In collaboration with the Nordic Animation Association, Animated Network Days kicks off at 13:30 with a case study. In a closed-door meeting, Fredrik Fottland from Expanse will share the challenges and highlights of creating award-winning feature films.
A Mouse Hunt for Christmas became the most watched film in Norwegian cinemas in 2025. The animation studio created around 500 shots with animated hero characters and visual effects, and will provide a case study for working with hybrid animation/live-action productions. You can request access to this meeting by emailing [email protected] or [email protected].
Simon Kvame, senior advisor at NFI, will present the Norwegian animation market over the last three years: what works, what didn’t and why. You can request access to this meeting by emailing [email protected] or [email protected].
The inaugural Storyline Production Pitch takes place on Wednesday afternoon, when you will hear about new feature film projects. See who is crowned the winning pitch on Thursday at the Industry Dinner. Meal tickets for the Gala Dinner can be bought here. Storyline Studios will provide a production grant of 100,000 kr to the winning project, while all of the pitches will have 1:1 meetings with official guests of the festival.
Thursday morning starts with a masterclass on sustainability. Join Brita Synnøve Holt Vistnes from the Green Producers Club for a practical masterclass on navigating new sustainability requirements in animation production.
Through a live walkthrough in the Green Producers Tool, we will look at three distinct pre-built project setups: Digital, Stop-Motion and International Co-Productions. You’ll get to see how easy it is to plan, measure, and collaborate, all within a single tool.
New to the festival this year, the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize will be awarded to one film in the Nordic-Baltic short film competition. Additionally, there will be a panel with these jury members, Critics in Conversation with FIPRESCI, where they will discuss “How can a film reach international recognition?”
Meet the Financiers features the new fiction advisor Cecilie Aspenes from Nordisk Film and TV Fond, who will discuss her perspective on animation along with regional funders from the Nordics. Immediately after comes Meet NFI, where commissioner Thale Persen and production advisor Linn Kirkenær will discuss the schemes available to Norwegian productions and best practices for approaching NFI.
Get inspiration for your next project for the smallest audiences. Morten Skov Hansen, head of children and youth at DR, and Aubrey Clark, commissioner at BBC, will share their upcoming slates and join in a conversation about audience trends among the youngest viewers of animation content.
A keystone of the Fredrikstad program is highlighting the newest animation from the North. In New Nordic Animation, 5 studios will share news on their latest projects and discuss co-productions in the region and what sets Nordic animation apart. New this year, New Baltic Animation will highlight the newest projects in that region on Friday, following the same format as New Nordic but with projects from our neighbors.
Friday starts with Meet the Sales Agents. Next comes Meet the Theatrical Distributor, where the industry audience will hear from UFO distribution, Ymer Media and others working with top titles from the region.
Antoine Marbach will give a masterclass for producers. Marbach has dedicated his career to bringing together writers, directors, producers and distributors to bring films and series to life. Drawing on personal stories and practical experience in international production, he explores the art of “casting” the right partners for each project. Above all, the masterclass focuses on what follows: aligning ambitions, navigating differences, building trust and leading a collaboration from development to delivery.
In a new panel, Animated Network Days will explore the question: what to do with a short film once its run on the festival circuit is over? The panel Life After Festivals: Short Film will feature short presentations from streaming platforms that purchase short films, followed by a discussion with them and short film sales agent Sydney Neter about distribution paths outside the festival circuit.
Closing the first market program will be a social event, Meet the Festivals, where film festivals from around Europe will present their festival profiles along with their submission deadlines, and hear from NFI how it can help with festival promotion and the international launch of short films. End the evening with TVPaint animation voices - a night of karaoke.
There will be a headshot event from 10:30 - 14:30 on Friday. For only 200 kr you can book a 10-minute session with the festival’s photographer and get a new professional headshot delivered via email after the festival. Book your slot and come prepared (suggested: wear a solid-colored shirt and minimal make-up).