Anima Festival 2025 is in full swing for its 28 February-4 March edition. Along with its 173 animation shorts selected, its feature film program (which opens with Adam Elliot's Oscar-nominated 'Memoir of a Snail'), an array of events are offered to give more insight into the animation process, from direction to issue representation to production to animation careers.

Oscar winner and universally acclaimed Michael Dudok de Wit (The Red Turtle), discusses  how can animation, as a creative expression, reconnect us with our environment and awaken our sensitivity to the world around us in his Animation and Ecological Awareness talk (5 March, 17:00).

Another ecologically minded event is 'The Making of Flow', the currently Oscar-nominated film by the Latvian Gints Zilbalodis. Lead animator Pierre Mousquet and 3D animator Jonathan Bottazzi will explain the process behind this indie, low-budget film that captured the hearts and minds of many viewers (and critics) worldwide (3 March, 17:00).

French director and screenwriter Benjamin Renner (Ernest & Celestine, The Big Bad Fox) has a lot to say about stories in the children animation feature realm. His screenwriting masterclass (7 March, 13:30)  will give insights into making both a visual and a story-based film personal and imaginative.

French Animation scholar Cécile Noesser headlines The Female Gaze in Animation (Le regard féminin dans l’animation) event (5 March, 14:30 -in French), and gives a chance to the participants to discover how animated shorts have become a privileged space for women directors since the 1970s.

The six-part BBC series 'Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures', detailing the enchanting stories and world of the English cartoonist and caricaturist Quentin Blake, also has its focus during the 2025 Anima Festival. Co-produced by Ghent-based studio Creative Conspiracy, the event will feature the director Gerrit Bekers and the studio team at Spicy Acorn.

Quentin Blake's Box of Treasures: Eagle Eye Drama

Stop-motion has its dedicated event (6 March, 18:30 -in French). Kim Keukeleire (Isle of Dogs, Frankenweenie),, Guionne Leroy, Vincent Patar & Stéphane Aubier ('A Town Called Panic' series) will have a free discussion on everything concerning the unmissable world of stop-motion.

Behind the facade of a short and longer animation film (or series), there are millions of decisions to make and issues to juggle. The event Producing an animated film  (4 March, 18:30) has a round-table discussion with producers to talk about the key stages in producing animated films, from artistic conception to the final work, tackling technical and creative challenges and specificities. With Perrine Gauthier (La Cabane/Thuristar), Sarah D'hanens (Cinnamon Entertainment), Kristof Lantin (Animal Tank) & Joseph Osborn (Vivi Film) -moderated by Erik van Drunen.

Raman Djafari, the creator of this year's Anima Festival poster , will talk about his exensive work -having crafted music videos for Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Elton John and Ashnikko (8 March, 17:30).

The French Ankama company, with its rich transmedia and games world, will unveil its secrets in a masterclass by its CEO and artistic director, Anthony Roux. The masterclass promises to give feedback behind the scenes of the 'Wakfu' and 'Dofus' company.

As always, the Belgians have their own industry meetups, here with the Belgian Animation Rendez-vous programme (6 March, 14:30). This industry initiative has been highly popular (and effective) in securing collaborations otherwise not easily envisioned.  Its motto is to encourage artistic ‘love at first sight’ between different profiles of professionals in order to create an animation project. Its sister initiative, Speed Dating: Music & Animation (5 March, 14:30) is equally popular and essential in the animation short format - previously prepared by the Meet the Studios event (3 March, 10:00), in which the majority of Belgian animation studios will present their current work (and job prospects).

Anima Festival takes place between 28 February and 9 March 2025 in Flagey, Brussels.

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