In collaboration with Nordic Animation Association, the Animated Network Days is kicking off at 13:30 with case study. In a close 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 and the animation studio that created around 500 shots with animated hero characters and visual effects, 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, a look at 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. On Wednesday afternoon you will hear about new feature film projects and 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 be providing 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 in 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 where the new fiction advisor, Cecilie Aspenes, from Nordisk Film and TV Fond will discuss her perspective on animation along with region funders from the Nordics. Then immediately after will be Meet NFI where commissioner, Thale Persen, and production advisor, Linn Kirkenær, will discuss the scheme 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 in the youngest viewers of animation content.
A keystone to the Fredrikstad program is highlighting the newest animation from the North. In New Nordic Animation, 5 studios will share news on the latest projects, discuss co-productions in the region, what sets Nordic animation apart. New this year, New Baltic Animation will also 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. Following this panel will be Meet the Theatrical Distributor, where industry audience will get the chance to 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, this 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 it’s run in the festival circuit is over? The panel, Life After Festivals: Short Film will have a short presentations of streaming platforms that purchase short films, followed by a discussion with them and short film sales agent, Sydney Neter, about distribution paths outside of the festival circuit.
Closing the first market program will be a social event, Meet the Festivals, where film festivals from around Europe with present their festival profile along with their submission deadlines also hear from NFI how they can help with festival promotion and international launch of short film. End the evening with TVPaint animation voices - a night of karaoke.
There will be a headshot event from 10:30 - 14:30 taking place on Friday. For only 200 kr you can book a 10 min 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).
The industry directory is open. All festival AND market accredited passholders can opt in to being listed on the Industry Directory https://animationfestival.no/industry-directory, which was designed to make setting up meetings beforehand easy. The main market venue is the Scandic City Hotel conference center, where there is a lounge and bookable meeting room available. Reach out to guest coordinator, [email protected] to book your meeting.