The prestigious and storied Animafest returns to Zagreb on Monday, June 3. The second-longest running animated film festival in the world will be screening more than 300 films, divided into classic short- and feature-length competitions, as well as a children’s programme and other categories. These can be seen at multiple locations, including Kino SC, Kino Kinoteka and the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Animafest was first launched in 1972 and has always been international in scope. At the time, Croatia – and Zagreb, specifically – had a great reputation for being at the forefront of the industry. Its academy was globally renowned, and the 1962 winner of the Oscar for Best Animated Picture – the Croat-Yugoslav short Surogat – was its first non-American recipient.
Animafest Zagreb 2024 Official Festival Trailer from Animafest Zagreb on Vimeo.
This year’s festival runs from June 3-8, though a special open-air screening tonight (May 31) of Miyazaki's latest Best Animated Feature winner The Boy and the Heron at Ribnjak will act as an opening salvo before the festival proper. The winner of the main competition programme qualifies directly for an Oscar run, so next week you might just be watching a future winner here in Zagreb.
Tickets for individual screenings cost €4, while an all-access festival pass is €40. The full schedule is available here, with tickets available through the website.