[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"festival-about-23728":3},{"festival":4,"years":19,"news":43,"about":69},{"entryId":5,"urlTitle":6,"status":7,"name":8,"originalName":9,"alsoKnownAs":10,"logo":12,"logoAppearance":13,"logoOg":15,"about":18,"isManaged":16},23728,"manchester-animation-festival-maf-uk","open","Manchester Animation Festival","",[11],"MAF","https:\u002F\u002Fimg.r.vurchel.com\u002Ffestivals\u002Fmanchester-animation-festival-maf-uk-zmmh61sy.svg?v=33bfbfd6",{"mode":14,"edge":15,"edgeLight":16,"plateLight":17,"plateDark":17,"crop":15,"og":15},"plate",null,false,"light","Manchester Animation Festival (MAF) is devoted entirely to animation and runs for five days each November at HOME in Manchester and other venues in the city centre. Its first edition took place in 2015. The international film competition covers short, student, commissioned and immersive work (VR, AR and 360° films) under 30 minutes, and a separate international competition is held for feature films. MAF is on the Academy's list of qualifying festivals for the Short Films awards through its Short Film award. The Industry Excellence Awards recognise individual people for scriptwriting, storyboarding, character design and character animation on commissioned productions. Screenings sit alongside masterclasses, talks, workshops and a family day, while the Animation Nation Forum is a business-to-business conference for the animation industry held next to the festival. The 2026 edition runs in Manchester on 8–12 November 2026, with selected short film programmes and recorded events online in the UK from 13 to 30 November 2026.",[20,23,25,27,29,31,33,35,37,39,41],{"year":21,"hasAwards":22,"hasSelection":22},"2025",true,{"year":24,"hasAwards":16,"hasSelection":22},"2024",{"year":26,"hasAwards":16,"hasSelection":22},"2023",{"year":28,"hasAwards":16,"hasSelection":22},"2022",{"year":30,"hasAwards":16,"hasSelection":22},"2021",{"year":32,"hasAwards":16,"hasSelection":22},"2020",{"year":34,"hasAwards":16,"hasSelection":22},"2019",{"year":36,"hasAwards":16,"hasSelection":22},"2018",{"year":38,"hasAwards":16,"hasSelection":22},"2017",{"year":40,"hasAwards":16,"hasSelection":22},"2016",{"year":42,"hasAwards":16,"hasSelection":22},"2015",[44,49,54,59,64],{"entryId":45,"urlTitle":46,"title":47,"summary":48},34366,"uks-manchester-animation-festival-2025-opens-call-for-entries","UK's Manchester Animation Festival 2025 Opens Call for Entries","The Manchester Animation Festival (MAF), the UK’s sole Academy Award, BAFTA, and BIFA qualifying animation festival, has opened its call for entries for the 2025 edition. Early Bird Deadline is 3 Marc…",{"entryId":50,"urlTitle":51,"title":52,"summary":53},32366,"uks-manchester-animation-festival-awards-best-feature-film-to-flow-best-short-film-to-i-died-in-irpin","UK’s Manchester Animation Festival awards Best Feature Film to \"Flow\", Best Short Film to \"I Died in Irpin\"","The UK-based Manchester Animation Festival (MAF) announced winners for its 2024 Film and Industry Excellence Awards, highlighting international talents. Top honors included \"Flow\" for Best Feature Fil…",{"entryId":55,"urlTitle":56,"title":57,"summary":58},31814,"nick-park-chris-sanders-and-more-maf-2024-guest-speakers-announced","Nick Park, Chris Sanders, and More: MAF 2024 Guest Speakers Announced","Manchester Animation Festival (MAF) 2024 marks its 10th edition with an impressive lineup of guest speakers. Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham will discuss their new Wallace & Gromit film, while Chris…",{"entryId":60,"urlTitle":61,"title":62,"summary":63},31715,"manchester-animation-festival-2024-reveals-full-lineup-for-its-10th-edition-in-the-uk","Manchester Animation Festival 2024 Reveals Full Lineup for Its 10th Edition in the UK","The Manchester Animation Festival (MAF) marks its 10th edition in November 2024 with a diverse program featuring screenings, industry talks, and masterclasses. Highlights include Chris Sanders, Nick P…",{"entryId":65,"urlTitle":66,"title":67,"summary":68},23729,"submit-to-manchester-animation-festival-2024-a-gateway-to-bifa-and-oscars","Submit to Manchester Animation Festival 2024: A Gateway to BIFA and Oscars","The Manchester Animation Festival (MAF) 2024 is now accepting submissions for animated short, student, and immersive films, offering a pathway to BIFA and the Academy Awards. The festival is set for N…",{"aboutHtml":70,"countries":71,"focus":73,"categories":74,"nextDates":80,"awardsPrizes":81,"rules":82,"website":83,"contacts":84,"editDate":95},"\u003Cp>Manchester Animation Festival (MAF) is devoted entirely to animation and runs for five days each November at HOME in Manchester and other venues in the city centre. Its first edition took place in 2015. The international film competition covers short, student, commissioned and immersive work (VR, AR and 360° films) under 30 minutes, and a separate international competition is held for feature films. MAF is on the Academy's list of qualifying festivals for the Short Films awards through its Short Film award. The Industry Excellence Awards recognise individual people for scriptwriting, storyboarding, character design and character animation on commissioned productions.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Screenings sit alongside masterclasses, talks, workshops and a family day, while the Animation Nation Forum is a business-to-business conference for the animation industry held next to the festival. The 2026 edition runs in Manchester on 8–12 November 2026, with selected short film programmes and recorded events online in the UK from 13 to 30 November 2026.\u003C\u002Fp>",[72],"United Kingdom (UK)",[],[75,76,77,78,79],"Animation","Feature","Short","Student","Virtual Reality","8 November 2026 — 12 November 2026","Film awards: Short Film, Feature Film, British Short Film, Student Film, Commissioned Film, Immersive Film, Short Film for Children, and an Audience Award voted by festival delegates. Films in the official selection are judged during the festival by juries of industry professionals, independent of the organisers.\n\nThe winner of the Short Film award is eligible for consideration in the Short Films competition of the Academy Awards without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with Academy rules.\n\nIndustry Excellence Awards go to individual people for scriptwriting, storyboarding, character design and character animation on commissioned productions.","Films are submitted via FilmFreeway, to one category only: Short Film (films not made by a student or a person under 16), Student Film (undergraduate and postgraduate students), Commissioned Film (educational or scientific films, music videos, advertising or promotional work, with the rights owner's permission) or Immersive Film (VR, interactive or not, AR or 360° films). Films must be under 30 minutes; all animation techniques are eligible. For the 2026 edition, films must have been completed after 18 July 2025; films already shown at other festivals can be entered. Feature film submissions are discussed directly with the festival team.\n\nFilms with non-English dialogue need on-screen English subtitles. The preferred screening format is DCP. Selected films may screen in or out of competition, in venues or online behind a paywall; an accepted film cannot be withdrawn, and screening fees are waived.\n\nIndustry Excellence Award nominations are made through the festival website, for one person's work on one project commissioned by a third party or broadcaster (two people may share a scriptwriting nomination). The rights holder and the nominee must agree to the nomination. Student films and independent projects without a third-party commissioner are not eligible.","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.manchesteranimationfestival.co.uk\u002F",[85,89,92],{"type":86,"value":87,"note":88},"Website","https:\u002F\u002Ffilmfreeway.com\u002FManchesterAnimationFestival","Film submissions (FilmFreeway)",{"type":86,"value":90,"note":91},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.manchesteranimationfestival.co.uk\u002Fsubmissions\u002Fsubmit-industry-excellence-award\u002F","Industry Excellence Award nominations",{"type":86,"value":93,"note":94},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.manchesteranimationfestival.co.uk\u002Fabout\u002Fcontact\u002F","Contact form for general enquiries",1791984837]