone – Iryna Tsilyk (Ukraine)
Production: Moon Man, Vivement Lundi!, a_BAHN

Saima: Scenes from a Midlife Crisis – Chintis Lundgren, Draško Ivezić (Estonia/Croatia)
Production: Alexandrafilm, Adriatic Animation, Avec ou sans Vous

Until Death Unites Us – Nawojka Wierzbowska, Natalia Krawczuk (Poland)
Production: GS Animation

Spotlight On: International Animation

Ages of Madness: The Howling of the Jinn – Darío Sánchez Díaz (Spain)
Production: 3 Doubles

Colleen (France)
Production: Blue Spirit Productions

Eck! Ghosts – Mauri Kunnas (Finland)
Production: Anima Vitae

Fabric of Grief – Samantha Moore (UK)
Production: Animate Projects, MediaActive Projects

Goya, Cave of Dreams (Spain/Poland)
Production: BreakThru Films, Alba Sotorra, Tinglado Film

The Pirate King (Netherlands/Taiwan)
Production: Submarine

The Twilight World – Werner Herzog (Denmark/Germany/USA)
Production: Sun Creature, Knudsen Pictures, Psyop

Spotlight On: German Animation

Alma and the Wild Hunt (Germany)
Production: Arx Anima

ANGST – Ashkan Rahgozar (Germany)
Production: brave new work, Red Parrot Studios

In Their Own Flesh – Ana Vallejo (Germany)
Production: Paper Plane Animation

Onne & Ontje (Germany)
Production: Blaue Pampelmuse

STRUWWEL (Germany)
Production: Fabian & Fred

Treasure Island (Germany)
Production: Little Dream Entertainment

Troll & the Oliver (Germany)
Production: Zooper Film

Your Spotted Skin – Thomas Meyer-Hermann (Germany)
Production: Studio FILM BILDER

Spotlight On: UK Animation

Brambly Hedge (UK)
Production: Lupus Films

Merry Christmas, Earthlings! (UK)
Production: Space Age Films, Gerry Anderson Entertainment

Reds & Grays (UK)
Production: Two Daughters Entertainment, Nottage Productions

Toad the Movie (UK)
Production: Hoho Entertainment, Wild Child Animation

Project TBA (UK)
Production: Snafu Pictures