One of the world’s oldest and most popular animation festivals is getting even bigger. According to a report in Variety, the Annecy Intl. Animation Festival is planning a massive 26 million euro ($27.7 million) international institute devoted to the art, study and business of animation.
The new venue will be called Cite Internationale du Cinema d’Animation (The International City of Animated Cinema) and will feature a state-of-the-art 330-seat screening room, an artists’ residency, special venues for training courses and temporary exhibitions. The center will also include a permanent exhibition to show the collections from Annecy’s famous Musée-Château, as well as a bookstore and animation gift shop.
Mickaël Marin, the director of Annecy festival and its industry market MIFA told Variety that the organization wanted to create a special cultural hub to bring together animation lovers and artists from around the world. “We want to attract all kinds of audiences and host screenings, masterclasses and some programs aimed at youth, starting from kindergarten to high school,” he noted. “Our ambition is to celebrate animation, culture and gastronomy.”
Marin pointed out that the 63-year-old festival ranks as one of the top five festivals. The 2023 edition of the event brought together 16,000 professionals, execs and artists from 100 countries in June.
The new venue will be built in a 19th century landmark called Haras, which is set against 2.6 acres of historic gardens and buildings. The location was a hot cultural spot in the 1880s as well, as it was the location where inventor and cinema pioneer Emile Raynaud screened his first animated shorts.
Marin added, “We needed to have a hub that would embody our festival and our commitment, and a place for our team to work from because we all live here in Annecy. We couldn’t envisioned a better place than a historical monument like Haras.”
The next edition of the Annecy Festival and Market is planned for June 9-15. For more info, visit www.annecyfestival.com
Source: Variety.com
