ANIMASYROS Open Call for Submissions of Animated Films
Skwigly
ANIMASYROS, the largest International Animation Festival in Greece and one of the biggest in Europe, returns from 22-28 September 2025, in the capital of the Cyclades. Creators from around the world are invited to submit their films until 1st June 2025.
The programme of ANIMASYROS 2025 includes 8 competition sections, special tributes, the Agora – a reference point for the industry in the Eastern Mediterranean, educational workshops, VR lounge, parallel events, new international and local collaborations.
The main focus of this year’s event, entitled Animated Cosmos, is dedicated to space and is reflected across all pillars of the Festival, highlighting how the art of animation explores, and portrays this vast and mysterious realm for humanity.
ANIMASYROS 2025 celebrates the thriving animation scene in Central Europe with a special tribute to Croatia, curated by Daniel Šuljić, animator and artistic director of ANIMAFEST ZAGREB.
The ANIMASYROS Agora, one of the Festival’s most vibrant sections, continues its strategic partnership with the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, launched in 2024 as part of the Pitching Forum, with the support of the French Institute of Greece. This year’s Agora agenda includes presentations, roundtable discussions, seminars, masterclasses, networking events, speed dating sessions, and work-in-progress showcases, providing professionals with exceptional opportunities to present their work, connect with industry leaders, and pursue international collaborations. Inspired by ANIMASYROS’ core theme, the Agora welcomes international guests and covers a wide range of topics, with a special focus on character development, production execution, sound design, practical applications of animation, and promotional strategies.
Greek animation remains central to the Festival. In this context, The Great Greek Masters – a tribute and exhibition curated by director and animator Kleopatra Korai and visual artist Dimitris Bellos – pays homage to the pioneers of animation in Greece. Additionally, for the third consecutive year, the Animation Agora Days, the well-established two-day event dedicated to Greek creators will be held in Athens this summer, ahead of the Festival.
As every year, the ANIMASYROS 2025 educational programme offers animation workshops for all ages and abilities – including children, teenagers, young professionals, people with disabilities, families, and senior citizens. This year, these workshops promise to be more… cosmic than ever! The educational workshops inspired by the Festival’s central theme have already begun. Last November, the two-day applied animation workshop for adults, Animated Space, was held in collaboration with the University of Piraeus’ Master’s Programme in Digital Culture, Smart Cities, IoT & Advanced Technologies, under the auspices of the UNESCO Chair “Creative Cities in Motion.
Visual identity of ANIMASYROS 2025
The visual identity of the 18th ANIMASYROS is created by visual artist Alexandra Manousakis.
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Alexandra Manousakis moved to New York City and studied Fine Arts at NYU. During her childhood summers in Chania, she was captivated by the Cretan lifestyle and later decided to leave a successful marketing career in Manhattan to take over the family winery in the village of Vatolakkos and grow it into one of the most reputable in Greece. Alex’s journey navigating a half-known culture, tackling unexpected hurdles and discovering the beautiful moments of the island, shape both the concept and the design of her art. Honoring the ancient practice of ceramic art, she creates handmade design objects that blend her own background story and the culture clashes that she encountered in her contemporary Greek island life. The whole results in a continuous dialogue, characterized by bold elements and aesthetic consistency.
Learn more about Alexandra Manousakis here.
Call for Submissions
Applications for the competition sections of ANIMASYROS 2025 are accepted exclusively via the Festival’s FilmFreeway page.
The submission deadline is June 1, 2025.
The call for participation in the Agora Pitching Forum of ANIMASYROS 2025 will be announced soon.