See You at Annecy!

Annecy evening screening. Photo: Wikipedia

Next week we're off to Annecy to the world's biggest and best animation festival. Annecy is to animation as Cannes is to Film. We'll be there to see some of the best work done by animators around the globe, and to find out the latest news in our industry. Annecy is not just a competition, it also hosts MIFA - the world's biggest animation marketplace.  So, should animators go to Annecy? Heck yes.

Annecy

Why go to Annecy?
Any animator who wants to make a career in the business needs to go to Annecy. Even if you only go once, go there just to say you have been.

What happens?
Everything to do with animation. Films, panel discussions, workshops, lectures from directors. There is plenty to see at Annecy that you can see nowhere else.  Competing films are projected in various cinemas around the city, and an open-air night projection (see above) is organized on Pâquier, in the centre of town, where films are projected on a giant screen.

Annecy is one of four international animated film festivals sponsored by the Association Internationale du Film d'Animation (or ASIFA, the International Animated Film Association).

When do the winners get announced?
On the final Saturday evening, the last day of the festival, all the winning film-makers are presented with an award.

Who goes to Annecy?
Annecy is full of professional animators, studios, recruiters, students, producers - in short, everyone in the business.

Annecy. Image: Wikipedia

When does it take place?
The festival is held in the French Alpine town of Lake Annecy from 15 to 20 June.  It's a beautiful place, full of ski-ers in winter, and, in summer, animators. The MIFA festival takes place alongside the Annecy festival and is held from 17 to 20 June.

How do you get there?
Most people fly to Geneva and then take a bus - it takes around an hour to get to Annecy.

What is MIFA?
MIFA stands for Marché International du Film d'Animation, which literally translates as the International Market for Animated Films. It's the business side of the Annecy Festival, where deals get made and projects get financed and distributed.

Where can I find out more?
For more information check out their official website here.

---Alex

To find out more about Animation Apprentice, click here for a link to Frequently Asked Questions. To sign up for our next classroom at Animation Apprentice, follow this link. For more information on finding work and surviving in the animation and visual effects business, read our post on how to find a job in the animation industry, and check out our post about what not to do at a job interview. Also see our post on starting your own small animation business, learn how to create an invoice, and see how we arehelping our students find work through our film co-operative Nano Films. Download the free Escape Studios Careers in VFX Handbook. Take a look at how awn.com can help you find a job, and read our piece about how to survive as a freelance animator. Also, find out what Cinesite look for in a student's demo reel, and read our post on setting up your own animation business. Also see our post about freelancers and taxes.