For the eighth consecutive year, ASIFA HELLAS – Hellenic Animation Association participated in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and Market in France, with the slogan “Moving Forward.” This event is considered the most significant in the world of animation globally. This exceptional opportunity allowed our country to showcase the most creative aspect of domestic production to a global audience of over 15,000 accredited animation professionals.
ASIFA HELLAS aims to promote Greek Animation and the artistic and commercial activities of creators and all contributors to the art of animation both in Greece and internationally, using all available means, including social networks.
The Greek delegation, which included 38 works, confirmed Greece’s strong presence at Annecy. The Greek pavilion, an initiative of ASIFA HELLAS – Hellenic Animation Association, in collaboration with the National Center for Audiovisual Media and Communication (EKOME), the Greek Film Center (GFC), and the ATHENS FILM OFFICE, aimed to promote and strengthen the dynamics of Greek animation internationally.
Furthermore, ASIFA HELLAS strongly supported education and new technologies. As part of the Greek delegation and included in the projects catalog, 8 selected gaming projects with a strong focus on linear and non-linear narrative animation were showcased. These projects were the final thesis works of students from the animation-gaming course of the Department of Graphic Design and Visual Communication, School of Applied Arts and Culture, University of West Attica.
ASIFA HELLAS supported creator Yiannis Christoforou and the team of his film “Underground”, a co-production between Greece and Cyprus, co-financed by the GFC, which competed this year at the Annecy festival in the Perspective category. For the third consecutive year, a Greek project competed in some of the festival’s official categories. Additionally, it supported musicians and composers involved in Animation, such as Stratos Diamantis, who participated in the MEET THE COMPOSERS event at the Annecy International Animation Festival.
For the first time this year, ASIFA HELLAS collaborated with two other associations, ASIFA HOLLYWOOD and ASIFA CHINA, to organize a networking event for the growing animation landscape in Greece, titled “ASIFA GLOBAL MEET AND GREET,” with great success. This synergy was extremely significant for the development of Greek Animation, as it created new opportunities for co-productions and collaborations.
Additionally, the event was attended by Ms. Fotini Nakou from the Hellenic Investment and Foreign Trade Company – ENTERPRISE GREECE, and Ms. Anna Kasimati from CREATIVE EUROPE MEDIA, marking the institutional support for promoting Greek animation production as an exportable product.
Leonidas Christopoulos, President and CEO of EKOME, stated: “The National Center for Audiovisual Media and Communication (EKOME) has continuously promoted Greece as a top audiovisual destination and provided tangible support to industry professionals. Specifically in the field of animation, we have closely collaborated with the local community, through our strategic support of ASIFA HELLAS, enabling our country to be represented with a national delegation at the MIFA market in Annecy, recognizing the role it plays in developing international collaborations and showcasing Greek production in Animation.”
Markos Cholevas, President of the Greek Film Center’s Board of Directors, commented: “It was a testament to the outward-looking nature of ASIFA HELLAS, which not only united the community but also organized the Greek delegation at this top international festival once again. We must remember that the art of Animation today demands vigilance and international networking from all those who serve it. The development and promotion of this cinematic genre, which is gaining an increasingly significant share in the global audiovisual industry due to the rapid growth of digital technology, has been one of our priorities in designing our funding programs.”
Stathis Kalogeropoulos, President of the ATHENS FILM OFFICE, stated: “By promoting collaborations, providing resources, and advancing Greek moving images both nationally and internationally, we aim to enhance the visibility and impact of Greek animated works. Our commitment is to cultivate an environment where animation creators can thrive, innovate, and share their unique stories with the world, celebrating Greece’s rich cultural heritage and contemporary artistic achievements.”
Konstantinos P. Kakarountas, President of ASIFA HELLAS, emphasized: “Success has become synonymous with Greek Animation, and ASIFA HELLAS is a vital resource for creativity, collaboration, and outward-looking initiatives. We are transforming Greece into a new hub for the development of animation productions and co-productions worldwide.