The Annecy International Animation Film Festival (FIFA), created in 1960 due to the existence of a very active film club in the Savoyard region, takes place at the beginning of June in the city of Annecy, in Haute-Savoie. For this 2025 edition, the festival will take place from June 8 to 14, and various activities will be held, all in a friendly atmosphere.
What’s on the festival program? What types of meetings will take place? Discover with us everything that the International Animation Film Festival has to offer for this year 2025!
Dates: June 8 to 14
Location: Annecy, in Haute-Savoie
Dates, Program, and Venues of the Festival
Since 1960, Annecy has become the world capital of animation films. To explain what animation is, it’s important to know that it’s not limited to traditional cartoons; this full-fledged art form has developed over decades before gaining popularity worldwide. Thus, every year in June, the Animation Festival brings together several thousand people closely or distantly related to this universe; renowned animators or budding artists, directors and producers, teachers and students, graphic designers or artists, enthusiasts or newcomers, general public… all come together and exchange ideas about animation.
For the general public, it’s a unique opportunity to attend world premieres in theaters, to enjoy free outdoor screenings at the Pâquier, in a warm and international atmosphere.
It’s also a strategic venue where producers and broadcasters from many countries come to sell or buy the latest releases under the tents of the International Animation Film Market. Besides this, know that for this 2025 edition, Hungary is the guest of honor!
However, while the full program of the upcoming Annecy festival has not yet been revealed, it nonetheless promises very good moments for visitors, with screenings of films selected by the jury, some of which will be outdoors, reruns of great classics of animation cinema, previews with presentations of works by their authors, workshops (sound effects, special effects…) and stands, activities (games, cosplay…), exhibitions related to the theme of the year or programming on animation methods and studios, book signings with the biggest international names in the sector (authors, directors, scriptwriters…), conferences and debates… and much more.
Workshops, Conferences, and Meetings with Professionals
While the festival program arrives in May, it’s worth noting that participants, who number over 15,000 at each edition, will have the chance to participate in workshops related to the field of animation, which will allow them to discover in particular the professions related to sound effects and special effects, an area that is still quite unknown.
Moreover, it will be an opportunity to meet famous authors and broadcasters during conferences, as well as book signing sessions, at least that’s what we assume based on the previous year’s program. Clearly, the festival is an opportunity for amateurs and professionals to come together for a friendly and warm moment, all in an idyllic setting like the city of Annecy.
How to Get Tickets and Plan Your Stay
To access the Annecy Animation Film Festival, you first need to purchase your entry, called “accreditation” here. Several options are available on the official website of the event, but here are the main ones:
- The General Public 74 option, for residents of Haute-Savoie
- The Festival+ option, intended for film professionals and teachers
- The Student option, for students in film/television/multimedia/journalism.
Each option allows in-person access to events, but there is also their equivalent “online” version to access a large part of the festival catalog from your home.
The prices for accreditations will be announced from May, when it will be possible to purchase them.
Other Activities to Do in Annecy During the Festival
Besides the animation film festival, the city of Annecy and its region are full of all kinds of activities that are worth discovering if you plan to spend a stay there. First of all, how can we mention Annecy without talking about its lake ? With a length of 14.6 kilometers and an area of 27.59 square kilometers, the lake is bordered by wonders to discover through hiking or cycling. Moreover, you can practice all sorts of activities there, and also swim, especially in summer, whether you are alone or with family. We redirect you to one of our blog articles so that you can learn more about the lake.
For hiking enthusiasts, you can go to the Northern Alps located nearby to walk and discover what the surrounding nature has to offer during the nice days, or sports activities such as mountain biking or rock climbing for example. Finally, take advantage of your stay in Annecy to visit the city thoroughly: go to its old town to enjoy typical architecture and a walk along the streams, take the Lovers’ Bridge to go from the Gardens of Europe to the Pâquier esplanade, which will offer you a magnificent view of the lake and surrounding mountains, as well as the Swan Island, or visit the Annecy Castle, which offers an observatory of alpine lakes and temporary exhibitions on the region’s history.
Experience the Annecy Festival!
The Annecy Animation Film Festival is a unique event that brings together lovers of this art, all with the Alps as a backdrop! Whether you come to stay in the region for the Festival or for the activities that abound in the Annecy region, you will leave with stars in your eyes! Do you want to discover animation films in preview and take a vacation during the month of June? Don’t hesitate anymore, pack your suitcase and choose accommodation with Location Lac Annecy to fully enjoy the Annecy Festival!