Animest 2026 takes place from 2 to 11 October in Bucharest, bringing more than 320 animated productions to cinemas and cultural venues across the city. The 21st edition of the International Animation Film Festival includes feature films, short-film competitions, screenings for children, late-night programmes, workshops and virtual reality experiences.
This year’s theme, Animated by Nature, explores the relationship between people and the environment. The programme moves between forests, urban landscapes and imagined ecosystems, with films that approach nature through adventure, humour and environmental storytelling.
Animest 2026 Locations
Festival screenings and events take place at:
- Cinema Elvire Popesco
- Cinema Muzeul Țăranului
- Cinemateca Eforie
- Instituto Cervantes
- CINETic
- Goethe-Institut
Check the venue listed for each screening when booking, as the programme runs across several locations.
Minimest: Animation Films and Activities for Children
Minimest is the festival’s programme for younger audiences, combining weekend film screenings with animation and comic-book workshops. Its short-film competition is judged by children.
Family screenings include Girl in the Clouds, The Songbirds’ Secret and Born in the Jungle. At Cinema Muzeul Țăranului, the Minimest Kids Corner offers games and activities before or after screenings.
Age recommendations vary by film. Families visiting from abroad should also check the language information: many Minimest screenings include Romanian subtitles and live reading in Romanian.
ANIMEST 2026 – PROGRAM
The festival runs until Sunday, 11 October, with daytime screenings, filmmaker talks and special late-night events. Below are selected highlights from 6–11 October.
Here are the program highlights.
Tuesday, 6 October: Erotica
23:00 · Cinema Muzeul Țăranului
Erotica – The Night of Erotic Animation presents 16 international short films exploring intimacy, desire and identity through animation. Curated by Jakub Spevák, this screening is recommended exclusively for adults aged 18 and over.
Wednesday, 7 October: Animation and Game Development
11:00 · Instituto Cervantes
The Making of Bear and Breakfast explores the development of the independent video game.
14:00 · Instituto Cervantes
Piotr Kardas presents the masterclass How I Became a Spider in the World of Animation.
Thursday, 8 October: AniMusic Night
23:00 · Cinema Muzeul Țăranului
AniMusic Night brings together 30 animated music videos from Romania and abroad, with live improvisation by MC Tony Baboon. The selection explores the relationship between animation and music through a wide range of visual techniques.
Book tickets for AniMusic Night.
Friday, 9 October: Creepy Animation Night
23:00 · Cinema Muzeul Țăranului
Creepy Animation Night presents 20 short films exploring psychological horror, dark folklore and unsettling imagined worlds. The programme is recommended for adult audiences, 18+.
Book tickets for Creepy Animation Night.
Saturday, 10 October: Closing Gala
19:00 · Cinema Elvire Popesco
The closing gala celebrates the winners of the festival’s competition sections.
Sunday, 11 October: Award-Winning Films
The final day brings further screenings, including the award-winning films from Animest 2026.
Animest VR and Playground
From 3 to 11 October, CINETic hosts two programmes dedicated to interactive experiences:
- Animest VR Experience: daily sessions between 12:00 and 19:30.
- Animest Playground: a showcase of Romanian video games, open daily from 12:00 to 20:30, with free admission.
For every screening, venue and age recommendation, check the complete Animest programme or download the official Animest 2026 programme PDF.
Animest 2026 Tickets and Passes
Tickets and festival passes are available through Eventbook’s Animest page.
- Standard screening: 28 RON per person.
- Animest VR Experience: 28 RON.
- Erotica: 50 RON.
- AniMusic Night: 50 RON.
- Creepy Animation Night: 95 RON.
- Ten Stop Pass: 220 RON for ten screenings, excluding special events and workshops.
- Full Trip Pass: 440 RON, including screenings and special events, but excluding children’s animation workshops.
Pass holders should reserve individual screenings through Eventbook or the Animest app. Without a reservation, a pass does not guarantee entry to a sold-out screening. Reserved seats are held until ten minutes before the screening begins, and admission is not permitted after the film starts.
Are Animest Films Screened in English?
Festival films are shown in their original languages with English and Romanian subtitles. Minimest screenings have separate language arrangements, often including live reading in Romanian, so check the individual listing before booking.
