Ukrainian Artists Shine at Annecy Animation Festival
At the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France, four Ukrainian works were honored in various categories: Irina Tsilyk, Maria Yanko, Natalia Velikanova, Ondřej Moravec and Victoria Lopušina.
The festival took place from June 8 to June 15.
This was reported on the festival's official website and by the State Agency of Ukraine for Cinema.
Irina Tsilyk with her documentary project "Red Zone" won the Ciclic Prize in the "Mifa Pitches – Feature Films" category. She received a grant of 25,000 euros and a two-month animation residency in the French city of Vendôme. "Red Zone" depicts a typical day in Kyiv during wartime.
Maria Yanko was awarded the ARTE France Prize in the "Mifa Pitches – Short Films" category. Her animated film "Kateryna" showcases how the full-scale invasion is portrayed on social media. The ARTE channel plans to purchase the film for airing in the "Court-circuit" program, dedicated to auteur cinema and new voices in European animation.
Natalia Velikanova created the project "Damned", which explores the ecological consequences following the explosion of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station in 2023. It won the Weird Market Prize in the "Mifa Pitches – Immersive Experiences" category and was invited to participate in the 17th Weird Market in Valencia, Spain, from September 30 to October 5, 2025.
Directors Ondřej Moravec and Victoria Lopušina won the Cristal for the Best VR Work in the "VR Works" category for their VR project "Fragile Home", which immerses viewers in a domestic space that eventually transforms into a hazardous zone.
At the festival, within the pitching of Black Sea Animation Projects dedicated to projects from the Black Sea region, Ukraine presented the artistic short film "Memorial Frescoes" directed by Oleksandra Dzhihanska, which delves into themes of memory, personal recollections, and feelings of belonging.
The Annecy International Animation Film Festival is held annually in France. From 1960 to 1998, it was held every two years.
