The fourth edition of Rise & Shine, animation development & pitching Lab for young talents and their first or second professional short films, organized as a collaboration between Animafest Zagreb, Animateka IAFF and CEE Animation, announces the call for projects and participants of 2025. The deadline is set at March 10 2025.
The three-part storytelling, development and pitching lab is going to take place in June 2025 at the World Festival of Animated Film – Animafest Zagreb in Croatia (Scriptwriting & Development Lab), in October 2025 (online training) and culminate in December 2025 at Animateka International Animated Film Festival in Ljubljana, Slovenia (Pitching Lab and Competition).
Selected teams will receive a programme of lectures, workshops, individual and group sessions with seasoned film professionals in the field of animation: experienced scriptwriter and pitching mentor Anna Vášová (13ka, CZ), director and screenwriter Michael Dudok de Wit (NL), screenwriter, director and producer Pedro Rivero (ES) and creative producer Jelena Popović (NFB, CA).
They will be competing for valuable awards: Rise & Shine Audience Award, CEE Animation Forum Award – direct selection to the 2026 Short Film pitching category, Rise & Shine Film Centre of Montenegro Award (€1,500) and Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market 2026 attendance.
All teams will benefit from having access to renowned experts to help them gain the skills and knowledge to successfully develop and present their work. In addition, the filmmakers will have the opportunity to introduce their project to a wider international professional audience connected to Animafest and Animateka.
WHO CAN APPLY: young talents with inspiring first or second professional short animated films in development; predominantly from CEE region, but open to EU participants interested in collaboration with CEE region (see guidelines).
For more information, please visit the CEE Animation – official website.
Rise & Shine is supported by Creative Europe – MEDIA, Ministry of Public Administration Slovenia, Slovene Animated Film Association, Croatian Audiovisual Centre, City of Zagreb, Zagreb Tourist Board, Croatian Film Directors’ Guild, Audiovisual Producers’ Association, Czech Audiovisual Fund and Ministry of Culture Czech Republic.
