The CEE Animation Forum, the leading Central Eastern European platform for the pitching, financing and co-production of animated films, will return to Pilsen from 4-6 November for its 13th edition, showcasing 29 projects from 15 countries.

From a record 199 submissions - up 62% on 2024 and more than double 2023's figure - the line-up spans audiences young and old: there are 12 projects for children, seven for teens and young adults, and ten for adults. The teams have been preparing with tutors Sibylle Kurz (pitching coach) and Karolina Davidova (13ka).

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Nearly 200 industry professionals are expected, including representatives of European broadcasters, festivals, distributors and production houses. Juries will feature guests from NRK (Norway), Mediatoon Distribution (France), Falcon (Cezch Republic) and ShortsFit Distribution (Argentina/Italy), plus producers from XBO Films (France), Cinnamon Entertainment (Belgium) and Avec ou sans vous (France). Joining them are Caroline Maleville (Cinémathèque Française; Directors’ Fortnight selection committee), Shelley Page (Locksmith Animation), Martina Peštaj (media psychologist, Slovenia), and filmmakers Mirjana Balogh (the Berlinale 2025 Crystal Bear-winning short Wish You Were Ear) and Réka Bucsi (the shorts Love and Solar Walk).

Over the course of two intensive days, four pitching sessions will culminate in an awards ceremony on the evening of 6 November, alongside market activities, one-to-one meetings and networking. A panel titled “Building Financing Bridges for European Animation” will spotlight the new CODA Codevelopment Award, launched by CEE Animation with backing from several national funds in order to strengthen the region’s animation sector.

Beyond the competition, the Market will present additional animated projects in development, production or near completion - a networking tool designed to boost visibility and help participants secure partners on site. “Central and Eastern Europe has become a true nest of creativity and source of talent,” notes managing director Marta Jallageas, underscoring the forum’s community-building mission.

Projects will vie for more than €50,000 in cash and in-kind prizes, including places at leading European training programmes and markets. Alongside category-specific prizes, there will be an Audience Award, a CEEA Workshop Scholarship, and six partners’ awards supported by Ciclic Residency, CARTOON Movie/Forum/Springboard, Young Horizons Industry, TVPaint, Travelling Distribution and BRATROnice Residency.

The Forum is supported by Creative Europe – MEDIA, and co-financed by the governments of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia (Visegrad Grants, International Visegrad Fund), the Czech Audiovisual Fund, the Czech Audiovisual Producers’ Association, the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the Czech-German Future Fund and the Pilsen region.

The projects:

Feature Films

A Loyal Friend – Luka Rukavina (Croatia)
Production: Jure Bušić (Jaka Produkcija)

Maryam & Varto – Gorune Aprikian (France)
Production: Barbara Vougnon (Tchack), Luciano Lepinay (Araprod)

Pink Punk Delta – Alba Sotorra (Spain/Slovakia)
Production: Alba Sotorra (Alba Sotorra S.L.); Artichoke

Rani – Joachim Hérissé (France)
Production: Komawe

The Golden Butterfly – Goce Cvetanovski (North Macedonia)
Production: Makedonska Krepost

Until Death Unites Us – Nawojka Wierzbowska (Poland)
Production: Zuzanna Maszka (Grupa Smacznego/GS Animation)

TV Series

Brother Deer – Lucija Bužančić (Croatia)
Production: Jure Bušić (Jaka Produkcija)

Coco – Štěpán Gajdoš, Tomáš Eiselt (Czech Republic)
Production: Blue Light Pictures

Electric Water – Gali Blay (Germany/Poland/Israel/USA)
Production: Counterintuitive Film

Scope of the Universe – Anja Manou Hellem (Norway)
Production: Lillian Løvseth (LØV Film)

Tolo & Bolo – Aleksander Matuszewski (Poland)
Production: Szymon Wróblewski (Filmograf)

Tulip – Juli Tudisco (France/Hungary)
Production: Valentin Maupin (Avec ou sans Vous)

Short Films

I’m Not Nearly Cool Yet - Anastazja Naumenko
Production: Maks Piłasiewicz (Blurred)

Maggots for Breakfast Again! – Vykintas Labanauskas (Lithuania)
Production: Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė (Just A Moment)

Planet – Laura Pop (Romania)
Production: Mihai Mitrică (Safe Frame)

Pogogo – Jana Švermová, Markéta Fulínová (Czech Republic)
Production: Martin Vandas (Maur Film)

Sunshine for Everyone – Anete Melece (Latvia)
Production: Dominiks Jarmakovics (Studio Locomotive)

Tense – Konrad Hjemli (Norway)
Production: Tonje Skar Reiersen, Lise Fearnley (Mikrofilm)

The Molepire – Marek Čermák (Czech Republic)
Production: Films & Chips

The Rabbit-Shaped Dog – Roland Kazi (Hungary)
Production: Kedd

Two for Me, One for You – Jan Gadermann (Germany)
Production: Fabian Driehorst (Fabian&Fred)

Student Films

Ergot – Damjan Lazin (Hungary)
Production: Zsuzsanna Vincze (MOME Anim – Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design)

Fell a Tree Burn a House Slay a Son – Marcin Senderowicz (Poland)
Production: Lodz Film School / FUMI Studio

Foolish Fish Fable – Yiyang Sun (Estonia)
Mentors: Chiahui Lei, Ülo Pikkov (Estonian Academy of Arts)

Lunar Landscape – Foivos Chalkiopoulos, Louis Kaiser (Germany)
Production: Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf

Martirologium – Mariia-Kristina Klimt (Czech Republic)
Production: UMPRUM

Perfect – Andrea Olivares López (Hungary)
Production: MOME Anim – Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design.

Reus – Ondřej Tešnar (Czechia)
Production: Alexandra Chovanová (Tomas Bata University/Pirogy Studios)

Wavebreaker – Lilia Aleksandrova (Bulgaria)
Production: Vessela Dantcheva (New Bulgarian University)