
2023
The 9th TAF will take place live and digitally from October 21 to October 30, following the success of our previous hybrid Festival. The in-person part of the Festival will be held at Warehouse D, in the port of Thessaloniki, from October 21 to October 24, and the digital part from October 25 to October 30. As always, admission to all screenings, talks, and Festival events will be free for everyone.
This year, our Festival received over 3,000 entries from around the world! From these, we will showcase over 100 short animated films with diverse themes. Like in previous years, these films will compete for our awards, which will be decided and presented by our jury, consisting of distinguished guests from the international and domestic animation industry. Our goal this year, as every year, is to make the Festival more inclusive and multi-themed, which is reflected in our screening program. Stay tuned for an unforgettable, multidimensional experience with artworks from international artists!
We are very proud to host two prestigious festivals with a strong presence in the international animation industry. This year, TAF will showcase an anthology of films from the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival (AmDocs), the largest festival of its kind on the West Coast of the United States, in collaboration with AmDocs Founder and Director Teddy Grouya, and a series of artists. Additionally, there will be a special focus on the Anibar Animation Festival, one of the largest festivals in the Balkans, based in Kosovo, which aims to empower the animation industry and promote social awareness through the art of animation. We are delighted that Anibar Festival Director Vullnet Sanaja will present a series of films previously featured at Anibar.
As part of the festival, the Balkan Animation Forum (BAF) will be held for the fourth consecutive year. BAF, like every year, will host projects in development by young artists from the Balkans and bring them into contact with established professionals in the field. The goal is not only to enhance the art of animation in the Balkans and help artists promote their work but also to familiarize participants with the interaction and networking process with their peers and producers who can give them guidance and opportunities to complete their projects effectively.
Regarding the digital part of the festival, this year's program will be available from October 25 to October 30. Similar to the previous three digital editions, the films will be divided into unique themes to facilitate navigation for visitors. Our audience will have the opportunity to rate their favourite films, and the "Audience Award" will be presented accordingly.
We look forward to seeing you!