Full Breakdown
Annecy 2026 Unveils Star-Studded Special Events and Industry Showcase
4/28/2026, 9:06:45 PM
Festival Overview and Dates
The 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival runs June 21-27 in Annecy, France, a week later than usual to accommodate the G7 summit in nearby Évian. The event follows a 2025 record of 18,000 guests, including over 6,500 animation professionals, and remains the world’s largest gathering dedicated to animation.
Special Events Highlights
Brad Bird returns after a 30-year hiatus to present his long-gestated sci-fi detective feature Ray Gunn during the “Next on Netflix” showcase, with voice talent Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell and Tom Waits. Netflix also previews its upcoming animated Ghostbusters series, led by showrunners Ben Hibon and Elliott Kalan.
Ricky Gervais leads a masterclass on the adult-animation comedy Alley Cats, followed by a world-exclusive look at the series’ first two episodes. Mike Judge receives the Honorary Cristal and screens the pre-release of King of the Hill Season 15 with co-creator Greg Daniels and showrunner Saladin K. Patterson.
Disney’s fantasy coming-of-age film Hexed (directors Fawn Veerasunthorn, Jason Hand, Josie Trinidad) debuts new footage starring Hailee Steinfeld and Rashida Jones. Pixar offers a behind-the-scenes look at Enrico Casarosa’s Venice-set feature Gatto, plus a new short co-directed with Lou Hamou-Lhadj.
Warner Bros. Animation premieres the Looney Tunes short Daffy Season and previews the upcoming The Cat in the Hat film. Adult Swim presents its new series President Curtis (co-created by Dan Harmon and James Siciliano, starring Keith David) and the comedy My Two Cars by Dan Licata and Joe Pera. Laika CEO Travis Knight reveals behind-the-scenes material for the studio’s upcoming feature Wildwood, while Aardman showcases its studio history and future projects.
Industry Participation and Market Highlights
The International Animation Film Market, now in its 41st edition, hosts more than 975 exhibiting companies. Sessions will explore cross-IP exploitation, video-game collaborations, the growing African animation sector, and AI’s impact on production pipelines. Simultaneously, the festival inaugurates La Cité internationale du cinéma d’animation, a year-round hub with an animation museum, a 332-seat cinema, workshops, and an artist-in-residence program.
Data & Statistics
2025 attendance reached 18,000 guests (6,500+ professionals). The 2026 market lists over 975 exhibitors. The Special Events program features 12 distinct presentations across Netflix, Disney, Pixar, Warner Bros., Adult Swim, Laika, Aardman and individual creators. The competition slate includes 11 world-premiere feature films such as The Sunrise File, Tangles, and The Violinist.
Official Statements & Responses
Festival artistic director Marcel Jean confirmed Netflix’s exclusive previews of Ray Gunn, Alley Cats, and the new Ghostbusters series, noting the festival’s goal to “highlight the breadth of contemporary animation, from auteur-driven shorts to major studio franchises.” Laika’s Travis Knight said the Wildwood presentation will “offer a rare look at the studio’s evolving stop-motion techniques and narrative direction.”
What’s Next
After the June screenings, the market will convene leaders to discuss AI-driven workflows and emerging distribution models. The newly opened La Cité hub will host public exhibitions and educational programs year-round, cementing Annecy’s role as a permanent center for animation culture and innovation.
