FUPiTOONS FESTiVAL is travelling to Annecy 2020! In recognition of this honour, the partners are announcing a FUPiTOONS/Annecy 2020 Special Call, the entry deadline is 6 October 2019.

Please submit your projects HERE using the Submission Waiver Code: FUPIANNECY2020 (NB: this is only for African filmmakers).

Africa is the territory of honour at Annecy 2020 and is parallel to the Institut Français’ Africa 2020 Creative Season. This is an amazing opportunity to showcase the stories Africa has.

The regular deadline for submissions to FUPiTOONS 2019 ended on 22 September and according to Comfort Arthur, FUPiTOONS FESTiVAL Director; “we’ve already received an astonishing 700 submissions (a 180% increase year-on-year) but, with the festival travelling to Annecy 2020, we want to ensure that we showcase the widest diversity and highest quality of African animated content possible.  This left us with no alternative but to launch the FUPiTOONS/Annecy 2020 Special Call!”

Marcel Jean, Annecy Festival’s Artistic Director added; “FUPiTOONS will be part of an opportunity for festival-goers at Annecy to discover a still far too little known cinematography. Partnering with AAN and FUPiTOONS gives the fledgeling festival an opportunity to build broader networks with creators and producers across Africa and develop larger audiences for African produced content across the continent.  In return, Annecy has an exciting addition to the 2020 festival program!”

Annecy, or more specifically it’s market, MIFA, has “not waited to work with Africa”, says Veronique Encrenaz Head of MIFA. “We had a focus on Africa in 2015. It brought the MIFA pitching competition to Africa. This led to us launching Animation du Monde and a series of preliminary rounds across 5 regions on the continent which has brought African talent to pitch on a global stage ever since. We want to show the world what we have seen coming from the continent.”

In 2017 the African Animation Network (AAN) launched FUPiTOONS, an animation short film festival â€œMade in Africa for Kids”. It takes short films from various creators across the continent and combines them to fit a feature-length film runtime. The festival debuts alongside DISCOP Johannesburg each year before embarking on a continent-wide tour in the succeeding calendar year.  The festival has travelled across Africa (to 9 events in 2018 & +11 events in 2019) and featured during an African showcase at the 2018 Animage Festival in Brazil.

The pressure is on. With only a few weeks left before FUPiTOONS 2019 premieres at this year’s DISCOP Johannesburg, there isn’t much time left to get your project seen by Comfort Arthur, one of Africa’s most celebrated animation directors, and her team of judges.

It is my hope to use FUPiTOONS as a way to inspire those who see it. The great thing about making it a festival for children is that it reaches kids and their adults. It’s about celebrating Africa in all its glory!

Comfort Arthur

“We are excited about FUPiTOONS being part of the official Annecy 2020 program,” says Nick Wilson, AAN’s Head of Projects & Content. “The quality of the entries has improved year-on-year and, we see it as an opportunity to bring attention to Africa’s stories, and AAN as a potential partner to bring them to life.”

The opportunity to be part of Annecy’s Africa 2020 focus is HERE! (The entry deadline is 6 October 2019. Please use the Submission Waiver Code: FUPIANNECY2020, NB: this is only for African filmmakers).

Subscribe to the African Animation Network newsletter and keep tabs on it’s Facebook page and website for updates on when the preliminary rounds will be in your region!