Spain’s Sitges Fantastic Film Festival Unveils It’s Largest-Ever Animation Lineup

Spain’s Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia has unveiled a major expansion of its Anima’t section, underscoring its status as Spain’s most prominent platform for animation. This year’s program spans the globe and treats animation not as a separate genre, but as a cinematic language capable of exploring the boldest and most imaginative storytelling in the fantastic.

The section opens with Heart of Darkness by Rogério Nunes, an animated reimagining of Joseph Conrad’s classic novel. Other headline titles include Annecy players Lesbian Space Princess, a queer sci-fi adventure by Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese, and Aria Covamonas’s The Great History of Western Philosophy, a playful multi-technique historical odyssey. All three will also compete in Noves Visions, Sitges’ showcase for experimental work, highlighting the festival’s integrated approach to animation and live-action programming.

The wider lineup features Japanese visions like Yasuhiro Aoki’s ChaO, Osamu Fukutani & Saku Sakamoto’s ghostly Nightmare Bugs, and the punk-fueled sequel Tamala 2030: A Punk Cat in Dark by t.o.L., alongside global standouts such as Kenichiro Akimoto’s All You Need is Kill, Tommy Kai Chung Ng’s Another World, Ugo Bienvenu’s Arco, and hometown favorite Alberto Vázquez’s Decorado, which will be making its domestic premiere at the fest.

Other highlights include the stop-motion epic Memory Hotel by Heinrich Sabl, medieval horror fable Dog of God by Lauris and Raitis Abele, the Mexican fantasy I Am Frankelda, Chinese time-travel romance The Girl Who Stole Time, and Kim Bo-sol’s politically charged The Square.

Classic animation also takes the spotlight, with a 4K restoration of Mamoru Oshii’s 1985 cult masterpiece Angel’s Egg, József Gémes’ 1989 Willy the Sparrow, and a retrospective on Italian master Bruno Bozzetto. Late-night screenings will bring the surreal and subversive energy of titles like Endless Cookie, a cosmic road trip by Peter and Seth Scriver.

With a record number of animated works across competition sections, Sitges 2025 reaffirms animation’s place at the forefront of fantastic cinema. The festival runs from October 9 to 19.

Full Anima’t 2025 Lineup

• Heart of Darkness – Rogério Nunes (2025)
• Lesbian Space Princess – Emma Hough Hobbs & Leela Varghese (2025)
• The Great History of Western Philosophy – Aria Covamonas (2025)
• All You Need is Kill – Kenichiro Akimoto (2025)
• Another World – Tommy Kai Chung Ng (2025)
• Arco – Ugo Bienvenu (2025)
• ChaO – Yasuhiro Aoki (2025)
• Decorado – Alberto Vázquez (2025)
• Dog of God – Lauris Abele & Raitis Abele (2025)
• Endless Cookie – Peter Scriver & Seth Scriver (2025)
• Memory Hotel – Heinrich Sabl (2024)
• Nightmare Bugs – Osamu Fukutani & Saku Sakamoto (2024)
• I Am Frankelda – Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz (2025)
• Tamala 2030: A Punk Cat in Dark – t.o.L. (2025)
• The Girl Who Stole Time – Ao Yu & Zhou Tienan (2025)
• The Square – Kim Bo-sol (2025)
• Angel’s Egg – Mamoru Oshii (1985, 4K restoration)
• Willy the Sparrow – József Gémes (1989)