by InTrieste
A small medieval town in Friuli Venezia Giulia is preparing to welcome the international animation community as the Piccolo Festival dell’Animazione returns for its 18th edition, running November 15–23, 2025.
The festival, organized by Viva Comix and led by artistic director Paola Bristot, has gradually grown from a regional initiative into a notable European platform for auteur animation. This year’s theme, “Vicini” (“Neighbors”), emphasizes cultural proximity and dialogue through animation — a nod to both geographical closeness and shared human experience.
More than 110 films from over 30 countries — including Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Argentina, Estonia, South Korea and the United States — will compete across five sections, ranging from main competition works by established directors to student shorts, experimental music-visual pieces, and a dedicated “Green Animation” category focusing on environmental issues. A new Italian competition aims to spotlight domestic production.
While San Vito al Tagliamento remains the festival’s core, screenings and events will also take place in Pordenone, Udine, Staranzano, and Trieste, reinforcing the festival’s cross-regional identity.
“We want audiences to encounter filmmakers and animators as neighbors,” Ms. Bristot said, introducing the program alongside municipal officials and participating artists. “The hope is that closeness wins over distance.”
International Guests and Jury
Two international guests headline this year’s edition. Argentine filmmaker Juan Pablo Zaramella, whose short Luminarisearned a Guinness World Record as the most awarded short film in 2018, will attend the festival for screenings, masterclasses, and workshops across several venues. Swiss animator Michaela Müller, known for her “painting on glass” technique, contributes both a special live performance with American musician Fa Ventilato and the festival’s official opening sequence.
Both join the festival jury, which also includes Slovenian animation scholar Milanka Fabjančič, art director Michelangelo Morello, director Solenn Le Marchand, and illustrator Riccardo Atzeni.
The program features internationally recognized titles such as Dull Spots of Greenish Colours by Sasha Svirsky, Water Girl by Sandra Desmazières, Fačuk by Maida Srabović, How by Marko Meštrović, Boundaries by Seun Yee, and Rukeli, the latest short by Italian director Alessandro Rak. Trash, a prizewinning student production from ESMA in Lyon, will also screen.
Expanding Experiences
Alongside its film lineup, the festival introduces a virtual-reality installation at Cinemazero in Pordenone, featuring works shown in Venice and Berlin. Special talks, concerts and performances complement the screenings, including a tribute to filmmaker-poet Pier Paolo Pasolini marking the 50th anniversary of his death.
On November 20, Trieste will host a discussion on contemporary animation following a screening of Luminaris at Cinema Ariston in collaboration with Trieste Contemporanea. Live performances and musical-animation “concert drawings” round out the program in San Vito.
Exhibitions and Education
The festival also inaugurates Identità Animate, an exhibition at the former church of San Lorenzo in San Vito, featuring 120 works by international animators and illustrators. The show runs through January 11, 2026, with sections dedicated to emerging voices, animation masters, and a special homage to Pasolini.
As in past editions, the festival maintains a strong educational role, with screenings and workshops for local schools and partnerships with film academies across Central and Eastern Europe. More than 40 directors are expected to attend and meet audiences.
A Regional Cultural Anchor
Supported by the Friuli Venezia Giulia region and municipalities across the area, the Piccolo Festival dell’Animazione continues to anchor a growing network of cultural institutions — from Trieste to Gorizia to Venice — dedicated to contemporary visual storytelling.
