Animator, an Oscar®-qualifying festival, is one of the largest animated film festivals of Central and Western Europe. Each year, the festival presents around 300 films from around the world, including retrospectives, showcases, premieres, and animation classics.
Central and Eastern Europe’s largest celebration of animation will debut under the theme “Rotamina – The Chemistry Within Us”. Animator 2025 encourages a mature, thoughtful look at the body, mind, technology, and societal mechanisms that shape our world.
Festival’s Artistic Director, Adriana Prodeus, describes the upcoming edition:
The festival turns 18 and metaphorically becomes an adult. This means it’s now fully responsible for itself – even if it’s still in touch with its inner child. The theme of this year’s edition, ROTAMINA – a mysterious substance whose name is worth reading backward – touches on the biology and chemistry of the human body. The films selected for this edition will help us better tune into the rhythm of our bodies. Do we still think of the processes within us, as we do in the “Once Upon a Time… Life” animated series?
Masters of Animation in Poznań
As always, Animator welcomes fantastic guests from around the world. In addition to Japanese star Yoshimi Itazu, this year’s festival will host true legends of global animation. Among them, Mike Hollingsworth, who served as supervising director and co-executive producer for all six seasons of BoJack Horseman. His episode “Fish Out of Water” won the Annecy Cristal award in 2017 and was named the best TV episode of the year by Variety and Time magazines. Also, Joe Holman, a seasoned sculptor, puppet designer, and model maker – known for his work on Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie and Corpse Bride, as well as Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox – will attend the show as a renowned guest.
Animator PRO, The Meeting Hub for Film Industry Professionals
Animator Festival 2025 is not only a celebration of animated cinema, but also an essential meeting point for film industry professionals. The Animator PRO section, dedicated to those working in the field, will take the form of a four-day series of events from July 8–11, 2025, featuring meetings, panel discussions, and presentations. Each day will begin with Breakfast with Animator – a series of talks with creators of the festival’s competition films. In the afternoons, the program includes masterclasses, work-inprogress presentations, and case studies featuring directors, animators, producers, and international animation experts.
Animator PRO will also host panels and discussions with representatives of leading international animation magazines, as well as meetings with creators who will share insights on production strategies, international collaboration, and the challenges of today’s animation market.
