Report 2025 | Cartoon Movie

CARTOON MOVIE 27th EDITION KEEPS UP: THE GREAT MOMENTUM OF EUROPEAN ANIMATION

The 27th edition of Cartoon Movie (March 4-6) opened its doors shortly after the encouraging win of “Flow” by Gints Zilbalodis in the Academy Awards. Presented at the event in 2022 as a project in development, this co-production between Latvia, France and Belgium confirms European animation potential to enlarge its scope and engage new audiences all around the world.

Against that backdrop, 55 projects from 16 countries participated in this new edition of Cartoon Movie in search of new partners and investors to accelerate their production. Besides attending the pitching sessions, the 819 participants from 41 countries - including 30% of buyers - seized the opportunity to learn about the current trends in the European animation industry in an edition that dedicated its Spotlight to Latvian animation.

Cartoon Movie’s 27th edition opened its doors on March 5 with a ceremony at the Bordeaux Congress Centre attended by Frédéric Vilcocq, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Regional Council - Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, Patrick Mardikian, President of Magelis, Sabine Andersone, CEO Latvian Animation Association, and Inga Blese, Head of Production and Development National Film Centre of Latvia, together with Annick Maes, General Director of CARTOON. The evening before, a welcome dinner had been held at the La Boca Food Court.

From left to right: Frédéric Vilcocq (Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region), Patrick Mardikian (Magelis), Sabine Andersone, (Latvian Animation Association), and Inga Blese (Film Centre of Latvia)

Selected from 120 submissions, this year’s lineup featured 55 projects from 16 countries (32 in-development projects, 17 in-concept, 3 in-production, and 3 sneak-previews). France led the selection with 19 projects – including 7 projects produced or co-produced by studios from the territory, host to the event since 2017 -, followed by Germany (6), Norway (5) and Spain (4), while Belgium, Czechia, Ireland and Latvia participated with three films each.

Wrapping up the list was Finland with two projects, and Denmark, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Armenia (the latter non-EU Participating Country in the Creative Europe Programme) with one project each. Led by Czechia and Latvia with three projects each, the CEE countries accounted for 10 feature film projects, whereas the Nordic participated with 8.

The average cost per film stood at 5.6 MIO EUR, a 20% drop year-on year, while the overall budget amounted to 316.9 MIO EUR. With more than half of the projects (31) produced among two or more Creative MEDIA countries, co-production emerges as the main financing model for animated films in Europe, while non-Creative MEDIA countries - including Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and the United States - were engaged in 7 co-productions.

Regarding target groups, films aimed at Family audiences were nearly half of the total (45%), while those targeted at Young Adults/Adults have risen from 18% to 33% year-on-year and projects aimed at Children stood at 22%.

Evolution of Young Adults/Adults projects at Cartoon Movie since 2019 © CARTOON 2025

The projects total duration amounted to 75 hours, with an average length per film of 82’.

Concerning animation techniques, 2D was on top with 22 projects, while 3D projects stood at 20. Ten projects combined 2D/3D, and 8 used other techniques such as stop-motion, cut out paper, and VR technology, among others.

Gender equity-wise, the number of films directed and produced by women were in line with last year’s (22% and 35%, respectively), while 45% of the selected projects have implemented some elements/procedures towards sustainability.

Animation to suit all tastes

The wide range of genres featured in the line-up included adventure, comedy, and drama films together with documentary, fantasy and sci-fi. This stylistic diversity was mirrored in the wide variety of topics addressed by the projects, including war, friendship, political issues, diversity and social inclusion, mythology, sustainability concerns and migration, among others.

The selection also combined projects by renowned directors such as Alain Ughetto, Anca Damian, Vincent Paronnaud & Alexis Ducord, Toby Genkel, Kajsa Næss and Werner Herzog, together with films by more than 20 debutant directors.

From left to right: “Treasure Island” (Je Suis Bien Content – FR), “Skip” (Ulysses Filmproduktion – DE), and “How to Deal with Shattering Geists” (Mikrofilm – NO)

This edition welcomed back 15 projects that had already been pitched at Cartoon Movie in previous stages of development, including “Condenaditos” by Matisse Gonzalez (Germany), “Fleak” by Jens Møller (Finland), “Lou and the Glacier’s Secret” by Frédéric & Samuel Guillaume (France), “Mikisoq” by Mette Rank Tange (Denmark), “Mu Yi and the Handsome General” by Julien Chheng (France), “The Dreamed Journey of Alpha Two” by Susanne Seidel (France), and “The Songbirds’ Secret” by Antoine Lanciaux (France), among others.

From left to right: “Condenaditos” (Studio Seufz – DE), “Fleak” (Anima Vitae – FI), and “The Dreamed Journey of Alpha Two” (Les Comtes Modernes – FR)

With 15 projects based on books and comic books, adaptations continue to serve as a main source of inspiration for European animation.

Cartoon Movie 2025 full selection is available here.

Top projects

Below is the Top 15 of projects that received the most attention from the buyers (only projects in Development & in Production).

1. “Lou and the Glacier's Secret” - Gao Shan Pictures (France), Cine 3D (Switzerland), Need Productions (Belgium) – 122 buyers

2. “Hyacinthe” - Wrong Men (Belgium) & Foliascope (France), Likaon WJT (Poland) – 101 buyers

3. “Bergeronnette”- Miyu Productions (France) - 95 buyers

“Rose and the Marmots” - Les Films du Tambour de Soie (France), WeJustKids (France), Graffiti Film (Italy), Ocidental Filmes (Portugal) - 95 buyers

4. “Absolute Surrender” - Sun Creature Frnce (France) & Brightstar (UK) - 94 buyers

“The Dreamed Journey of Alpha Two” - Les Contes Modernes (France) - 94 buyers

5. “Black Wolf” - Czar Film & TV (Belgium), Special Touch Studios (France) – 84 buyers

6. “Mu Yi and the Handsome General” - Studio La Cachette (France) – 81 buyers

7. “Brume” - Folivari (France) – 80 buyers

8. “Skip” - Ulysses Filmproduktion (Germany) – 74 buyers

9. “Nessie Junior” - FFL Film- und Fernseh-Labor Ludwigsburg (Germany) – 72 buyers

10. “Désert” - Les Films d'Ici Méditerranée (France), Tchack (France) – 63 buyers

“My Dad the Truck” - Sultana Films (Spain), Sacrebleu Productions (France), Pez Dorado Animaciones (Colombia) – 63 buyers

11. “Uncle Jo’s Cabin” – Offshore & Folimage (France) - 62 buyers

12. “Mikisoq” - Fleng Entertainment (Denmark), Nordic Drama Queens Denmark (Denmark), Mandoverbord (Denmark) – 60 buyers

“Prudence” - Everybody on Deck (France), Je Suis Bien Content (France) – 60 buyers

13. “Born in the Jungle” - Atom Art (Latvia), Letko (Poland), Hausboot (Czechia) – 59 buyers

“Cut and Run” - Blue Spirit Productions (France) – 59 buyers

14. “The Last Whale Singer” - Telescope Animation (Germany), PFX (Czechia), La Boîte à Fanny (Canada) – 55 buyers

15. “Timelessness” - Hausboot (Czechia), Les Films du Cygne (France) – 54 buyers

From left to right: “Lou and the Glacier’s Secret” (Gao Shan Pictures – FR), “Hyacinthe” (Wrong Men – BE & Foliascope – FR), “Bergeronnette” (Miyu Productions – FR), and “Rose and the Marmots” (Les Films du Tambour de Soie – FR)

This is the list of the 10 European co-productions that had the largest audiences at their presentations.

1. “Lou and the Glacier's Secret” - Gao Shan Pictures (France), Cine 3D (Switzerland), Need Productions (Belgium) – 307 participants

2. “Hyacinthe” - Wrong Men (Belgium) & Foliascope (France), Likaon WJT (Poland) – 237 participants

3. “Rose and the Marmots” - Les Films du Tambour de Soie (France), WeJustKids (France), Graffiti Film (Italy), Ocidental Filmes (Portugal) – 211 participants

4. “Black Wolf” - Czar Film & TV (Belgium), Special Touch Studios (France) – 191 participants

5. “My Dad the Truck” - Sultana Films (Spain), Sacrebleu Productions (France), Pez Dorado Animaciones (Colombia) – 153 participants

6. “Faya - Journey to Freedom” - Submarine Animation (Netherlands), Special Touch Studios (France) – 151 participants

7. “The Last Whale Singer” - Telescope Animation (Germany), PFX (Czechia), La Boîte à Fanny (Canada) – 145 participants

8. “Born in the Jungle” - Atom Art (Latvia), Letko (Poland), Hausboot (Czechia) – 114 participants

9. “Timelessness” - Hausboot (Czechia), Les Films du Cygne (France) – 112 participants

10. “Condenaditos” - Studio Seufz (Germany), Ikki Films (France) – 100 participants

Spotlight & Awards

As the spotlighted country, Latvia was under the limelight throughout Cartoon Movie, especially after “Flow”’s historic win at the Academy Awards barely three days before the opening of the event. Rooted in a rich storytelling heritage and driven by innovation, Latvian animation is ready to further expand its global presence. Organised by Latvian Animation Association and supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia and the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, the Spotlight included the projects “Born in the Jungle” by Edmunds Jansons (Atom Art), “Karmic Knot” by Signe Baumane (Studio Locomotive) and “The Northern Star” by Karlis Vitols (Studija Kokles).

From left to right: “Born in the Jungle” (Atom Art – LV), “Karmic Knot” (Studio Locomotive – LV), and “The Northern Star” (Studija Kokles – LV)

During the event, several recognitions were awarded, including the Cartoon Movie Tributes and the Eurimages Co-Production Development Award.

Voted by the animation professionals attending the event, the Cartoon Movie Tributes recognise the companies and personalities whose major contributions in their respective fields have significantly enhanced the European animation industry over the previous year.

The Producer of the Year prize was jointly awarded to Dream Well Studio (Latvia), Sacrebleu Productions (France) and Take Five (Belgium), coproducers of “Flow”, the film by Gints Zilbalodis that has made history after winning an Oscar for Best Animated Feature in the Academy Awards’ last edition. Presented at Cartoon Movie in 2022, this European co-production was premiered at Cannes Film Festival and recognised at Annecy, the Golden Globes and the European Film Awards, among other festivals and events.

The Sales Agent of the Year award has gone to Kinology, a world sales and co-production company based in Paris. “Argonuts”, “Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds” are some of the animated films included in its catalogue, while “Pets on a Train”, “Ogresse”, “The Faun” and “The X-Tras” are among their upcoming titles.

Lastly, Spanish screenwriter and director María Trénor won the Director of the Year award for “Rock Bottom”. Inspired by the music and life of British cult musician and composer Robert Wyatt, Trénor’s debut film follows the self-destructive love story of a young couple of artists caught up in the creative maelstrom of the hippie culture of the early 70s.

From left to right: Grégoire Melin (Kinology), Alba Sotorra Clua (Producer of “Rock Bottom”), Ron Dyens (Sacrebleu Productions – FR) and Gregory Zalcman (Take Five – BE), co-producers of “Flow”

An initiative by the Council of Europe, the Eurimages Co-production Development Award aims to encourage international co-production from the initial stages of a project. This 20,000 EUR cash prize, for which 12 projects were in the running, was awarded to “Zako” by Tigran Arakelyan produced by OnOff Studio (Armenia), in collaboration with Sacrebleu Productions (France). The Jury hopes that this award “will allow audiences to discover a true story of an Armenian war victim and artist, bringing the light on a barely known aspect of European history”.

Jury members from left to right on top: Mika Siltala (Cinema Mondo – FI), Pascale Dillemann (Under the Milky Way – ES), and Noémi Kahn (CNC – FR)

“Zako” team from left to right at the bottom: Tigran Arakelyan (director), Susanna Khachatryan (OnOff Studio – AM), and Ron Dyens (Sacrebleu Productions – FR), co-producer

Diving into the future

In an effort also aimed at the future of animation, Cartoon Movie featured the Coaching Programme for 81 young talents and teachers from 14 specialised schools, which grabbed the opportunity to learn about the animation industry and the challenges of launching a project. The talents were also invited to participate in a Job Fair where they met companies and professionals attending the event.

Animation & Transmedia, an activity looking to create synergies between the animation, video games & transmedia industries, featured two roundtables (“Presentation of the Carbulator Tool” and “VFX & Animation: When Post becomes Present”) and one-to-one meetings for animation professionals who wish to meet with video game companies and publishers.

The event ended on a high note with a Farewell Cocktail at the Place de la Bourse organised by Latvian Animation Association and supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia and the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia.

The results of a survey conducted by CARTOON after the end of Cartoon Movie underline the important role played by the event in the development of the industry.

CSR initiatives at Cartoon Movie 2025

Building on its commitment to sustainability, CARTOON obtained the ISO 20121 certification at the end of 2024 and published its first CSR report in early 2025. Naturally, these efforts continued at Cartoon Movie 2025.

CARTOON collaborated with Carbulator, a CNC-approved organisation that helps animation studios measure their carbon footprint. During the event, Carbulator presented its tool to industry professionals, raising awareness of carbon impact in animation.

On Thursday, 6 March, a fully vegetarian lunch was served to all participants, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the event. The Cartoon Events app was also optimised to limit printed materials and CO₂ emissions.

CARTOON strives to set an example in CSR within the European animation sector. A participant survey revealed that 80% found CARTOON’s CSR communication clear and engaging, while 75% were inspired by the initiatives presented.

CARTOON also remains committed to measuring the full carbon footprint of the event, as has been the case since Cartoon Forum 2023. This commitment will continue, with ambitious objectives to strengthen CSR efforts. To learn more, we invite you to read our CSR report.

Cartoon Movie’s next edition will take place from 3 to 5 March 2026.