Animation Is Film Will Return To L.A. This Fall

Animation festivals were mostly quiet last year due to the pandemic, and one of the casualties was the Los Angeles festival Animation is Film (AIF), which was forced to cancel its 2020 edition. But the festival announced this week that it will return to L.A. this fall for its fourth edition from October 22-24 at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood.

What is Animation is Film? Launched in 2017, AIF brings new animated features from around the globe to Los Angeles, a city that, despite being a global animation production hub, lacks a major animation festival. The festival’s goal is one we certainly agree with: it “embraces the highest aspirations of the medium as an artistic cinematic art form on par with live action.”

What happened at the last edition? The 2019 edition drew over 7,000 guests and included retrospectives, talks, and short film programs, in addition to its feature film line-up. The 2019 winners included I Lost My Body (which went on to be nominated for an Oscar), Marona’s Fantastic Tale, Weathering With You, and The Swallows of Kabul.

How will it be different this year? The format will be the same as in previous years, except for one major addition. Say Matt Kaszanek, director of AIF, “For the first time, AIF will offer virtual presentations, so audiences outside L.A. County can join the fun.”

What films will screen this year? The line-up of films will be announced at a later date. However, we can guess confidently that Alberto Vásquez’s hotly anticipated new feature from Spain, Unicorn Wars, will be presented at the event, since the festival poster is based on artwork from the film.

Who’s behind the event? AIF is produced by GKIDS in partnership with Annecy International Animation Film Festival.