Animafilm International Animation Festival

Date of establishment: 2018
Location: Baku / Azerbaijan
Festival founder: PERI FILM
Festival organizers: Azerbaijan Animation Association, PERI FILM
Festival director: Rashid Aghamaliyev

The Animafilm International Animation Festival is the first international animation festival in Azerbaijan.

The Animafilm International Animation Festival was included in the BAFTA Festivals list in the “British Short Animated Film” category in 2024. BAFTA’s right of selection applies to animated films produced in the UK or co-produced with the UK.

Regional animation festivals held in the regions to promote the development of animated cinema and the industry have already become a tradition. In 2021, the "ANIMAFILM" festival was held in Sheki, in 2023, "ANIMAFILM" in Nakhchivan, in 2024, "ANIMAFILM" in Lankaran, and in 2025, "ANIMAFILM" in Ganja.

I Animafilm International Animation Festival (I Baku International Animation Festival, 2018)

Date: October 19-21, 2018
The theme of the festival was Azerbaijani animation. Two screenings of Azerbaijani films were organized in the non-competitive program of the festival, and the festival poster was created by Azerbaijani artist Vugar Muradov. Within the framework of the festival, an exhibition called "ReAnimation" was organized, the presentation of the book "Azerbaijani Animation" was held, retrospective films from Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia were shown, animation master classes for children and a puppet show were shown.
480 films and 15 scripts from 63 countries were submitted to two international and one local competition, 20 films and 5 scripts were selected for the competition program.
On March 23, 2019, the Echo event of the 1st Animafilm International Festival was organized in Prague, Czech Republic.

International Jury:
For Films: Elchin Hami Akhundov (Azerbaijan), Jahangir Suleymanov (Russia), Ketevan Janelidze (Georgia), Mahammad Gazala (Egypt), Andrey Khovanets (Slovakia)
For Screenplays: Yefim Abramov (Israel), Sevinj Azimova (Azerbaijan), Leyla Novruzi (Iran), Aygun Aslanova (Azerbaijan), Kamala Rovshan (Azerbaijan)

Winners:
Best Animated Short Film - Late Afternoon - directed by Louise Bagnall (Ireland)
Best Azerbaijani Animated Short Film - Continuity - directed by Samir Salahov (Azerbaijan)
Best Original Screenplay - The Nakhkesh - author Zeynab Ghorbani Faryad (Iran)

Golden Boat Award for “Contribution to Azerbaijani Animation” - Masoud Panahi (Azerbaijan)

II Animafilm International Animation Festival (II Baku International Animation Festival, 2019)

Date: October 18–20, 2019
The theme of the festival was Czech animation. More than 268 applications from 50 countries were received in the festival's competition program, and 54 films and scripts from 24 countries were selected. The festival organized a screening of Czech films in the non-competition program, and the festival poster was prepared by Czech animator Filip Pošivač.
A conference dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Azerbaijani animation was held at the festival, animation workshops were organized. For the first time, a Children's Jury was established at the festival.
At the end of the festival, the participants signed an open letter to the country's President Ilham Aliyev about the deplorable state of national animation, its need for attention and care.

International Jury:
For animated films: Masoud Panahi (Germany). Jahangir Suleymanov (Russia), Samir Salahov (Azerbaijan), Miroslava Yanichatova (Czech Republic), Afet Ilhamgizi (Azerbaijan)
Screenplay: Ramiz Fataliyev (Azerbaijan), Zeynab Gurbani Faryad (Iran), Intigam Gasimzade (Azerbaijan), Gulshan Tofiggizi (Azerbaijan)
Children's Jury: Aydan Karimli (Azerbaijan), Beril Karaoglu (Turkey), Fatima Allahverdiyeva (Azerbaijan), Nilufer Azimzade (Azerbaijan), Zarif Gasimova (Azerbaijan)

Winners:
Best Animated Short Film - Daughter - directed by Daria Kashcheeva (Czech Republic)
Best Animated Short Film for Children - Papito - directed by Sarika Persaud, Kenneth Rosen (USA)
Best Original Screenplay - Blowing - written by Mohammad Zare, Raana Vaezi (Iran)
Audience Choice Award - My Mother Climbed the Tree (1986) - director Firangiz Gurbanova (Azerbaijan)
Golden Boat Award “For contribution to Azerbaijani animation” - Elchin Hami Akhundov, Firangiz Gurbanova (Azerbaijan)

III Animafilm International Animation Festival (2020)

Dates: October 14–18, 2020
The theme of the festival was “Children of Azerbaijan”. The main goal was to support and educate children and youth during the war. A children's jury consisting of 31 children was formed at the festival. The festival included 3 theater workshops, two-day puppet animation master classes, and offline and online screenings of animated films. The festival poster was designed by Azerbaijani artist Nazrin Aghamaliyeva.

International Jury:
Animation: Nancy Danney-Phelps (Belgium), Olivier Catherin (France), Daria Kashcheeva (Czech Republic), Zurab Diasamidze (Georgia), Shamil Najafzade (Azerbaijan)
Screenplay: Aaron Wood (England), Mohammed Zare (Iran), Rana Vaezi (Iran), Alena Polikowska (Russia), Oleg Safaraliyev (Azerbaijan)

Winners:
Best Full-length Animated Film – GRAND PRIX - The Nose or the Mavericks' Conspiracy - directed by Andrey Khrzhanovsky (Russia)
Best Short Animated Film – GRAND PRIX - Sororal (Sisterhood) - directed by Frédéric Even, Louise Mercadier (France)
Best Short Animated Film for Children - The Fox and the Tomten - directed by Yaprak Morali, Are Austnes (Norway)
Best Animated Film by Children - The Tale of Saint Savannah Throne - director Jakov Popov (Serbia)
Best Short Experimental or Abstract Animated Film - Missiles - director Natalia Spychala (Poland)
Best Short Student Animated Film - Dusty Sea - director Héloïse Ferlay (France) / Gaps - director Nora Štrbová (Czech Republic)
Best TV or Web Animated Series - Different Monster - director Ira Elshansky (Russia)
Best Music Animated Video - Lazy Dragon - directors Fokion Xenos, Joan Zhonga (Greece)
Best Azerbaijani Short Animated Film - Raven - director Fidan Akhundova (Azerbaijan)
Best Azerbaijani Student Animated Short Film - Snow Globe - director Sevinc Guliyeva (Azerbaijan) / Snake and Peasant - director Ayaz Khaligov (Azerbaijan)
Best Original Screenplay - Bridges for a Ship - director Robertas Nevecka (Lithuania)
Best Azerbaijani Screenplay for a Short Animated Film - Colorless - director Shabnam Hasanalizadeh (Azerbaijan)
Special selection of the international jury for the script - Rope - director Orkhan Behbid (Azerbaijan)
Golden Boat Award "For his contribution to Azerbaijani animation" - Hafiz Akbarov

IV Animafilm International Animation Festival (2021)

Date: September 3-7, 2021
The festival screened nearly 200 animated films from 40 countries. The theme of the festival was “Disability”. There was a master class by Masoud Panahi, a master class for film and animation producers by Olivier Catherine, and a seminar for composers and sound directors hosted by Nick Phelps and Nancy Denney-Phelps. Traditionally, a children's jury was active.
On November 23-25, the festival's echo event was held in Sheki. Animated films were presented for three days at the “Animafilm in Sheki” event.

International Jury: Masoud Panahi (Azerbaijan), Olivier Catherin (France), Nancy Denney-Phelps and Nick Phelps (Belgium), Mariam Kandelaki (Georgia), Irada Bagirzade (Azerbaijan), Piotr Kardas (Poland), Mehdi Khorushy and Maryam Rouhbakhsh (Iran)

Winners:
Best Full-length Animated Film – GRAND PRIX - The Knight and the Princess - directors Bashir Eldik, Ibrahim Musa (Saudi Arabia, Egypt)
Best Short Animated Film – GRAND PRIX - Kitchen by Size - directors Sólrún Ylfa Ingimarsdóttir, Atli Arnarsson (Iceland)
Best Original Screenplay – GRAND PRIX - Strange Witches and Autumn - director Lana Ra (Ukraine)
Best Short Animated Film for Children – Emsahar - director Hassan Al-Jahni (Qatar)
Best Animated Film by Children - The Monster - director Koosha Yousefi (Iran)
Best Short Film, Experimental or Abstract Animation - Spring Rituals - director Yiorgos Tsangaris (Cyprus)
Best Short Film, Student Animation - Three Leaps to Happiness - director Artur Hanaj (Poland)
Best Animated TV Series - Mitch-Match - director Géza M. Tóth (Hungary)
Best Animated Music Video - Agapito - directors Rafael Vidal Altabert, Julián Gómez Caballero (Spain)
Best Azerbaijani Short Film, Animated - Aragchin - director Firangiz Gurbanova (Azerbaijan)
Best Azerbaijani Screenplay for a Short Animation - Little Red Balloon - Gunel Eminli (Azerbaijan)
Jury Chair Nancy Denney-Phelps Special Selection Award - Slide - director Arafat Mazhar (Pakistan)
Jury Member Nick Phelps Special Selection Award - Navozande, musician - director Reza Riahi (France)
Jury Jury member Masud Panahi's special choice award – Inilti - director Ruslan Karimov (Azerbaijan)
Jury member Olivier Catherine's special choice award - Red Pen - director Raffaele Gabrielli (England)
Jury member Piotr Kardas's special choice award – Sisters - director Andrea Szelesová (Czech Republic)
Jury member Maryam Kandelaki's special choice award - There's Nothing Here - director Kaiyun Yang (Taiwan)
Jury member Mehdi Khorushyn and Maryam Rouhbakhsh's special choice award – Tio - director Juan Medina (Mexico)
Winners of the “ANIMAFILM in Sheki” echo event:
Best Azerbaijani short animated film - Tik-tikla in Search of Miracles 2. Gobustan - director Sultan Abbasbeyli (Azerbaijan)
Best animated film for children – Shappily - director Andra Fembriarto (Indonesia) / Tacet - director Zachary Simon (USA)
For adults Best Animated Film - Navozande, Music - Director Reza Riahi (France)
Best Animated Television Series - Mushrooms - Director Joeri Christiaen (Belgium, France)

V Animafilm International Animation Festival (2022)

Date: September 7-11, 2022
The theme of the festival was “Climate Change”. The motto of the festival was “One Ticket = One Tree”. It was announced that all proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Karabakh Revival Fund to restore the ecological balance in the liberated territories. Proceeds from ticket sales and number of trees to be planted: 4119 AZN = 412 trees.
121 different animated films were screened at the festival over five days.
The festival featured various workshops, including a master class by Jonathan Laskar, a Stop Motion workshop by Nitya Ramlogan, an Animation on Glass workshop by Tilly Wallace and Nazrin Aghamaliyeva, a conference on animation restoration titled “Animation Reframing: Preservation and Restoration of the Moving Image in the Age of Digital Technologies” by Daniel Bird, Elchin Hami Akhundov and Masud Panahi, and the festival’s first virtual exhibition.
As part of the festival’s program for professionals, a “Making-of” event featured the presentation of 5 local animated films in production.

International Jury: Jonathan Laskar (Switzerland), Tilly Wallace (UK), Markus Øvre (UK), Nodar Begiashvili (Georgia), Jorn Leeuwerink (Netherlands), Daniel Bird (UK)

Winners:
Best Animated Short Film – GRAND PRIX – A Story for 2 Trumpets - director Amandine Meyer (France_
Best Animated Short Film – Special Selection Award – Of wood - director Owen Klatte (USA)
Best Animated Short Film for Children – Franzy’s Soup-Kitchen - director Ana Chubinidze (Georgia, France)
Best Animated Television Series – Grizzy and the Lemmings World Tour – The Legend of the Lemmings - director Cedric Lachenaud (France)
Best Experimental and or abstract animation film – Us (Us) - director Nelson Fernandes (Portugal)
Best music animation video – Transparent Black and Iron Rich Red (Transparent Black and Iron Rich Red) - directors Mario Kreill Cirillo, Isabel Emily Wiegand (Italy)
Best student animation film – A Dog under Bridge (A Dog under the Bridge) - director Tang Rehoo (China)
Best Azerbaijani short animation film – White Fear - director Ulviyya Mammadova (Azerbaijan)
Best Azerbaijani short animation film – Special Selection Award – Bir Damla - director Kovser Gurban (Azerbaijan)
Audience Choice Award Winner – Franzy’s Soup-Kitchen (Franzy’s Soup-Kitchen) - director Ana Chubinidze (Georgia, France)

VI Animafilm International Animation Festival (2023)

Date: September 06-10, 2023
The theme of the festival was “Women's Rights”. The proceeds from ticket sales were donated to young female directors.
64 animated films were screened at the festival.
Workshops were held by Oscar-winning director Michaël Dudok de Wit, Canadian animator Matthew Lyon, who works with companies such as Netflix and Apple TV, the creative team of the film “Hadith”, and (for children) Georgian director Ana Chubinidze and Indian Tehzeeb Khurana.
Within the framework of the program for animation professionals, trainings and individual meetings were held with European mentors — Swiss director Isabelle Favez and French producer Olivier Catherin — for 5 female authors selected for the workshop and financial program project “Women's Rights through Animated Films”, implemented with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Selected animation projects were presented to the public at the “ANIMAFILM School: Pitching Competition” and evaluated by the program juries. The proceeds from ticket sales were donated to support the winners of this program.
During the festival, a roundtable discussion was organized on the topic “Prospects for commercialization and export opportunities for the Azerbaijani national animation industry”.

International Jury: Isabelle Favez (Switzerland), Ismail Iman (Azerbaijan), Ana Chubinidze (Georgia), Oktai Iusibov (Azerbaijan, Finland), Olivier Catherin (France), Tehzeeb Khurana (India)

International Competition Winners:
Best Animated Short Film – GRAND PRIX – (Prize 1000 USD) – The End of War – Director Lei Chen (China)
Best Animated Short Film for Children – (Prize 500 USD) – Everywhere – Director Step Cheung, Kai Chung Ng (China)

Local Competition Winners:
Best Azerbaijani Animated Short Film – (Prize 500 USD) – Stolen Spring – Director Aleksandra Shirinova (Azerbaijan)
Best Azerbaijani Animated Short Film – (Prize of a trip to the Annecy Festival) – The Half – The Half – If we die - director Ravan Muradov (Azerbaijan)
Best Azerbaijani Student Animated Short Film – (prize 300 USD) – Empty spaces - director Ayan Novruzlu (Azerbaijan, Great Britain)

Winner of the Audience Choice Competition:
Best Azerbaijani Student Animated Short Film – Empty spaces - director Ayan Novruzlu (Azerbaijan, Great Britain)

Winners of the “Women’s Rights Through Animation” Development Workshop and Funding Program:
1st place: Zuleykha Seyidmammadova - director Mehriban Aliyeva (Azerbaijan)
2nd place: Ring - director Leyla Novruzova (Azerbaijan)

VII Animafilm International Animation Festival (2024)

Date: October 2-6, 2024
The main theme of the festival was “Love”. More than 1,000 spectators watched more than 100 films from 26 countries at the festival. The festival consisted of 3 main programs – Competition, Out of Competition and Programs for Professionals. By the decision of the selection committee, 48 films from 18 countries were selected for the competition program. Of these, 12 films competed in local and 36 films in international categories. The films were evaluated by both the international jury and the audience, and the winners were awarded the “LOVE” award.
In the out-of-competition program, the audience watched animation works from countries such as the Czech Republic, Portugal, Greece, Georgia within the framework of the “With Love from Countries Around the World” program, as well as the “ATA: Selected Animation Films from the Turkic World” collection presented in cooperation with the Turkish Animation Association (ATA). The audience was presented with the series “Red Railway”, which is part of the animated horror anthology series based on the works of famous European authors for the first time in Azerbaijan. In addition, the full-length films “Shrek”, “The Incredible Mr. Fox”, “Paprika”, “Dogs and Italians are not allowed”, “Linda wants chicken!”, which have become modern classics, were shown.
During the program for professionals, master classes were held by the famous Uzbek director Dante Rustav, the creative director of “Lakeside Animation”, Canadian animator of “Netflix”, “Apple TV”, Leyla Ali, a professional illustrator distinguished by her colorful style, and Ayan Novruz, a “Stop motion” director living in England. The events “ANIMAFILM School: Co-production” and “ANIMAFILM School: Making of” were held.

International Jury:
Aaron Wood (United Kingdom), Aneta Ozorek (Netherlands and Poland), Dante Rustav (Uzbekistan), Leyla Ali (Netherlands and Azerbaijan), Martin Vandas (Czech Republic), Matthew Lyon (Canada), Susana M. António (Portugal), Vassilis C. Karamitsanis (Greece).

Winners:
Best Animated Short Film – GRAND PRIX: Pear Garden - director Shadab Shayegan (Germany)
Best Animated Short Film – GRAND PRIX - Special Prize: The Family Portrait - director Lea Vidakovic (Croatia)
Best Animated Short Film for Children: The Night Tunnel - director Annechien Strouven (Belgium)
Best Animated Short Film for Children - Special Prize: Baking with Boris - director Maša Avramović (France)
Audience Choice Award: Inanna - director Rustam Bashirov (Azerbaijan)
Best Azerbaijani Animated Short Film (Annecy Journey Award): Thinking Too Much - director Zahrakhanim Guluzade (Azerbaijan)
Best Azerbaijani Animated Short Film - Special Prize: Chasing Time - directors Ayla Gasimova, Si Yi Lee (Azerbaijan, USA)
Special Award of the Azerbaijan Animation Association: (Best Short Animated Film): Wild Animal - director Tianyun Liu (China)
Special Award of the Azerbaijan Animation Association: (Best Short Animated Film for Children): Puddle - directors Maria-May Backhaus Brown, Mads Theodor Bonde (Denmark)

VIII Animafilm International Animation Festival

Date: September 3-7, 2025
The theme of the festival was “cats”. More than 1,000 spectators watched more than 60 films from 25 countries at the festival. Part of the proceeds from ticket sales at the festival were donated to local initiatives related to the welfare of cats. The festival consisted of 4 programs - Competition, Out of Competition, Observer and Professional programs. The festival's competition program included 317 films from 62 countries in 4 international and 1 local category. A selection committee of 7 people evaluated all the films and considered 39 films from 20 countries acceptable for participation in the competition. Of these, 10 films competed in local and 29 films in international categories. The films were evaluated by both the international jury of 5 people and the audience, and the winners were awarded at the festival's grand closing ceremony.
The out-of-competition program featured the animation collection “2025 OSCAR Selections”, the full-length animated film “Akira” (1988), the animation collection “Skwigly x ANIMAFILM: All About Cats”, the short animated film “Nargız” (2024), and films by “Nine Senses Animation Studio” (“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”, “Zombie”) and animated films made by children (“Black and White”, “Tears of Ice”).
The 1st ANIMAFILM Pitching Competition was held within the framework of the professional program. The aim of the competition is to support Azerbaijani animation projects at the development, pre-production or production stages. The professional program also included a number of master classes and creative meetings - “Stop-motion Master Class with Ayan Novruz”, “Flip-book Master Class with Mehriban Aliyeva”, “Become a Hero of Ken Sheykh’s Animated Film!”, “Lecture by Mohamed Ghazala on the 90th Anniversary of African Animation”, “Making of: Bum-Bum” and “Master Class on Creating a Story for Animation with Matthew Lyon”.
As part of the observer program, the festival hosted the first-ever “Game Showcase” presentation of Azerbaijani computer games. The program was developed by the Dynamic Box game studio, and guests got acquainted with two local games: “Madness Afloat” (Dynamic Box) and “Greedshot” (Massive Paradox). As part of the observer program, breakfasts with filmmakers were also organized in various cafes, and the “Skwigly Quiz” interactive game and parties were held.

International Jury: Aaron Wood (England), Muhamed Ghazala (Egypt), Anastasia Verlinska (Ukraine), Ulviyya Akhundova, Farid Rasulov (Azerbaijan)

Jury of the 1st ANIMAFILM Pitching Competition: Shahin Aliyev, Nazrin Aghamaliyeva, Aydan Kazimova

Winners:
Best Animated Short Film – GRAND PRIX: TV oder Die Ruhestörung an der Waldbergstrasse - Frederic Siegel (Switzerland)
Best Animated Short Film for Children: Forevergreen - Nathan Engelhardt, Jeremy Spears (USA)
Best Animated Short Film about Cats: A Walk into the Afterlife - Jiyun Jeong (Luxembourg)
Best Student Animated Short Film: Fountain - Hazhir As’adi (Iran)
Best Azerbaijani Short Film animated film - Prize of the Ministry of Culture and ARKA for a trip to the Annecy Festival: Soyuz: Graviton - Emil Shiran
Special Jury Prize: 9 million colors (9 milijona barev) - Bára Anna (Czech Republic, Germany, Norway)
Special Jury Prize: Ah! Anacan… (Oh! Mother, Mother…) - Khatuna Tatuashvili (Georgia)
Audience Choice Prize: Ah! Anacan… (Oh! Mother, Mother…) - Khatuna Tatuashvili (Georgia)
Winner of the 1st ANIMAFILM Pitching Competition - Prize of the Ministry of Culture and ARKA for a trip to the Annecy Festival - Prize of the Dynamic Box Studio (500 AZN): Komble (TV series) - Mehriban Aliyeva, Petre Tomadze
Winner of the 1st ANIMAFILM Pitching Competition - Prize of the ANIMAFILM Studio (500 AZN): Skiing (short film) - director Polina Knyazeva, producer Firangiz Bagirova