About the festival
International Animated Film Festival ANIMATOR is one of the three festivals in Poland (and the only animated film festival) to receive Oscar® qualifying status from the American Film Academy. This means that a short film that wins the Festival's Grand Prix, the Golden Pegasus, is on a fast track to being considered for an Oscar® nomination in the Best Animated Short Film category and can compete for this prestigious award.
ANIMATOR helps authors win international recognition. It attracts attention of film industry professionals from all over the world. For the last 14 years, the Festival has won the hearts of international audiences, critics and artists. It has honoured the greatest ones and helped debutantes to earn a name for themselves.
ANIMATOR is regularly visited by recognized authors, directors, animators (Maciek Szczerbowski, Michaela Pavlátová, Theodore Ushev, Quay Brothers, Emily Hubley, Eric Goldberg, Tim Allen, David Silverman, Signe Baumane, Mike Johnson), producers (Julie Roy, NFBC, David Sproxton, Aardman Animations, Ron Diamond, Acme Filmworks, Heather Henson) and representatives of fellow animation festivals (Annecy IAFF, Ottawa IAF, Animafest Zagreb). The Festival's guests are always happy to share their experience, reveal some tricks of the trade, teach workshops and actively contribute to the event's prestige. ANIMATOR also stands for meetings, discussions, interactions and a great deal of music. Its relationship with animation is particularly cherished here. In addition to the main prizes, the International Jury awards the Special Prize for Best Music Film or Best Film Music.
The 15th edition of International Animated Film Festival ANIMATOR will be taking place from 8 to 15 July 2022.
2022 Call for entries:
Categories and eligibility criteria
- International Animated Short Film Competition: Dedicated for short films (up to 30 minutes long), which were completed after 31 December 2019. Films can be submitted by art schools, film schools, production companies, film institutions, individuals, or other parties holding the necessary rights. All animation techniques are welcome. The winner of the Grand Prix of this competition — Golden Pegasus, is on a fast track to being considered for an Oscar® nomination in the Best Animated Short Film category and can compete for this prestigious award.
- International Animated Feature Film Competition: Dedicated for feature films (above 40 minutes long), which were completed after 31 December 2019. Films can be submitted by art schools, film schools, production companies, film institutions, individuals, or other parties holding the necessary rights. All animation techniques are welcome.
- Polish Animated Short Film Competition ANIMATOR.PL: Dedicated for short films (up to 30 minutes long), which were completed after 31 December 2020 in Poland or made by Polish artists abroad and co-produced by Polish producers. Films can be submitted by art schools, film schools, production companies, film institutions, individuals, or other parties holding the necessary rights. All animation techniques are welcome.
- International Animated Series Competition: Dedicated for single episodes of TV and online series, both for children and adults, which were completed after 31 December 2019. Films can be submitted by art schools, film schools, production companies, film institutions, individuals, or other parties holding the necessary rights. All animation techniques are welcome.
Awards & Prizes
- Grand Prix: Golden Pegasus (45 000 PLN, approx. 9 700 EUR)
- 2nd Prize: Silver Pegasus (15 000 PLN, approx. 3 200 EUR)
- 3rd Prize: Bronze Pegasus (10 000 PLN, approx. 2 100 EUR)
- Best Music Film or Best Film Music Award (5 000 PLN, approx. 1 000 EUR)
- Award for Special Artistic Merit — in memoriam of Wojciech Juszczak (5 000 PLN, approx. 1 000 EUR)
- Best Student Film Award (1 000 PLN, approx. 200 EUR)
- Audience Award for the Best Short Film
International Feature Film Competition:
- Best Feature Film Award (35 000 PLN, approx. 7 500 EUR)
- Audience Award for the Best Feature Film
ANIMATOR.PL Polish Animated Film Competition:
- Golden Animusz - Grand Prix of the ANIMATOR.PL competition (15 000 PLN, approx. 3 200 EUR)
- 2nd Prize: Silver Animusz (10 000 PLN, approx. 2 100 EUR)
- 3rd Prize: Bronze Animusz (5 000 PLN, approx. 1 000 EUR)
- Audience Award for the Best Polish Film
International Animated Series Competition:
- Best Animated Series Award (5 000 PLN, approx. 1 000 EUR)
- Audience Award for the Best Series episode
The prize pool sums up to over 140 000 PLN (over 30 000 EUR).
- Festival Regulations
- Submit via FilmFreeway
- Deadline: 14 February 22 February 2022 (free of charge)
2020 Festival Coverage
From the very beginning of its history, one of the Festival’s key events is the International Competition of Animated Films. On the one hand, the Competition gives our audience the opportunity to get acquainted with a panorama of the latest productions from around the globe (with approx. 60 titles, both feature films and short films, selected from over a thousand submitted for selection); on the other hand, it is an opportunity for artists - both debuting and well-established - to present their work to our festival audience.
This year’s short film competition will feature 47 films divided into 6 thematic screenings, among them: Towards childhood, Life as a terminal disease, Film is a dream, Crouching evil, hidden truth.
The programme also includes animated films from the WOMEN’S VOICES series, as well as animated series for children and the ANIMATOR FOR KIDS section. We are also going to present to you a thematic bloc of animations actively involving viewers (interactive animations) and animated productions based on the engines and graphic and technological environment of computer games ANIMACJA INTERAKCJA. VIDEO GAMES.
Festival Trailer:
Animation was created by polish animator Paulina Ziółkowska and music composed by Adam Brzozowski.
2019 Festival Coverage
Event Dates
- From 08 July 2022 to 15 July 2022
