The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has designated Manchester Animation Festival as an Academy Award®-qualifying festival on the Short Films Qualifying Festival List. MAF is now the only dedicated animation festival in the U.K. to have this honor, and joins only a handful of other U.K. film festival events that qualify.
Recipients of the festival’s Short Film Award will be eligible for consideration in the Best Animated Short Film competition of the Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.
Established in 2015, MAF has grown to become the U.K.’s largest animation event, taking place over six days featuring film competitions, workshops, masterclasses, panels and more, as well as an academic conference, industry forum and family day. Past guests at the festival include Aardman Animations, Blue Zoo, Cartoon Saloon, ILM, Locksmith Animation, Lupus Films, Netflix, Passion Pictures and Walt Disney Animation Studios.
“It’s an honor to represent both Manchester and the U.K. animation community by being listed alongside some of the most prestigious film events in the world as an Academy-qualifying festival,” said Festival Director Steve Henderson. “We look forward to welcoming audiences and showcasing some of the best animated short films from around the world in Manchester this November”
The 2023 festival call for entries is open until July 28. Winners of the film awards at Manchester Animation Festival will receive the festival’s iconic trophies, designed and manufactured by Mackinnon & Saunders, who recently produced the puppets for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and produced the ITV series The Sound Collector.
Manchester Animation Festival returns November 12-17, 2023 in-person and then online between Nov. 18-30. Full program information and ticketing can be found at manchesteranimationfestival.
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