8TH ANNUAL ANIMATION IS FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2025 LINEUP WITH OPENING NIGHT FILM SCARLET BY MAMORU HOSODA, CENTERPIECE ARCO BY UGO BIENVENU, CLOSING WITH LITTLE AMÉLIE OR THE CHARACTER OF RAIN BY MAÏLYS VALLADE AND LIANE-CHO HAN
AIF RUNS OCTOBER 17-19, 2025 AT TCL CHINESE 6 THEATRES IN HOLLYWOOD
Competition Section Includes
Premieres of Annecy Festival Prize-Winning Feature Films ARCO (Cristal for Best Feature), CHAO (Jury Prize), LITTLE AMÉLIE OR THE CHARACTER OF RAIN (Audience Award) and the Cristal Award-winning Short Film THE NIGHT BOOTS
Out of Competition Spotlight Features the World Premiere of LAIKA’s newly remastered PARANORMAN in 3D and short film, PARANORMAN: THE THRIFTING and the West Coast Premiere of CHAINSAW MAN — THE MOVIE: REZE ARC
Filmmaker Panels for ZOOTOPIA 2, KPOP DEMON HUNTERS and PRETTY PRETTY PLEASE I DON’T WANT TO BE A MAGICAL GIRL
A special ‘Festival Preview’ on Monday, October 13 Of Netflix’s THE TWITS at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood
LOS ANGELES (September 17, 2025) – ANIMATION IS FILM (AIF) announces the lineup for its 8th edition, showcasing theatrical premieres, special events, panels and shorts collections, taking place October 17–19, 2025 at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood. Opening Night will feature the West Coast Premiere of SCARLET, from Academy Award®-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda (Mirai), produced by Studio Chizu and distributed in the US by Sony Pictures Classics. The Festival’s Centerpiece is the Los Angeles Premiere of ARCO, the debut feature from director Ugo Bienvenu, distributed by NEON. AIF’s closing film is the US Premiere of LITTLE AMÉLIE OR THE CHARACTER OF RAIN, co-directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, distributed by GKIDS.
The Festival continues its mission to champion animation as a cinematic art form, curating critically acclaimed international features and shorts that carry both recognition and impact. This year’s program presents new animated works from Asia, Europe, South America, North America, and Australia, with both juried and audience prizes.
“It’s with enormous pride that AIF returns in its role as the first opportunity for Los Angeles to experience these essential films on their journey to end-of-year awards and Best-of lists,” says Matt Kaszanek, Director of Animation Is Film. “This carefully curated lineup — featuring new works from animation legends alongside feature film debuts — is a celebration of the medium. It’s wonderful to be home.”
AIF presents the US Premiere of NOBODY, the highest-grossing 2D animated film in China’s history, and the US Premiere of Roy & Arturo Ambriz’s I AM FRANKELDA, featuring a never-before-seen cut of the award-winning film. The Festival marks the 13th anniversary of LAIKA’s PARANORMAN, featuring the world premiere of both its newly remastered 3D print and new short PARANORMAN: THE THRIFTING, starring Anna Kendrick and Finn Wolfhard.
Other highlights from this year are a Work-in-progress of Walt Disney Animation’s ZOOTOPIA 2, four shorts programs, including AIF’s returning BEST OF ANNECY, in partnership with Women In Animation (WIA), and the annual STUDENT SHOWCASE.
“As a founding partner, we’re proud to see AIF thrive as a landmark event for animation in Los Angeles. Each year, many of the films discovered and celebrated in Annecy find a new audience, confirming the strong bond between our two festivals. Together, we continue to champion animation as an art form that is daring, universal, and endlessly inspiring,” stated Mickael Marin, CEO of CITIA — Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
Returning as Animation Is Film sponsors and partners for 2025 are: ASIFA-Hollywood, Crunchyroll, Dreamworks Animation, ELMA, Fathom Events, Illumination, LAIKA, Locksmith Animation, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Paramount Animation, Pixar Animation Studios, Shout! Studios, Sony Pictures Animation, UniFrance, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation.
More Animation Is Film announcements will be shared in the coming weeks.
