The Annecy International Animation Film Festival, taking place from 21 to 27 June 2026, has announced the line-up of this year’s Annecy Classics programme. The section traditionally brings together retrospectives, restored works, special screenings and rediscoveries that reflect key chapters in the history of animation.
This year, Armenian animation will have a dedicated presence in the programme. With the support of Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, nine Armenian animated short films will be screened as part of Annecy Classics. Many of them are based on the writings of Hovhannes Tumanyan, one of Armenia’s most important literary figures.
The programme is carried out jointly by the Cinema Foundation of Armenia and ReA / ReAnimania International Animation Film & Comics Art Festival of Yerevan.
The Armenian selection includes Echo and The Meeting of the Mice by Lyudmila Sahakyants, Happy End by Gayane Martirossyan, Panos the Clumsy and The Corridor by Stepan Galstyan, Parvana by Valentin Podpomogov, Axe and The Button by Robert Sahakyants, and The Giant Who Dreamed of Playing the Violin by Ella Avagyan.
These films occupy an important place in the history of Armenian animation. They reflect a period in which Armenian animators developed a distinctive artistic language, combining literary sources, allegory, humour, stylised imagery and a strong auteur sensibility. Their inclusion in Annecy Classics presents this heritage not only as part of Armenia’s national cultural memory, but also as a body of work that belongs within the broader history of world animation.
The showcase is also connected to Armenia’s wider policy of preserving and restoring its film heritage. The country has been carrying out regular digitisation and restoration programmes. A significant number of films, including animated shorts, were restored around the centenary of Armenian cinema in 2023 and the 85th anniversary of Armenian animation. This work has continued in the following years, covering different periods and forms of Armenian filmmaking.
Armenia will also be represented at MIFA, the festival’s animation market, through the pavilion of the Cinema Foundation of Armenia. As in previous years, the pavilion will serve as a professional meeting point where Armenian filmmakers can present projects, hold industry meetings and build connections with international partners. MIFA is one of the key global platforms for the development, financing, co-production and promotion of animation projects.
Other highlights of the 2026 Annecy Classics programme include a tribute to Stephen and Timothy Quay, who will receive Honorary Cristal awards, a focus on landmark Japanese animated films from the 1990s, and a retrospective dedicated to British animator Emma Calder, who passed away in 2024. The programme will also feature screenings of Grave of the Fireflies by Isao Takahata, Perfect Blue by Satoshi Kon, Ninja Scroll by Yoshiaki Kawajiri and Ghost in the Shell by Mamoru Oshii.
The festival’s industry programme will include MIFA Pitches, with 48 selected projects, alongside nearly 130 projects to be presented through Partners Pitches. According to the organisers, this year’s MIFA Pitches received 882 submissions from representatives of 95 nationalities.
