Croatia’s Premier Animation Festival, Animafest Zagreb, Announces Youth Film Lineup for 2024

Animafest Zagreb

Croatia

The World Festival of Animated Film, Animafest Zagreb 2024, has officially unveiled its lineup for the highly anticipated Films for Children and Youth Competition. Held in Croatia, this segment is a pivotal part of the festival's program dedicated to younger audiences, featuring a diverse selection of 34 animated films from around the globe.

This year, the selection process was led by Nino Kovačić, who preselected the films, and Martina Peštaj, a Slovenian media psychologist and editor of Children and Youth Programming at Radio Television Slovenia. Peštaj, renowned for her expertise in media and child psychology, categorized the films into four age-specific groups: 3-6, 7-10, 11-14, and 15+ years. This classification aims to tailor the viewing experience to the cognitive and emotional development of different age groups, ensuring that each film can be both entertaining and educational.

The selection reflects a broad spectrum of themes and styles, promising to offer something for every young viewer. The festival organizers emphasize that the purpose of the Films for Children and Youth Competition is not only to entertain but also to educate and stimulate artistic appreciation and critical thinking among the younger generations.

As Animafest Zagreb continues to set standards in the international animation scene, this particular competition highlights the festival's commitment to nurturing a love for animation in young hearts and minds. The event also serves as a platform for animators to showcase their work in an environment that appreciates and understands the unique value of children's and youth cinema.

The festival is scheduled to take place later this year, with numerous workshops, panels, and screenings designed to make animation accessible to children and teenagers, thereby fostering a new generation of animation fans and creators.

Selected Films for Animafest Zagreb 2024 - Films for Children and Youth Competition

Films for Children Competition 1 (Age 3 – 6)

1. Clawlolo: Gramophone / Alexey Alexeev / Cyprus / 2024
2. Dormouse / Julia Ocker / Germany / 2023
3. Foxtale / Alexandra Allen / Portugal / 2023
4. Hello! / Dakyoung Lee / South Korea / 2023
5. Konigiri-Kun: Connected? / Mari Miyazawa / Japan / 2023
6. Mr Chicken Goes to Mars / Katrina Mathers, Leigh Hobbs / Australia / 2023
7. Nina’s Friend / Neyrouz Jemour / Belgium / 2023
8. The One for Me / Akane Nakamoto / Japan / 2023
9. The Secret Garden / Filip Gašparović Melis / Croatia / 2023

Films for Children Competition 2 (Age 7 – 10)

1. Bottle / Minseo Kim / South Korea / 2023
2. Following the Dream / Yulia Mikushina / Russia / 2023
3. Hello Summer / Martin Smatana, Veronika Zacharová / Slovakia, Czechia, France / 2024
4. Hoofs on Skates / Ignas Meilūnas / Lithuania / 2024
5. The Mystery of Missing Socks / Oskar Lehemaa / Estonia / 2023

Films for Children Competition 3 (Age 10 – 14)

1. Buckets City / Dave Quion / United States, Philippines / 2023
2. Cossie of Chairville / Azusa Fujii / Japan / 2023
3. Marie / Jan B. Piskač / Czechia / 2024
4. Photo That Came to Life / Mikk Mägi / Estonia / 2023
5. Pink Mountain / Thomas Künstler / Greece / 2023
6. The Grand Mother / Julia Hazuka / Poland / 2023
7. Waldeinsamkeit / Silvana Roth / United Kingdom / 2023
8. World I Live In / Ester Kasalová / Czechia / 2024
9. Yuck! / Loïc Espuche / France / 2024

Films for Youth Competition (Age 14+)

1. A Crab in the Pool / Alexandra Myotte, Jean-Sébastien Hamel / Canada / 2023
2. Blossom / Chang Guo / China, United Kingdom / 2023
3. Crosswalk / Daria Volchok / Russia / 2023
4. Don’t Forget to Take Medicines on Time / Xiaoxuan Han / China / 2023
5. Hottest Tokyo / Miho Kidoguchi / Japan / 2023
6. Magda / Adela Kaczmarek / Poland / 2023
7. Maidens of the Ripples / Michiko Soma / Japan / 2024
8. No / Pere Ginard / Spain / 2023
9. Nube / Diego Alonso Sánchez de la Barquera Estrada, Christian Arredondo Narváez / Mexico, France, Hungary / 2023
10. On the 8th Day / Agathe Sénéchal, Alicia Massez, Elise Debruyne, Flavie Carin, Théo Duhautois / France / 2023
11. Pinea / Eirik Heggen / Norway / 2023