From June 8 to 15, the French city of Annecy hosted the Annecy International Animation Festival — the world’s largest and most prestigious animation festival, which traditionally brings together leading artists, producers, distributors, and festival teams from around the globe.
Over two days (June 13 and 14), the festival organizers announced the winners of both the competition sections and the MIFA Pitches industry platform. Among the recognized projects were several involving Ukrainian creators, which received well-deserved international recognition.
Red Zone (dir. Iryna Tsilyk) — Ciclic Prize
In the category of feature-length documentary projects in development, Red Zone was awarded the Ciclic Prize, which includes a €25,000 grant and a two-month animation residency in the French city of Vendôme.
The film explores everyday life in wartime Kyiv — how residents of the capital attempt to maintain resilience and routine amid constant danger.
Kateryna (dir. Mary Yanko) — ARTE France Prize
In the short film section, the project Kateryna received the ARTE France Prize, which entails a pre-purchase of the film for broadcast on the channel’s Court-circuit program. Court-circuit is dedicated to auteur short films, emerging voices in cinema, and experimental storytelling.
The animated documentary tells the story of how war is perceived through social media — from the perspective of a webcam model who decides to become a soldier.
Both Red Zone and Kateryna were developed with the involvement of the Ukrainian production company MOON MAN (producers Darya Bassel and Oleksandra Kravchenko), which consistently promotes Ukrainian voices on the international stage.
Damned (dir. Nataliia Velykanova) — Weird Market Prize
In the Immersive Experiences category, the project Damned was awarded the Weird Market Prize, which includes participation in the 17th Weird Market to be held in Valencia, Spain from September 30 to October 5, 2025. This is one of the key markets for independent, experimental, and genre animation, offering access to distributors, co-producers, and festival partners.
This immersive VR documentary addresses the environmental consequences of the 2023 Kakhovka Dam explosion. Through the lens of nature and animal stories, the project brings attention to those affected by the disaster who have no voice.
Fragile Home (dirs. Ondřej Moravec, Viktoria Lopukhina) — Cristal for the Best VR Work
In the official VR competition, the top prize Cristal for the Best VR Work was awarded to the project Fragile Home.
This immersive experience places the viewer inside a home that gradually becomes a danger zone. The project delves into the loss of safety and the dilemma of whether to stay or leave — a decision faced by millions of Ukrainians since the start of the full-scale war.
In addition to the main competitions, the festival also featured a partner pitch session: Black Sea Animation Projects, a special presentation of works from Black Sea countries, organized in collaboration with Annecy. Representing Ukraine was Frescoes of Memory, directed by Oleksandra Zhihanska — an artistic short film about the return of memory and the sense of belonging through personal recollections and fragments of history.
We are pleased to announce that this partnership initiative will continue in 2026, providing ongoing support for Ukrainian creators and expanding international collaboration.
The Ukrainian Pavilion at Annecy was organized by the Ukrainian Film Association, with the support of the Ukrainian State Film Agency and the French Institute in Ukraine.
