The Animation Is Film (AIF) festival returns for its ninth edition, taking place from October 16 to 19 at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood. Organized in partnership with GKIDS, the event serves as the U.S. counterpart to Annecy’s renowned showcase and has become a key bellwether for the upcoming awards season. This year’s slate is notable for a historic first: the festival will open with a theatrical presentation of an animated series, The Debut of the first two episodes of Dana Terrace’s Knights of Guinevere from Glitch Productions.
Competition lineup highlights award-winning titles
Nine features will compete for AIF’s top honors. Leading the charge is Iron Boy a painterly French-Belgian coming-of-age story directed by Louis Clichy, fresh from Cannes’ Un Certain Regard prize and multiple Annecy awards. Tangles Leah Nelson’s adaptation of Sarah Leavitt’s graphic memoir, arrived at Cannes earlier this year and is already generating Oscar chatter. The festival also showcases the Annecy Cristal winner The Violinist a cross-continental collaboration between Singapore, Spain and Italy.
Other notable entries include the North American premiere of Ghost – End of Night the first original feature from Shingo Natsume (known for the series Sonny Boy), and the queer-centric comedy Jim Queen from French studio Bobbypills, which has become a hit at both Cannes and Annecy. Brazilian hand-drawn road movie O Filho da Puta (Son of a Bitch) adds a splash of Latin-American flavor, while Cartoon Saloon’s Julián—an adaptation of Jessica Love’s picture book—continues the studio’s reputation for lyrical storytelling.
Special screenings, studio showcases and industry conversations
Beyond competition, AIF marks the 25th anniversary of Irish studio Cartoon Saloon with a screening of the cult classic Wolfwalkers and a conversation featuring founders Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey and Paul Young. Disney will unveil a behind-the-scenes look at its upcoming Thanksgiving release Hexed while Paramount’s Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender receives its first theatrical run after a direct-to-streaming debut.
Fans of cult horror can look forward to a high-definition restoration of Yoshiaki Kawajiri’s 2000 masterpiece Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. Matt Braly, creator of Amphibia will present an early cut of his independently financed project Clara and the Below a dark reimagining of The Nutcracker that leans heavily into action-fantasy aesthetics.
Shorts program and emerging talent
The festival’s short-form slate is divided into two competition blocks. Best of Annecy curated in partnership with Women in Animation, highlights works such as Blessed (Canada) and Winter in March (Estonia/Armenia/France/Belgium). The New Voices in Animation segment showcases emerging creators from the United States, Mexico and beyond, with titles like bé hồng (Little Persimmon) and Hot Drop: Lil Gibbos. A dedicated Student Showcase rounds out the program, offering a platform for the next generation of animators.
Industry leaders will convene for the “Inside Animation” panel, presented with UTA. The discussion will examine market trends, representation, and the pathways agents use to discover fresh talent, providing insight into how the animation business is evolving in 2026.
How to attend and what to expect
Tickets are sold through the official AIF website and grant access to all screenings, Q&A sessions and the industry panel. Attendees can expect a blend of indie daring, studio polish, and historic milestones—all under one roof. Whether you’re a fan of avant-garde shorts, a follower of award-season frontrunners, or simply curious about the first big-screen anime-style series debut, the 2026 Animation Is film festival promises a packed four-day celebration of the medium’s past, present and future.
