We know Estonia
16.8.2023 | Culture

International animation festival begins today in Tallinn

Text Susanna Poikela
Photos Lucija Mrzljakin, Morten Tšinakov, 
Irina Rubina, Wan-Ling Liu

International animation festival begins today in Tallinn"Eeva" by Lucija Mrzljak and Morten Činakov.

 

The four-day-long international animation festival, Animist, will start this evening in Tallinn. During the festival, dozens of Estonian and international animated shorts will be shown at Kino Sõprus and Kinomaja in the city.

This year, 564 films from 65 countries applied for Animist’s competition programme. Of those, 37 of the best films made it to festival’s competition programme. The short animations will compete in five different categories, which are “Justice”, “Untold Story”, “Inner Beast”, “Not That Funny”, “Floating World”. In addition, more than 30 shorts will be shown in festival’s the special programme.

On the last day of the festival (August 19), the winning animations in each competition category will be shown again on the big screen at Kino Sõprus.

This evening at 5 pm, the festival will begin with a talk from respected British illustrator and author Dave McKean, who will discuss his works and answer questions from the audience at the Estonian Children’s Literature Center. McKean has written and illustrated more than 80 award-winning and ground-breaking books.

On Saturday, six of Izabela Plucinska’s best animated films will be shown on the Kinomaja screen. Born in Poland and currently living in Germany, Plucińska has made around thirty films, including her 2005 film “Jam Session”, which won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.

You can learn more about the festival and the programme on the official website here. Tickets and festival passes are available at Fienta

 

“What’s love got to do with it” by Irina Rubina.
“The Egret River” by Wan-Ling Liu.

 

 

To learn more about this and similar topics
Animated Short Animation Festival Animist Dave McKean Izabela Plucinska Kinomaja Kino Sõprus

26.5.2026 | Culture

Swedish House Mafia Concert at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds

Swedish House Mafia Concert at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds

One of the biggest electronic music events of 2026 in the Baltics will take place on 30 May, when … Read more

25.5.2026 | Culture

Exciting events in Estonia this week

Exciting events in Estonia this week

25 May–7 June U17 Boys’ UEFA European Championship, Tallinn / Rakvere Before the FIFA World Cup, it is worth … Read more

24.5.2026 | Culture

To the Museum, March!

To the Museum, March!

There are around 170 museums in Estonia. When the editor-in-chief asked me to write a “Top 10” feature about … Read more

23.5.2026 | Culture

Kuressaare’s 10th Street Festival

Kuressaare’s 10th Street Festival

Now being held for the tenth time in Saaremaa, the Kuressaare Street Festival brings music, craft and design vendors, … Read more

23.5.2026 | Culture

Viscosa Transformed Into a Year-round Cultural Oasis on Hiiumaa

Viscosa Transformed Into a Year-round Cultural Oasis on Hiiumaa

Located around 20 kilometres west of Kärdla, the main town of Hiiumaa, and 25 kilometres from the airport, Viscosa … Read more

22.5.2026 | Culture

Open Factory Days 2026

Open Factory Days 2026

If you’ve ever wondered how stuff is made in Estonia, this is your chance to find out. Over 70 … Read more

21.5.2026 | Culture

Laibach Live in Tallinn

Laibach Live in Tallinn

Laibach, the legendary band from Slovenia, will have a concert in Tallinn on 27 May in the Salme Cultural … Read more

20.5.2026 | Culture

Sauna Festival Arrives in Tallinn

Sauna Festival Arrives in Tallinn

The large Ülemiste shopping centre and the surrounding Ülemiste City office district have recently hosted an increasing number of … Read more