Cardiff Animation Festival

Cardiff Animation Festival

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Cardiff Animation Festival pairs international animated shorts with a dedicated showcase for Welsh work, feature screenings and an Industry Day. Based in Cardiff, Wales, it also presents filmmaker Q&As, practical workshops, panels and live events. Its roots lie in Cardiff Animation Nights, the free screening series founded in 2014; the first festival edition dates to 2018. The organisation also runs touring programmes across Wales and Cardiff Quick Draw, a 48-hour animation challenge open to all abilities.

The festival moves to an annual cycle with its 2027 edition, whose dates are 22–25 April 2027. Its programme combines in-person screenings in Cardiff with online events.

Country

United Kingdom (UK)

Focus

Animation

Categories

Animation, Feature, Short, Student

Dates

22 April 2027 — 25 April 2027

Awards and prizes

Awards recognise Best Short, Best Student Short and Best Micro Short, alongside a Young Jury Award and an audience-voted Audience Award.

Festival rules

For the 2027 edition, animated shorts from any country and using any animation technique are eligible. Films must be completed on or after 1 December 2024, contain at least 50% animation and run no longer than 20 minutes. Micro shorts must run no longer than 120 seconds; student entries must be produced within an educational institution. Films using generative AI are ineligible. Films in languages other than English require English subtitles. Selected films require accessibility captions and permission for both cinema and online screenings. Cinema delivery is DCP; online delivery is MOV or MP4. Films already publicly available online are eligible. Applicants must hold the necessary film, literary and music rights. Each film and category requires a separate entry through FilmFreeway.

Contacts

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