Children laughed, applauded and watched wide-eyed as animated characters lit up the screen at the opening of the ninth Animafilm International Animation Festival in Baku, where filmmakers and audiences from around the world gathered to celebrate the growing influence of animated cinema.
Held from 13 to 17 May, the festival has become Azerbaijan’s leading platform for animated film since its launch in 2018, bringing together directors, studios, young artists and families through screenings, workshops and industry events.
This year’s edition opened with the premieres of the Azerbaijani animated children’s series Izzy and Piti and the short film Porridge Monster, drawing excited crowds to the Nizami Cinema Centre.
Among the audience was young viewer Aysha Mammadzade, who said she enjoyed how the series introduced children to different parts of Azerbaijan.
“I really liked this animation because in every episode, Issy visited a new region,” she said. “I especially liked the Sheki episode because I’ve been to Sheki myself.”
The festival’s international reach has expanded significantly this year, with the official competition programme featuring 31 films from 20 countries. Organisers said the entries stood out for both their storytelling and experimental visual styles.
“The narrative is the most important thing in the animation that we’re choosing to qualify for the prize,” said animation scriptwriter Polina Knyazeva.
“The visuals, the narrative and the author’s overall eagerness to see their project come alive are really important.”
International interest in the festival has continued to grow, with organisers reporting hundreds of submissions from more than 60 countries for this year’s edition. In 2024, Animafilm was added to the BAFTA festival list, further raising its international profile.
Alongside film screenings, the festival also hosted an international pitching competition, where animators from nearly 20 countries, including Egypt, Venezuela and Morocco, presented projects exploring cultural identity and social challenges within their communities.
Each year, the festival adopts a different central theme. This year’s focus is “The Sea”, reflected in the event’s visual identity and programming.
The Caspian seal, the only marine mammal native to the Caspian Sea, became one of the festival’s key environmental symbols. Scientists have warned that the species is endangered because of pollution, habitat loss and climate-related changes affecting the sea.
Biodiversity expert Zülfü Farajlı said animation could help bridge the gap between scientific research and public understanding, particularly among children.
“There might be some academic work about biodiversity, but obviously children are not going to read academic papers,” he said.
“I think animations, books or any kind of integration between the knowledge and the people is an important aspect of bringing it together.”
The festival continues over the coming days with screenings, conferences, performances and educational masterclasses aimed at supporting young animators and strengthening Azerbaijan’s links with the international animation industry.
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