Imaginaria (Imaginaria – Festival Internazionale del Cinema d’Animazione d’Autore)

Imaginaria

Imaginaria – Festival Internazionale del Cinema d’Animazione d’Autore

Also known as: Imaginaria International Animated Film Festival, Imaginaria – International Festival of Authorial Animated Film
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Imaginaria is an international festival of auteur animation in Conversano, Apulia, produced by the local association Atalante. The festival dates back to 2003. Screenings take place in the open air in the historic centre of the town, in the cloister, church and Lemon Garden of the San Benedetto monastery complex, and foreign films are shown in the original language with Italian subtitles.

The international competition is devoted to animated shorts of any technique up to 30 minutes, with sections for main competition films, graduation films, films for children and animated music videos. The Best Animated Short Film award of the Main Competition qualifies for the Academy Awards. Since 2017 the Imaginaria Kids section has offered screenings and workshops for children, with its own youth jury. The programme also includes career awards, retrospectives and exhibitions of illustration. The dates for the 2026 edition, the 24th, are 16–23 August 2026.

Country

Italy

Focus

Animation

Categories

Animation, Music Video, Short, Student

Awards and prizes

International competition, judged by an international jury of professional filmmakers, illustrators, cartoonists, distributors and journalists: - Best Animated Short Film (Main Competition). The winner qualifies for the Academy Awards in the Animated Short Film category. - Best Animated Student Short Film (Graduation Competition) - Best Animated Short Film for Kids (Children Competition) - Best Animated Music Video The jury may also give special mentions. Imaginaria Audience Award, decided by audience vote. Imaginaria Kids Awards, decided by a youth jury: - Best Animated Short Film for Kids - Audience Award The award objects are made by an Apulian artist.

Festival rules

Submission is free, via FilmFreeway. The call opens in December and closes in May of the following year. Animated films of all techniques are accepted: traditional animation, 2D digital, mixed media, stop motion, 3D and visual effects, music videos, experimental. Short films must run no longer than 30 minutes. Works submitted to previous editions of Imaginaria are not accepted. Foreign films must be subtitled in Italian or English (.srt file). Films selected for the Main Competition must be Italian premieres. Selected filmmakers are notified by email at least 30 days before the festival. If selected, send a digital HD video file (DCP or H.264 MOV/MP4 1080p) and an .srt file with English or Italian subtitles.

Contacts

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