28 February - 09 March 2025 D-116

About

Anima in brief

The ASBL Folioscope organizes Anima, the Brussels International Animation Film Festival every year. The Festival presents animated films exclusively, namely films created frame by frame (traditional animated cartoons or using puppets, plasticine etc. or digital films), and not shot in live action.

These films are diverse in length and come from all around the world. They can vary from advertising films or video clips to feature films and they are for all audiences, from very young children to a professional audience or films for adults or the whole family. All the films are carefully selected by the Festival team each year and divided into various categories and programmes, including, for example, the famous Best of Shorts, It’s Belgian or Focus

Anima is the only festival of its kind in Belgium. It always takes place during the ‘Carnaval’ school holidays, and usually in the former Flagey radio building in Brussels. There are also decentralization programmes in a number of locations in Wallonia and Flanders.

Anima is one of the most important festivals in Europe and is qualified to nominate its candidates for the Oscar® for best animated short film. It is also famous for its friendly atmosphere and its pancakes!

Folioscope also organizes the Anima Saturdays (one session per month) and the Anima on Tour screenings, and helps to promote animation in Belgium and abroad in all possible ways.

ANIMA IN FEW DATES

1982
The first Festival (known as the "Rencontres du cinéma d’animation") takes place at Riches Claires in Brussels.

1984
Now called "Animation Week", features Tim Burton and John Lasseter, yet unknown. Over the years, will be welcomed other great names in animation like Bruno Bozzetto, Paul Grimault, Jean-François Laguionie, Peter Lord, Youri Norstein, Nick Park, Bill Plympton, Barry Purves, Isao Takahata and many others.

1984 - John Lasseter & Tim Burton
1984 - John Lasseter & Tim Burton

1988
The Folioscope association is created to ensure the long-term organisation of the Festival now known as The Cartoon and Animated Film Festival. It is recognised and subsidised by the French Community (now the Federation Wallonia Brussels).

1995
The Festival is recognised and subsidised by the Flemish Community. All communication is now bilingual (French and Dutch), and even trilingual (English), due to the growth of the international public.

2000
The Festival becomes competitive for national and international short films. An Audience Award is established for feature films and professional meetings are created. Numbering five or six at the time, Futuranima now consists of over 20 conferences, masterclasses, round-table discussions, etc.
2003
The Festival becomes Anima.
2007
After 3 moves (Riches Claires, Palais des Congrès, Passage 44), the Festival sets up at Flagey, with extensions at the Cinematek and other cultural venues in Brussels. It will also spread to various towns in Wallonia and Flanders.

Anima has been taking place in Flagey since 2007.
Virtual reality festival since 2017.

2011
The Anima Festival is promoted the "Best International Event in Brussels" by Visit Brussels, the Brussels Region Tourism Advertising Agency.
2013
Anima is recognized as a qualifying festival by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for the Best Animated Short Film.
2017
Virtual and augmented animated films are represented for the first time.

2022
Anima Festival - Folioscope will be awarded the 2-star Ecodynamic Company label in December 2022. This label, awarded by Brussels Environment, rewards and encourages companies, associations and institutions in Brussels that take action to reduce the impact of their activities on the environment.


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