Animation film festival Animest returns to Bucharest in October with nature-themed edition

The Animest International Animation Film Festival will hold its 21st edition in Bucharest from October 2 to 11, with a program exploring the relationship between people and the natural environment. Screenings and events will take place at Cinema Muzeul Țăranului, Cinemateca Eforie, Instituto Cervantes, and CINETic.

The thematic section will comprise three short-film programs titled Living with Nature, Human Nature, and Nature, curated by Animest artistic director Mihai Mitrică and French film journalist and historian Alexis Hunot.

“We propose three directions for observing how animated film approaches vital topics: questioning our relationship with the environment, reflecting on human nature, and imagining nature in our absence,” Hunot said.

The selection includes Karni Arieli and Saul Freed’s Wild Summon, which presents the life cycle of wild salmon through human figures, and Mark Baker’s The Village, a black comedy about the inhabitants of an isolated community. Other titles include Chris Landreth’s Ryan, which explores the life of Canadian animator Ryan Larkin, and Vergine Keaton’s Je criais contre la vie. Ou pour elle, in which a herd of deer begins hunting the dogs that pursued it.

The festival’s 2026 visual identity was created by Brazilian-Welsh illustrator and animation director Luiz Stockler. It depicts nature entering an urban apartment and transforming the interior into a plant-filled space.

Animest is also accepting applications for two programs aimed at Romanian animation creators. TOON SCRIPTS is a competition for animated series concepts and scripts, while PITCH, PLEASE! is a development workshop for animated short-film projects. Applications for both programs remain open until September 7 through the festival’s official website.

Limited Ten Stops and Full Trip passes for Animest.21 are available through Eventbook. Further details can be found here.

(Photo source: the organizers)