Reel Magic Returns: AIF 2025 Unveiled ?

June 9, 2025: Los Angeles’ premier celebration of animated storytelling, Animation Is Film (AIF), is officially set to return for its 2025 edition from October 17 to 19 at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood.

Now entering its eighth year, AIF continues its mission to champion animation as an art form that transcends traditional cinematic boundaries. Created in partnership with the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, GKIDS, and Variety, the festival draws animation lovers and cinephiles alike for a weekend of boundary-pushing visual storytelling.

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“Animation Is Film was founded to showcase the limitless potential of animation,” said AIF Director Matt Kaszanek. “Its growth proves just how much American audiences embrace this vision. 2025 promises to be a groundbreaking year.”

Annecy CEO Mickaël Marin echoed this sentiment: “The festival unites a passionate community each year. We’re excited to continue this creative journey together in Los Angeles.”

To celebrate the announcement, the 2025 teaser poster—created by acclaimed French artist Camille Authouart—has been revealed. Authouart’s short film La Grande Arche was previously featured at AIF in 2023.

The festival has gained a strong reputation as an awards-season launchpad. At the 2024 edition, Flow won the Grand Jury Prize and went on to win both an Oscar and a Golden Globe. Similarly, the Oscar-winning short In the Shadow of the Cypress had its L.A. premiere at AIF.

Over the years, AIF has hosted early events for globally acclaimed animated films such as The Boy and the Heron, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, and Encanto.

Since its inception in 2017, AIF has remained a vital hub for showcasing the artistic richness of global animation—an essential festival on the world cinema calendar.