LJUBLJANA: Winter in March (Estonia, Armenia, France, Belgium) by Natalia Mirzoyan scooped the Jury Grand Prix in the Main Competition of the 22nd Animateka Festival. The festival was held in Ljubljana 1 – 7 December 2025.
The best new short animated films from Central and Eastern Europe ran in the Main Competition. Other competitions included the European Young Talents Competition, VR@Animateka, and the Elephant Competition.
The Animateka festival is an active member of the Animation Festival Network (AFN), a union coordinated by Animafest Zagreb, which also comprises Anim’est (Romania), Fest Anča (Slovakia), and Anifilm (Czech Republic).
Main Competition:
Jury Grand Prix:
Winter in March (Estonia, Armenia, France, Belgium)
Directed by Natalia Mirzoyan
VR@Animateka Programme
VR@Animateka Award:
Lichtung (Germany)
Directed by Aria Wolf
European Young Talents Competition Programme:
Young Talent Student Jury Award:
Hunting (Switzerland)
Directed by Lea Favre
Special Mention:
Cottage Cheese (Switzerland)
Directed by Janina Müller, Liina Luomajoki, Lena Metzger, Alice Kunz
Elephant in Competition Programme:
The Elephant Children Jury Award:
Eureka! (Belgium)
Directed by Kris Borghs
Special Mention:
The Legend of the Hummingbird (France)
Directed by Morgan Devos
Audience Awards:
The Elephant Audience Award:
The Girl Who Wasn’t Afraid of Bears (Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary)
Directed by Lea Vučko
DSAF Audience Award (for films in the Main Competition):
Dog Ear (Hungary)
Directed by Péter Vácz
Special Mentions of the Members of the Grand Jury:
Special Mention Pierre-Luc Granjon:
Dog Ear (Hungary)
Directed by Péter Vácz
Special Mention Elizabeth Hobbs:
Caries (Switzerland)
Directed by Aline Höchli
Special Mention Michèle Lemieux:
Luna Rossa (Estonia, France)
Directed by Priit Pärn, Olga Pärn
Special Mention Juan Pablo Zaramella:
Tears (Germany, Poland)
Directed by Paulina Ziolkowska
Special Mention Yantong Zhu:
You Are My Light (Czech Republic)
Directed by Hana Stehlíková
Click HERE for a press release.
