Fredrikstad Animation FestivalFAFFAF

Sara Wikler is a Script Doctor in the movie industry, primarily working in Paris and Brussels. She studied Literature and Film at the University of Brussels (ULB) and Paris 3 Sorbonne before beginning her career as a script reader for TV channels including Canal+, ARTE, and TF1. In 1998, she joined Canal+ as an Acquisition Manager, where she worked for 18 years overseeing pre-buy rights for French-speaking feature films. She advocated for the growth of European animation, securing support and generating significant investment based on screenplays for a wide range of animated films, whether mainstream or arthouse, for both young and adult audiences. 

After a move to the French Production department at StudioCanal (2016-2018), Sara joined Blue Spirit Productions (2019-2023) as an Artistic Producer, developing animated feature films. During this time, she also created her own methods and tools based on her knowledge in narratology to guide screenwriters and producers in feature film development. She began tutoring professional screenwriting courses at La Femis, teaching at the University of Cannes, leading Masterclasses and mentoring residencies such as Cannes/UCLA and Grand Nord. Since 2023, she has been focusing on her freelance role as a Script Doctor full-time, supporting both animation and live-action projects from the original concept to the final version of the scripts.

Lorena Booth Senior Manager of Sales and Acquisition, is a dynamic and accomplished professional in the film industry. Since 2019, she has played a pivotal role in overseeing international sales and acquisitions at Studio100 International, driving the company's global expansion and strengthening its presence in key markets. In addition to her expertise in sales and acquisitions, Lorena has become increasingly active in the development of film stories, contributing to the creative process and helping to shape compelling narratives that resonate with international audiences

Mojtaba Kargar is an AI Solutions Architect collaborating with the Royal College of Art’s Computer Science Research Centre. Former CTO and co-founder of HolistiCare, he holds an MSc in AI and has over a decade of experience in software and applied AI. His work covers LLM integration, prompt engineering, RAG, multimodal real-time systems, and GPU inference. His research uses generative AI to enhance human creativity and design processes, with a focus on human-centred AI in creative and design contexts.

Javad Khajavi is an award-winning multi-disciplinary designer, animator, developer, and researcher whose work lies at the intersection of art, design, and technology. He created his first computer-coded animation at the age of ten in 1995 and has since pursued a career exploring the fusion of art and emerging technologies. His films, including Boarding House and The Third Script, have been screened internationally and received multiple awards. Khajavi’s current research culminates in his forthcoming book, Animation in the Age of Spatial Computing: Making Animation Using Augmented, Mixed, and Virtual Reality, which examines the future of animation in immersive media. He is Associate Professor of Animation at Volda University College in Norway and previously served as Assistant Professor at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Khajavi earned his PhD in Media Arts + Design from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, in 2017. His practice is grounded in interdisciplinary, practice-based research that bridges animation, design thinking, and engineering methods.

After different experiences in sales (Celluloid Dreams, Mk2 Films), Gaëtan Trigot launched in 2020, Pentacle Productions, in partnership with Baptiste Salvan, producer. Without distinction between animation and live action, documentary or fiction, they produce works carried by singular voices. Shortly after, they created Pentacle Distribution, a label specialized in international sales and distribution of short Iilms, especially animation. For five years, they've produced and distributed more than 30 short films and won more than 300 selections and awards at prestigious festivals around the world, including Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, Short Shorts Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival, Cannes Critics’ Week, etc. In June 2025, The Night Boots by Pierre-Luc Granjon, distributed by Pentacle Distribution, received three awards at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival including the prestigious Cristal for Best Short. 

Oskar Östergren Njajta (b. 1976) is a Sami filmmaker from Dearna/Tärnaby. He was educated at Nordens Dokumentärfilmskola (2002-2004) and has since worked in many positions within filmmaking as founding partner of the production company Bautafilm AB. He has been in the forefront in the growth of Sami film, for example as chairman in Sami Filmworkers Association (SFS) and as co-producer for the feature film SAMI BLOOD by Amanda Kernell (2016). As script writer Oskar was part of winning Swedish TV-price Kristallen 2025 for the family drama serie SNÖDRÖMMAR, the Swedish christmas calendar 2024. Oskar is the writer/director of the upcoming project SAAJVE, the first ever Sami animation film aimed for cinema release. 

Vanja Andrijevic (b. 1968) is a producer, distributor and sales agent. In 2008 she founded Bonobostudio, a company focused on production, distribution and promotion of short animated and experimental films. The films she represents have been screened at film festivals around the world and received more than 500 awards. She produced more than 30 short films, organised and coordinated various film-related events, promotional activities, screenings and workshops, and participated at a number of seminars, workshops and co-production forums. She served as a jury member and a member of selection committees at several international film festivals.

After studying animation in Belgium, its past, present and future, Kévin Giraud now writes to share his passion for the medium through national and international media such as Cartoon Brew, Variety, Animation Magazine, Skwigly and the European Animation Journal. Managing Editor for Surimpressions, Belgium's only French-speaking cinema magazine, Kévin Giraud also collaborates yearly with Anima, the Brussels Animation Festival, and is the person behind the Animation Belgian weekly newsletter, showcasing Belgian talents to an international audience.

Dr Alex Widdowson is a British filmmaker, academic, and festival director based in Viborg. He’s a post-doctoral research fellow at Université de Moncton, working remotely with autistic self-advocates on an anti-stigma video game. In 2024 he completed his PhD on animated documentary ethics, but he is best known for his award-winning animated films about neurodiversity, disability and psychology. He leads the team that organises Factual Animation Film Festival and is currently working on his first feature, an animated documentary about the Neurodiversity Movement.

Lara Casirati is in charge of festivals and sales at Varicoloured, a distribution agency entirely dedicated to short fims. She has worked as a festival programmer for MiX Festival, Milano Film Festival and currently collaborates with FESCAAAL and Filmmaker Festival.

Thorbjørn Christoffersen is an animation director and illustrator, and one of the key creative forces behind the most successful animated films in Denmark. He has directed Terkel i knibe, Rejsen til Saturn, Ronal Barbaren, and all three Ternet Ninja films, which together are the highest-grossing and most-watched animated films in Danish cinema history. His style combines visual energy, comedic timing, and character-driven storytelling. In addition to his film work, he is also the illustrator of the Sallys far books – one of Denmark’s most popular children’s book series.

Liane-Cho Han graduated from Gobelins, Paris, in 2007. He began his career as a key animator in feature films such as Lucky Luke: All in the West and The Illusionist by Sylvain Chomet. With extensive experience in animation, Liane-Cho shifted to storyboarding. From 2018 to 2020, he collaborated with Rémi Chayé on Calamity, a Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary, working on storyboarding and animation supervision.

He co-directed and co-wrote his first feature film, Little Amélie or The Character of Rain, adapted from the novel by Amélie Nothomb, and produced by Ikki Films and Maybe Movies. This project was a vision he had nurtured since he was 19.

Since 2017, Liane-Cho has regularly worked with Sun Creature as an animation supervisor, storyboard revisionist, and director on various commercials. He is currently based in Denmark, and founded his own production company, Pilepse Production, to pursue future personal projects.

Edmunds Jansons is an animator, director, and illustrator, as well as the founder of the animation film studio Atom Art. He studied TV directing at the Latvian Academy of Culture and earned an M.A. in animation at the Estonian Academy of Art in the masterclass by Priit Pärn in 2012. In 2024, he completed professional doctoral studies at the Art Academy of Latvia. His filmography notably includes the animated documentary "Little Bird's Diary" (2007) and animated shorts such as "Choir Tour" (2012), "The Isle of Seals" (2014), "Guard of Honour" (2021), and "Freeride in C" (2024). He also created the pre-school series "Shammies" and the 25-minute Christmas story "Pigtail and Mr. Sleeplessness." His first feature film, "Jacob, Mimmi and the Talking Dogs" (2019), showcased his skill in feature-length storytelling, and he is currently working on his next feature, "Bom in the Jungle." Besides his animation work, Jansons is a beloved children's book illustrator.

Solveig Langeland is a founder, executive, and investor with over 20 years of experience in the creation and distribution of cinematic intellectual properties. She has built a strong track record of guiding projects from concept to international release in more than 150 countries and currently oversees a slate of over 10 projects in development for 2025–2027.

In 2004, she founded Sola Media, a leading international sales company for high-quality animated and family films. Based in Stuttgart and Munich, the company is recognized for both global distribution and active roles as Executive or Associate Producer on titles such as Tafiti, The Super Elfkens, Three Wishes for Cinderella, The Magic Flute, and The Pout-Pout Fish, which is slated for a major U.S. theatrical release on more than 2,000 screens in 2026.

Sola Media has always worked with the belief that children should feel represented when watching a film, whether at home or with their school class. The company places great importance on inclusive, culturally sensitive storytelling that resonates with audiences around the globe. Since its 2020 acquisition by Plaion (formerly Koch Media), part of the Embracer Group, Sola Media continues to operate independently under the leadership of Solveig Langeland and Moritz Peters.

Solveig holds an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business and has served as a jury member, advisor, and expert for organizations including the EU’s Selective Support program and Germany’s Federal Film Board.

Tommy Howlett is a director and animator based in Bristol, UK. He graduated from the National Film and Television School with his film, 'All Hail the Duck King', which is currently running in festivals.

Jean-Michel Boesch is a french animation film director, art director and storyboard artist living in Helsinki, Finland. Since his graduation from Gobelins animation school in 2008, he has been working for european studios such as JeSuisBienContent (France), Lighthouse Studios (Ireland), Gigglebug entertainment (Finland), Caribara (France) or Rovio (Finland) for clients such as Disney, Netflix, Prime Video, Nickelodeon or Warner Animation.

Among the many projects Jean-Michel worked on are:

- a few TV shows: “Angry Birds Toon” (Production Designer), “F Is for Family” (Storyboard), ”Best Bugs Forever” (Production designer), “The Unstoppable Yellow Yeti” (Storyboard Supervisor and Episodic Director), “Bug Diaries” (Art Director), “Bat Family” (Layout and BG supervisor) or “Belzebubs” (Art Director),

- a handful of Feature films: “The Day of the Crows” (Layout), “My Father's Secrets” (Storyboard), “Merry little Batman” (Layout),

- or short films: “Angry Birds: Year of the Dragon” (Director), “Christmas comes to the Moominvalley” (Director)

On the side, Jean-Michel has developed a teaching curriculum, tutoring students from Gobelins, The Animation Workshop, Aalto university or Turku Art Akademy.

Sara Gunnarsdóttir (1982) is an Academy Award nominated director and artist who has created animation, music videos, and original artwork for film and television, including Marielle Heller’s celebrated debut feature “The Diary of a Teenage Girl,” and HBO’s Emmy-nominated “The Case Against Adnan Sayed.”

Sara was born and raised in Reykjavik, Iceland, where she received her BFA from the Icelandic Academy of the Arts, while creating and performing with the electro punk band Donna Mess. She received her MFA in Experimental Animation from CalArts, and her thesis animated documentary short, “The Pirate of Love,” was nominated for “Best Alternative” in The Academy’s Student Academy Awards.

Sara directed the animated comedy “My Year of Dicks,” created by Pamela Ribon (Moana, Nimona), for FX Network. The film won Special Jury Awards at SXSW for Unique Vision in Writing and Directing and earned Sara a nomination for an Oscar in 2023.

Her work has been showcased at New Directors / New Films, AFI Fest, SXSW, Annecy and the Telluride Film Festival.

Sara currently lives and works in Reykjavík, Iceland with her husband, Ethan Clarke, and daughter Gréta.

Herinarivo Rakotomanana practice unfolds between introspective fiction films and music videos rooted in the urban and Afro scenes, mostly with independent artists from Paris and Congo. Since the early days of GANs, he has been exploring the latent space of AI-generated imagery, weaving sensorial cinema, visual experimentation, and fragmented narratives. More recently, his research extends into animation, exploring how blending AI-driven techniques with handcrafted aesthetics can generate new emotional resonances.

Hanna Mouchez is the founder of MIAM! animation, an organization focused on producing and distributing high-quality animated and hybrid programs globally. In 2019, MIAM! inaugurated MIAM! studio, a space dedicated to the production of real-time CGI programs.

Hanna has produced notable works such as "Edmond and Lucy" (52 episodes of 12 minutes each) for France Télévisions and Kika, and "The Tinies" (50 episodes of 11 minutes plus a 22-minute special) commissioned by Canal+, VRT, and RTBF, co-produced with Panique! and Lunanime. Another significant project, "Goat Girl" (26 episodes of 11 minutes), was produced for WarnerMedia EMEA, KIKA, RTE, and VRT, in collaboration with Daily Madness and Thuristar.

Hanna also plays a key role in industry initiatives as a board member of Anim France, contributing to projects like the Carbulator, Europe's first carbon calculator for the animation sector. In 2024, Hanna joined the Climate Business Convention (CEC New Imaginaries), a French non-profit focused on aligning economic growth with planetary boundaries through awareness and transformative business models.

Markus and his twin brother grew up in the heyday of 90s cartoons like Ed, Edd n Eddy, and first discovered animation through the online community on Newgrounds.com, a spark that ignited his lifelong passion for animation! Following their award-winning graduation film Blueberry, the brothers’ DIY cartoons, uploaded to platforms such as Newgrounds, Vimeo, and YouTube, led to the development of an international Disney co-production: Space Chicken In Space.

Markus has since animated on the CBeebies series Hey Duggee, co-directed and directed a TV miniseries for TV2, created countless educational films on mental health, and went on to create and direct Baby Bot’s Backyard Tales for the Lingokids brand on YouTube. The series reached over one hundred million views and was officially selected for the Annecy festival.

Goodness, what could possibly be next?

Ole Christoffer Haga is an animator, filmmaker, and lecturer whose work spans feature films, TV series, and short films. He teaches animation at the University of Inland Norway and is pursuing a PhD at NTNU on how animation can engage with reality. He is currently on leave from academia to work as a Senior Animator on an animated feature.

Fridrik H. Mar (1966) was born in Iceland and has worked in the Norwegian film industry since 1990. He spent his first 15 years in the Art department as both property master and set decorator. Since 2005, he has worked as production manager, line producer and producer. Fridrik also holds experience as a production advisor at the Norwegian Film institute, head of production for Rubicon and as business affairs manager at Viaplay. Fridrik has been CEO at Oslo Filmfond since February 2024.

-

Anne-Claire Lehembre is a screenwriter. She has been writing for animation for almost 20 years. In 2015, she embarked on an ambitious project that lasted eight years, alongside Delphine Maury (Tant Mieux Prod): adapting the novel Tobie Lolness into a 13x52-minute series. In recent years, Anne-Claire has been working mainly in cinema, with two animated feature films about nature and difference (L’ours et l’ermite, directed by Marine Blin, and Yap Yap, directed by Jens Møller and Solène Azernour), and a stop-motion short film about incest (Dans nos gorges, by Héloïse Ferlay).

Graham Film is an independent production company based in Moss, Norway, established in 2019 by Oscar-nominated producer Anders Graham. In a short time, the company has made its mark as an innovative and uncompromising voice in both the regional and national film industry. When producer Rabea Junge Wold joined as a partner in 2021, the company gained new momentum – with a clearer strategic direction and a strong creative drive.

We are driven by a desire to create audiovisual works that move, challenge, and engage. With high artistic quality and strong social relevance, we tell stories that reflect the human experience – honestly, raw, and unfiltered.

Among our productions are the documentary series Shabanas Kamp, which follows the life and work of activist Shabana Rehman, and All Power to No One, capturing the rebellious spirit of the punk movement in the 1980s. We also produced Uten filter, an unvarnished video diary documentary created by Norwegian teenagers from Moss.

We are currently in production on three new documentaries, supported by Viken Filmsenter and the Norwegian Film Institute (NFI) – including Lysløypa (“Trail of Light”), the story of Anneline from Sarpsborg, who refuses to let visual impairment stop her from chasing the light.

At the same time, Anders Graham is working to establish a creative forum in Østfold – a meeting place where young filmmakers and storytellers can develop their ideas from vision to reality.

Dag Hvaring is a business and concept developer, currently spearheading an ambitious Studio City project for film and television production in Østfold, Norway. Hvaring has served as Head of Business Development at Warner Bros. ITVP Norway, and he is actively engaged in business and industry politics. His previous work navigating transformative initiatives across scientific, policy and business spheres, along with his leadership at the EAT Foundation, encompasses national and international efforts in private and public sectors, academia, policy development, and media industries.

Anita Killi is a Norwegian animator, director, scriptwriter, and producer based in Dovre, Norway, where she runs her animation studio Trollfilm, established in 1995. She studied illustration and graphic design at the Norwegian National College of Art & Design before continuing her studies in animation and documentary filmmaking at Volda University College, where her work laid the foundation for the establishment of the animation program. In 1996, she graduated from Oslo National Academy of the Arts with a master's degree in animation, specializing in multiplane technique.

Killi has directed several award-winning short films, including The Hedge of Thorns (2001) and Angry Man (2009), which became the most awarded film in the world in 2010. Her work often explores challenging themes for young audiences, including children in war, depression, domestic violence, and children with alcoholic parents. In 2020, she became a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. As a producer, she has worked on both her own films and projects by emerging filmmakers through Trollfilm's Artist in Residence program, fostering international collaborations and co-productions.

Kajsa Næss is a director and animator.

She has been writing and directing animated short films, documentaries, music videos and commissioned films for Mikrofilm for almost 30 years. Her short films have been shown at prestigious festivals such as Clermont-Ferrand, Annecy, Fredrikstad and Tribeca. Kajsa is known for exploring and experimenting with animation techniques and stretching genres. She often uses real-life events and stories as a starting point and has made several animated documentaries. She works mainly with classical animation and other 2D techniques.

In addition to her many film awards, Næss has been granted the Norwegian Ministry of Culture’s Human Rights Award. Her dozen credits include It Was Mine (2015), It’s Up To You (2013), Deconstruction Workers (2008), Leonid Shower (2004) and Mother Said (1999). Kajsa founded the Oscar winning studio Mikrofilm together with producer Lise Fearnley in 199 and works in close collaboration with Tonje Skaar Reiersen.

Her first animated feature film, 'Titina', was released in 2022.

Eivind M. Nordengen is the festival director of the Amandus Film Festival in Lillehammer. He has an M.A. in film and television science. Amandus is working with Fredrikstad Animation Festival on a workshop for youth.

Iiti Yli-Harja (b.1987) is a film director, musician and a doctoral researcher at Aalto University's Department of Film. In her stop motion animations, fiction and documentary intertwine to explore the raw beauty, humor, and complexity of our imperfect humanity. Yli-Harja has received many awards and recognitions, including Finland's premier Jussi Award in 2023 for All My Mom’s Phone Calls (2021), the Risto Jarva Award for BLUSH (2022) in the same year, Peer Award by SELO (Inspiring Film Director of the Year 2024), and the Spotlight Artist of the Year accolade at the 2024 Tampere Film Festival.

Benedicte S.F. Bendiksen (b 1982)is a producer at Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) with many years of experience creating content for children and youth. With background in children's news, entertainment, and drama, she currently leads several productions featuring NRK’s beloved puppet characters, Fantus and Fantorangen, aimed at children aged 0–5.

She is highly committed to create content for young children, with a strong focus on quality and emphasizing the importance of learning through play, movement, and meaningful experiences.

s head of operations and international at Ecoprod, Alissa Aubenque is committed to empowering the

film and TV industry to reduce their environmental footprint. With a background in international

production, she combines industry insights with a dedication to sustainable innovation. Through her

leadership, Ecoprod has expanded its reach, developing resources like the Green Animation Guide.

Jens have been working with animation for 30 years, with an extensive experience in both feature films, short films, TV series and commercials.

Originally educated with a master in Production Design, he has been working with a broad range of animated productions over the years. Both as Art Director and Director. As a Director, he has been working with TV series and TV specials such as “Ninjago -Masters of spinjitzu” (Lego/CartoonNW) and “Lego star wars & Freemakers Adventure” (Lego/Disney). More recently he has directed the 3D animated features “The Ogglies” (2020 WunderWerk GmbH), "ELLI and her Monster Team" (2024 Zooper Film) and "Daily Fables (2018 Grid animation).

His latest feature film “Fleak” (Anima Vitae) is currently in European cinemas, and will be in Americans cinemas next year. Jens is in at the moment in production on "Rexy in Danger, -an Oglly adventure" (Gretels Gold, DenverMP) which will be in cinemas in 2027.

Over the years, he has also been teaching at various European film schools.

Magnus I. Møller is co-founder of Tumblehead based in Viborg, Denmark. He has a love for cartoony design and animation, He specializes in 3D look development and Art Direction, as well as rigging. He's an alumni and guest teacher at The Animation Workshop in Viborg.

At Tumblehead Magnus has co-directed and Art Directed several short films that have won prizes at festivals all around the flat earth.

Peter Cohen, born in Lund Sweden 1946, is a film producer and film director who produced children films like Kalles klätterträd, Farbror som inte vill va' stor and Magister Flykt, as well as world renown documentaries as Architecture of Doom and Homo Sapiens 1900, and received several international rewards.

Joni Männistö (b. 1981) is a Finnish filmmaker and animator. He studied animation in Turku Arts Academy and he's a member of several animation collectives that work on commercial and artistic projects. Männistö's films such as The Trap (2008), Swarming (2011) and Electric Soul (2013) have been screened and awarded at numerous international festivals. Apart from filmmaking Männistö occasionally works as a teacher and since 2016 he has been running Turku Animated Film Festival as the artistic director. Männistö currently lives and works in Tallinn, Estonia, developing his next animated shorts.

Øyvind Tangseth, born in 1968, is an independent filmmaker with a B.A. in animation from Volda University College. He has had a long career in the Norwegian animation industry, contributing to various studios. Tangseth's expertise includes 3D animation, stop motion, layout, design, and serving as an animation supervisor for children's TV series. Since 2013, he has focused primarily on 2D animation, animation design, and direction at Råsalt Studio, a company he co-founded with Trine Vallevik Håbjørg. At Råsalt, they produce animated shorts and commissioned projects, with a primary emphasis on independent artistic work.

Lillian Løvseth (b.1989) is a producer of creative documentaries, live-action, and animated projects with a strong social profile. Through her Lillehammer-based company LØV Film, she develops and produce visually distinctive and emotionally resonant works with an international focus. Her films have been nominated and awarded at international festivals, and she continues to build bold, artistically driven productions through strong creative collaborations.

Stéphane Hochberg, with 25 years of experience in research and consumer insights, has worked with renowned companies such as Kantar and Warner Bros. Ten years ago, Hochberg founded DO THE RIGHT FILMS, driven by a passion for the US movie industry's approach to audience engagement. This initiative aims to assist studios, producers, and directors in understanding their audiences effectively.

DO THE RIGHT FILMS empowers movie and TV show creators by providing crucial audience feedback at strategic points throughout the production process, ensuring that the content resonates powerfully with viewers.