Only a few days remain until the 9th ANIMAFILM International Animation Festival
The 9th ANIMAFILM International Animation Festival will take place on 13–17 May 2026, organized by the Azerbaijan Animation Association and ANIMAFILM LLC, with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Cinema Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ARKA), and Creative Center (YARADICI).
The full festival program is available on ANIMAFILM official website.
Serving as a bridge between professionals and enthusiasts in the field of animation, and as a platform for the creation of new projects through creative exchange, ANIMAFILM dedicates each edition to a new theme. This year, the festival invites participants on a “Sea” journey. Festival events will be held at Nizami Cinema Center, the world’s first tanker museum Surakhani Ship Museum, and Fluxus Space gallery.
According to the festival director Rashid Aghamaliyev, audiences will enjoy a rich competition and non-competition program, meet international animation filmmakers, and attend the premieres of the children’s animated series Izzy and Piti and the short animated film Porridge Monster. The festival will also present the “ANIMAFILM School: Stop-motion” masterclass, the 2nd ANIMAFILM International Pitching Competition featuring local and international animation projects, the “ANIMAFILM” magazine, as well as animated films awarded with OSCAR and BAFTA Awards.
It should be noted that the festival’s geography has expanded even further this year. A total of 437 animated films from more than 60 countries were submitted to participate in the festival. The official competition program includes 31 films representing 20 different countries. The selected films stand out for their visual richness, innovative animation techniques, and the depth of the global and local themes they explore.
In 2024, the ANIMAFILM International Animation Festival was included in the British Academy of Film and Television Arts “BAFTA Festivals List.”
Festival partners include Nizami Cinema Center, Nine Senses, Fluxus Space, the Embassy of Canada to Türkiye and Azerbaijan, British Council, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Azerbaijan, Şekerci Cafer Erol, Eminence – Events & Catering, Almond, Cuppa Coffee, Dynamic Box, Kinobiz, OB Film, KYNO, and FAMU. Tickets are available through the Tripsome platform.
Since 2018, the festival has also continued throughout the year with regional editions across Azerbaijan. Our goal is to develop animation not only in the capital but also in the regions, to engage directly with audiences and learn about their interests and aspirations, to explore opportunities for professional training, and to contribute ideas for creating new jobs in the animation sector. With this purpose, regional editions such as “ANIMAFILM in Shaki” (2021), “ANIMAFILM in Nakhchivan” (2023), “ANIMAFILM in Lankaran” (2024), and in 2025 “ANIMAFILM in Ganja,” “ANIMAFILM in Lankaran,” “ANIMAFILM in Khankendi,” and “ANIMAFILM in Lachin” were held. In 2026, “ANIMAFILM in Ganja” was organized as well.