ANIMASYROS 2024 Full Festival Programme Unveiled!
Skwigly
The grand celebration of animation is set in the capital of the Cyclades for the 17th consecutive year, as ANIMASYROS powered by PPC takes place from September 23 to 29. The festival is co-organized with the Municipality of Syros-Hermoupolis, the Region of the South Aegean, and, for the first time this year, the Cyclades Chamber of Commerce, under the auspices and financial support of the Ministry of Culture. The official sponsor of ANIMASYROS, for the third consecutive year, is PPC, the leading energy company in Southeastern Europe, actively supporting arts and culture.
With a richer programme than ever before, the largest International Animation Festival in Greece – and one of the top 20 in Europe – gathers 261 films from acclaimed and emerging creators from 50 different countries. The festival includes 8 competition sections (International, Student, K.ID.S, AnimaPride, National Competition, TV & Commissioned Films, Feature Films, and #thisisEU – European Values), special tributes, educational workshops, parallel events, international collaborations, and the Agora, which has become a key reference point for the entire industry in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The events of ANIMASYROS powered by PPC will take place in some of the most iconic locations of Syros, such as the Apollon Theatre, the Hermoupolis Cultural Centre, the Tsiropinas Mansion in Poseidonia, the Capuchin Monastery in Ano Syros, Miaouli Square and Finikas Square. Throughout the festival, parallel events and activities will be held at central locations in Hermoupolis. For the first time this year, the Valma Conference Hall of the Cyclades Chamber of Commerce in Hermoupolis is included as a festival venue, while the ANIMASYROS powered by PPC programme also travels beyond Syros, to seven branch offices of the Chamber in Andros, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, and Tinos.
Tributes
The main focus of this year’s festival, entitled “Africa: An Animated Continent” is dedicated to the African contemporary animation creation and production and will run through all Festival pillars. International guests from Africa such as Ebele Okoye, Raymond Malinga, and Comfort Arthur will be present at ANIMASYROS, while a programme of 40 short and feature films will highlight the rich mosaic of storytelling and artistic innovation that comes from this region of the world. We will also have the opportunity to watch films by significant European filmmakers that pay tribute to Africa and its history, including “The Black Pharaoh, the Savage and the Princess” by the legendary Michel Ocelot.
Furthermore, ANIMASYROS, recognizing the constantly evolving and particularly active animation scene in Central Europe, will screen six animated films from Slovakia selected by Ivana Laučíková, producer, director and professor at the University of Bratislava. The screenings are supported by the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Greece. A tribute to Mexican animation, in collaboration with the Instituto Cervantes and the Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía (IMCINE), will present 21 short films by both new and established Mexican filmmakers. Children will have the opportunity to watch 12 new films from the Czech Republic, in collaboration with the Zlín Film Festival.
Finally, Greek director Konstantinos Yannaris will select his favourite films from the previous years’ Animapride category, which will be screened at the Drama International Short Film Festival and ANIMASYROS powered by PPC in a unique tribute for everyone.
Feature Films & International Panorama
ANIMASYROS proudly presents six of the finest feature films of recent years, kicking off with the award-winning “Sultana’s Dream” by Isabel Herguera, a German-Spanish co-production, with the director herself in attendance. Inés, a Spanish artist, lives in India and stumbles upon “Sultana’s Dream”, a science fiction story written by Rokeya Hossain in 1905. It describes Ladyland, a utopia in which women rule the country while men live in seclusion and are responsible for household chores. Fascinated by the story, Inés embarks on a journey across the country to search for the one place where women can live in peace.
Among the highlights of this year’s feature films screenings are the Oscar-winning film “The Boy and the Heron” by Hayao Miyazaki, and “The Peasants” by the Oscar-nominated creator Dorota Kobiela of “Loving Vincent”. The ANIMASYROS 2024 powered by PPC programme also includes the award-winning science fiction film “White Plastic Sky” by Tibor Bánóczki and Sarolta Szabó, which depicts a future without animals and plants where the remaining humans are living under huge plastic domes. Additionally, there is the highly relevant “Mariposas Negras” by Spanish director David Baute, a film about the climate crisis based on true events, an official selection at the Annecy Festival, and a co-production between Spain and Panama, as well as the comedic adventure “The Sloth Lane” by Tania Vincent and Ricard Cussó from Australia, which will have its national premiere.
The festival will conclude with the avant-premiere of “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie”. Porky and Daffy, the classic animated odd couple, turn into unlikely heroes when their antics at the local bubble gum factory uncover a secret alien mind control plot. Against all odds, the two are determined to save their town (and the world!)…that is if they don’t drive each other crazy in the process.
The International Panorama showcases innovative and groundbreaking works from around the globe with 21 films that primarily explore pressing social issues such as the climate crisis and housing challenges. Highlights include “G3N3SIS” by Antonis Dousias, an experimental film incorporating artificial intelligence (AI); “T-ZERO” by Portuguese filmmaker Vicente Nirō; “Return to Hairy Hill” by Canadian director Daniel Gies, which follows a young woman fighting for her future; and “Basha” by Anirban Paul from India, a tale of two siblings’ adventures in nature that takes a dark turn.
Competition Sections
This year, 118 films are featured in the 8 competitive sections of ANIMASYROS 2024 powered by PPC (International, Student, K.ID.S, AnimaPride, National Competition, TV & Commissioned Films, Feature Films, and #thisisEU – European Values).
The International Competition Programme of the Festival features 21 films, including “Swimming With Wings”, a poignant story of migration by Daphna Awadish Golan; “The Shadow of Dawn”, a dark fairy tale by Estonia’s Olga Stalev; and the award-winning “The Meatseller”, directed by Margherita Giusti, which tells the true story of Selinna Ajamikoko, a young Nigerian woman aspiring to become a butcher like her mother. Other notable screenings include “The Wolf”, the latest work from acclaimed animator Theodore Ushev, utilizing an innovative technique to explore the timeless conflict between nature and humanity; “Aquatic” by Iran’s Shiva Sadegh Asadi; and “Beautiful Men” by Belgian Nicolas Keppens.
The Greek Competition Section features the 12 best films from both established and emerging creators in the Greek film scene. In its ongoing support of domestic production, ANIMASYROS, in collaboration with ERT (Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation), is pleased to introduce two new awards this year. Alongside the annual Best Greek Film Award established by the Greek Film Center, the festival will now present the Emerging Greek Creator Award (€1,500) and the Greek-Language Student Film Award (€1,500).
The AnimaPride competition section, a Festival favourite, promotes equality, respect for diversity, and the pursuit of rights. It features 13 films that tell powerful personal stories of journeys toward acceptance and the universal right to love.
The children’s program K.ID.S features 20 films that use imagination, tenderness, humor, and creativity to expand the horizons of both young and old. This selection highlights important themes such as the environment, diversity, empathy, friendship, family relationships, and the journey toward adulthood.
The TV & Commissioned Films category recognizes professionals who produce advertising spots, television episodes, and music videos. This year’s competition includes films created to promote the Athens International Film Festival, the opening titles for the television series “Save Me”, and a selection of original television episodes.
Finally, as part of the #thisisEU – European Values initiative, six thematically relevant films will be screened, with an award presented by the European Commission Representation in Athens.
You can view the full list of films featured in both competition sections and tributes here.
Juries
The juries for ANIMASYROS 2024 powered by PPC consist of distinguished professionals from the worlds of cinema and animation, including animators, directors, producers, festival organizers, and artistic directors from across the globe.
International & Greek Competition Section
- Manos Gerogiannis & Yannis Zoumakis (GR) – Animators, founders of Odd Bleat animation studio
- João Gonzalez (PT) – Director, animator, illustrator & musician
- Rita Mbanga (ZA/ZW) – Producer
Student – TV & Commissioned Films
- Eleni Androutsopoulou (GR) – Head of the Greek Programme / Thessaloniki International Film Festival
- Olivier Catherin (FR) – Producer
- Amit Gicelter (IL) – Producer, founder / The Hive Studio
K.ID.S.
- Markéta Pášmová (CZ) – Artistic director / Zlín Film Festival
- Britt Raes (BE) – Director, illustrator & screenwriter
- Anna Routsis (GR) – Lawyer, special scientist at the Greek Ombudsman & cultural journalist
AnimaPride
- Aimé Besson (FR) – Audiovisual attaché / French Institute in Greece
- Kate Jessop (UK) – Director, animator
- Yorgos Kapoutzidis (GR) – Screenwriter, actoR
The Emile Awards come for the first time to Greece and to ANIMASYROS
The Emile Awards make their highly anticipated return after a four-year hiatus, arriving in Greece for the first time. The prestigious award ceremony, marking a new chapter for the legendary European animation awards, will be held at the historic Apollon Theatre in Ermoupolis, Syros, on Monday, 23 September, as part of this year’s ANIMASYROS powered by PPC Festival.
Following two highly successful editions in Lille, France, in 2018 and 2019, the European Animation Awards, named in honor of French pioneers Émile Reynaud and Émile Cohl, are being revived by a distinguished group of animation professionals from across Europe. Vassilis C. Karamitsanis, president of ANIMASYROS, serves as the president of the Awards’ organizing committee.
The grand celebration of European animation returns to award the best films of the year, honor the talent and achievements of creators and professionals from more than 30 countries, and highlight the diversity and creativity of the large European animation community.
The Emile Awards ceremony will also be streamed online at the following link: https://diavlos.grnet.gr/en/room/450?eventid=16813
You can view the full list of the nominations for the ten categories of short and feature films in detail here.
Agora
The ANIMASYROS Agora, one of the most dynamic parts of the festival, continues its developmental trajectory by establishing a new three-year strategic partnership with the Annecy Festival, the largest animation festival in the world, as part of the Pitching Forum. Additionally, presentations, round tables, seminars, masterclasses, and networking meetings provide an opportunity for an international audience of professionals to promote their work, connect with established industry figures, discover the international community, and engage with the successes of the future.
The Agora Pitching Forum of ANIMASYROS this year will become part of the International MIFA Campus, an international programme aimed at supporting young creators and artists from Mediterranean countries, namely Greece and Cyprus, the Balkan countries, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco, by providing them with skills and experience.
From September 25 to 28, the 4-day Pitching Coaching Workshop will be held as part of the International MIFA Campus in Syros. The Pitching Workshop Tutors will be this year acclaimed audiovisual professionals selected by the Annecy International Animation Film Market (MIFA) team, namely Delphine Nicolini, creative producer & mentor, Claire Sichez, writer and director, and Sylvain Grain, head of MIFA Talent Projects. During the workshop, the six participants will develop their projects to meet the challenges of the international market and will be effectively prepared to participate in the Pitch Partenaire to be held in June 2025 in Annecy. The five projects selected to participate in the programme are Ahmad Abdelhameed & Islam Mazhar – “Kamaroza” (Egypt), Yiannis Skouras – “Fruits Of Labor” (Greece), Jihane Joypaul – “Harun & Mamun” (Morocco), Gunef Senay Bozkurt – “The Witch Of The Mountain” (Turkey), and Ira Elshansky – (“Boobs”) (Balkan countries – Serbia).
Of course, this year’s Agora will feature the Festival’s central theme “Africa: an animated continent”, with masterclasses, discussions and presentations by internationally acclaimed producers and artists from Morocco and South Africa to Egypt and Uganda.
Other themes to be presented include new technologies and virtual reality, the challenges and distribution strategies for animated films in Greece, the promotion of animated films at international festivals, advertising, architecture and the popular yet demanding technique of stop motion.
The Market will also feature the presence of ANIMASYROS’s key institutional partners, such as Enterprise Greece, Creative Europe, the University of the Aegean, and the new national body for cinema and audiovisual policy, EKKOMED Creative Greece.
Some prominent figures of the international animation community who will be present at the ANIMASYROS 2024 powered by PPC Agora include:
- Spanish director Isabel Herguera, creator of the feature film “Sultana’s Dream” (2023).
- Internationally renowned Portuguese animator Regina Pessoa for a particularly interesting creative masterclass.
- Vanessa Ann Sinden, producer at Triggerfish Animation, one of the largest animation studios in Africa.
- Emmanuel Blanchard, historian and director of the iconic animated documentary “Notre-Dame de Paris” (2019).
Finally, as part of ANIMASYROS’ initiatives to strengthen the Greek animation scene, the highly successful Greek Animation Talks will be held again this year. Greek creators will talk about their work, the challenges of the creative process, and share good practices. The host of the Greek Animation Talks will be screenwriter, actor and presenter Yorgos Kapoutzidis.
The Animation Speed Dating sessions, launched last year with the support of Enterprise Greece, will continue this year as well. ANIMASYROS has selected 15 Greek creators to participate in 20-minute meetings with renowned professionals from around the world. These sessions offer an opportunity to discuss all stages of animation production, pitch ideas, and share artistic and professional goals, with the aim of securing co-productions or professional opportunities on an international level. This year’s mentors include directors Regina Pessoa and Isabel Herguera, producers Vanessa Sniden (Triggerfish), Viviane Vanfleteren (Vivi Film), Amit Gicelter (The Hive Studio), and Olivier Catherine, as well as distributors Laure Goasguen (Miyu) and Daphne Bechtsi (Cinobo).
The Agora concludes with a live discussion featuring Agathi Plota, executive director of DDB Athens. Inspired by the animation films created for PPC, she, along with Joe Coveney and John O’Connell from the Irish Studio 9, will share their experiences. The conversation will highlight the challenges of balancing creativity with commercial needs, the use of storytelling to convey messages, and the role of animation as a tool for strategic communication.
Educational workshops
The educational workshops, one of the main pillars of ANIMASYROS, draw inspiration this year from the Festival’s main focus “Africa: An Animated Continent“. Along with acclaimed artists and professionals such as Thomas Künstler, Manos Mastorakis, Dimitris Armenakis, Margarita Simopoulou, Elena Pavlaki, Dimitris Papacharalampous, Agisilaos Rompolas, and Anna Oikonomou, children, teenagers, adults, disabled individuals and our beloved “veterans” (elderly people) will have the opportunity to create their own African masks, animate exotic animals of the African savannah and be transported in the most exciting way to the tropical zones and desert landscapes of our neighbouring continent.
Furthermore, for the first time this year, as part of the educational programme of ANIMASYROS powered by PPC, a three-day intensive hands-on workshop titled “Are You Ready to Change Your Story?” will take place. This workshop is exclusively aimed at animation/multimedia students and young professionals, focusing on scriptwriting and storyboarding. The workshop will be led by Oscar-nominated Joanna Quinn, a renowned animator, and Les Mills, a producer and screenwriter. The event is supported by the Greek Film Centre.
You can find detailed information about the workshops here.
Parallel Events
The rich program of ANIMASYROS 2024 powered by PPC also includes many parallel events, discussions, networking opportunities, and parties:
Monday 23 September, 17:00 – 18:00 | Conference Hall of the Cyclades Chamber (Valma Hall)
African Communities in Greece
A discussion with Grace Chimela Eze Nwoke (Døcumatism) and Christina Vazou (Kinoniko EKAV), inspired by the work “The Afrogreeks” by Døcumatism on the African diaspora and the film “Red Heart” by the film group of the NGO Kinoniko EKAV, created as part of the CLAP Karpos programme.
Thursday 26 September, 19:00 – 20:00 | Apollon Theatre
Creativity in the contemporary European cultural scene: Challenges & opportunities
A discussion with Konstantinos Tsoutsouplidis, head of the European Parliament Liaison Office in Greece, and director Effie Pappa. The event is supported by the European Parliament Liaison Office in Greece and will be streamed live online. Following the discussion, a reception hosted by the European Parliament Liaison Office in Greece will take place in the courtyard of the Apollon Theatre.
Friday 27 September, 19:00 – 20:00 | Conference Hall of the Cyclades Chamber (Valma Hall) ANIMASYROS University of the Aegean: Presentation of the new Master’s Programme in Cross-media production design and development
Petros Kavasalis, Vice-Rector of Research and Innovation at the University of the Aegean, will undertake the presentation.
Social Events
Friday 27 September, 15:00 – 17:00 | Hermoupolis Cultural Center Meet the Directors: Lobbying Agora Event
The networking event where directors, producers, professionals come together. Entry to the event is granted with Agora accreditation. More information can be found here.
Saturday 28 September, 23:00 | Hermoupolis Cultural Center ANIMASYROS 2024 powered by PPC Party
As every year, the big ANIMASYROS party is the talk of the town. For one night, the Hermoupolis Cultural Center transforms into the ultimate hot spot. The event will be curated by journalist and director of Kosmos 93.6, Leonidas Antonopoulos, drawing inspiration from this year’s central festival theme “Africa: A Continent of Animation.”