The Kecskemét Animation Film Festival (KAFF) is a biennial festival in Kecskemét, Hungary, built around two parallel competitions: a Hungarian competition for films made in Hungary or by Hungarian directors, from short, student and applied animation to TV series and features, and a European competition for animated feature films (since 1996), TV specials (since 2002) and TV series (since 2017). The festival dates back to 1985, when its first edition, then billed as a film showcase, grew out of the Kecskemét Studio of Pannónia Film Studio; it has carried its current name since 1993. Initially held every three years, it has been biennial since 2005. It is organised by Kecskemétfilm, with Ferenc Mikulás as festival director.
Alongside the competitions, KAFF presents retrospectives of Hungarian animation history, international panoramas devoted to one continent at a time, concerts and exhibitions. Admission to screenings and events is free, and films also travel to smaller towns around Kecskemét. The dates of the 17th edition, which marks the festival's 40th anniversary with Nordic animation as guest of honour, are 27 May – 1 June 2025.
Awards and prizes
Hungarian competition: Grand Prix of the Festival.
Category awards: Best Feature Film (Pannónia–Matolcsy Award), Best TV Special, Best Short Film, Best TV Series (Ágnes Bálint Award), Best Applied Animation, Best Student Film.
Special mentions: Best Debut Film, Best Visual Language, Best Script, Best Music, Best Animation Work, Best 3D Film.
Further awards: Award of the Hungarian Film Critics, Junior Jury's Award, Award of the National Student Jury, Audience Award, Audience Award of the Aranyhomok Small Regional Development Association.
European competition: Best Feature Film, Best TV Series, Best TV Special.
Additional awards: Kecskemét City Award, Award of the Student Jury.
The jury is not obliged to give every award and may give awards other than those announced. Prize list from the regulations of the 17th edition (2025).
Festival rules
Regulations of the 17th edition (2025).
KAFF follows the objectives of ASIFA, the International Animated Film Association. Official languages: Hungarian and English.
Eligibility: films must be made frame by frame using an animation technique, with animation making up more than 50% of the film. Only films completed after 1 March 2023 were accepted for the 2025 edition. The Hungarian competition is open to films made in Hungary or directed by a Hungarian filmmaker. Films entered for the European competition must be at least 50% European-owned. The entrant must hold the rights to all copyrighted material used in the film.
Entry: online entry form on kaff.hu, one form per film, with an online screener link; films with dialogue or narration need the original and English dialogue list. There is no entry fee. Selected films with dialogue in a language other than English must have English subtitles.
Categories, Hungarian competition: feature film, TV special, short film (including MA graduation films), TV series (up to 2 episodes per series), student film, applied animation (commercials, signals, music videos, opening credits, trailers). Hungarian feature films, TV specials and TV series may also compete in the European competition.
Categories, European competition: feature film, TV special, TV series (up to 2 episodes per series).
Selection: an international pre-selection committee chooses the programme and may merge, drop or reassign categories; decisions of the pre-selection committee and the international jury are final.
