CEE Animation Forum 2026 Crowns Winners
Hungarian How to Become a Landlord wins the audience award, while Polish Dancing Bears is named best feature film at the leading regional pitching, financing, and co-production market for European animated projects. Ukrainian-Czech Illogical Adult World wins the Council of Europe Series Co-Production Development Award.
The winners of the 14th CEE Animation Forum were announced on Thursday in Pilsen (CZ), bringing three days of pitching, networking, market and industry activities to a close. A total of €100,000 in cash and non-monetary awards was presented to outstanding projects, recognising the creativity and potential of this year’s selection.
Pitching Competition brought together 33 projects across four categories: 10 short films, 6 student short films, 10 series and TV specials, and 7 feature films. More than 70% of the lineup involved CEE production partners. With a combined estimated budget of more than €48 million, the selected projects span a broad range of formats and audiences, with over half targeting young adults and adults, alongside projects for tweens, teens, children and preschoolers. Complementing the pitching competition, the Market showcased more than 60 animated projects at various stages of development and production seeking co-production partners.
This year’s edition placed a particular focus on animated series, highlighted by the presentation of the Council of Europe Series Co-Production Development Award, worth €50,000 at CEE Animation Forum, recognising one outstanding project.
The programme also featured industry presentations by Clementine Trolong-Bailly (Council of Europe), Emmanuèle Pétry-Sirvin (Dandelooo, France), and Søren Fleng (FLENG Entertainment, Denmark), alongside representatives of national broadcasters Jonas Kryger Hansen (DR, Denmark), Martina Peštaj (RTV Slovenia) and Jarmo Lampela (Yle, Finland). Topics ranged from European co-production opportunities and international collaborations to young audiences and the growing potential of adult animation.
The IP in Animation Lab, organised in collaboration with CEE Animation Workshop, explored key aspects of intellectual property in animation, from development and protection to licensing and commercial potential.
Winners were announced across the four main competition categories, alongside the recipients of the Audience Award, CEE Animation Workshop Award, four partner awards and the Council of Europe Series Co-Production Development Award.
CEE Animation Forum 2026 Awards:
AUDIENCE AWARD
How to Become a Landlord (d. Abigél Dérczy, p. MOME Anim – Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Hungary)
FEATURE FILM CATEGORY
Winner: Dancing Bears (d. Anna Błaszczyk, Marta Pajek, p. Maja Tokaj, Animoon, Poland)
The award goes to a work whose original design and exceptional artistic quality make it truly remarkable
Special mention: Back to Tomioka (d. François-Marc Baillet, p. Ilan Urroz, Anna Mroczek, Reka Temple, p. Foliascope, c-p. WJTeam, Cinemon entertainment, Wrong Men, France, Poland, Hungary, Belgium)
Feature Film Jury: Edmunds Jansons (Atom Art), Mathieu Rolin (Amopix), Yutong Yu (Magic Fair)
SERIES AND TV SPECIALS CATEGORY
Winner: Lussekatt (d. Roxane Campoy, Camille Pipet Pham, p. Sacha Mirski, Vladimir Kokh, Les Films de l’Arlequin, France)
We decided to award the project that impressed us by the complexity of storytelling and its poetic artistic style. We appreciate the female-led creative team, with women as integral creators of the project. We see the potential of the project to become modern tales, with multilayered and universal narrative.
Special mention: Finding Home (d. Maria Stanisheva, p. Manon Messiant, Paul Campagnet, Animadocs, Iliade et Films, Bulgaria, France)
Special mention goes to the project that touched us by its authentic, honest and visually impressive portrayal of how climate change is affecting our lives. We deeply appreciate the way it gives a voice to those who otherwise would not be heard, and believe in the real impact the project might have.
Series and TV Specials Jury: Lucille Janvier (MIAM! Animation), Gennarino Romano (Dandelooo), Bara Chaberova (Bionaut)
SHORT FILM CATEGORY
Winner: Trois-Fois-Rien (d. Titouan Tillier, p. Sylvain Debretagne, Frigo Films, France)
What makes the project stand out is its artistic ambition and the mockumentary approach of a community facing the apocalypse in a very nonchalant way. With humor and absurdity, the project draws a deeper parallel with a concern we all share about a very uncertain future.
Special mention: Half Open Half Pose (d. Fábián Balogh, p. Barnabás Tóth-Justh, Manon Messiant, Boddah, Iliade et Films, Hungary, France)
For its absurd humour, brilliant imagination, individual artistic approach and a very relatable inner conflict, we are happy to give special mention award to Half open half pose by director Fabian Balogh and producer Barnabas Toth-Justh.
Second special mention: Family Recipe (d. Lou-Anne Gérard, p. Titouan Tillier, Frigo Films, France)
Communicating within a family is never easy. Sometimes things can get out of control. We are very glad that this film explores such an important subject, combining dark humour with sophisticated visual design.
Short Film Jury: Shanti Bourse (Autour de minuit), Mykyta Lyskov (director), Stavros Markoulakis (Leiden Shorts)
STUDENT SHORT FILM CATEGORY
Winner: Ita Turns 30 (d. Živa Divjak, p. Gala Kebakoska, FAMU Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Czechia)
For its powerful personal story of overcoming the social pressures women face, using animation’s diverse metaphorical scope.
Special mention: Redefining Island (d. Julie Černá, p. Kristina Husová, Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague UMPRUM, Czechia)
For its satirical and critical approach to body image in reality pop culture.
Student Short Film Jury: Tina Smrekar (Finta Film), Maria Stanisheva (Animadocs), Ola Staszel (DOK Leipzig)
COUNCIL OF EUROPE SERIES CO-PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT AWARD
Illogical Adult World (d. Iryna Sosimovych, p. Mira Oyetoro, Kristina Husova, Salt Cinema Productions, Pure Shore, Ukraine, Czech Republic)
CEE ANIMATION WORKSHOP AWARD
In the Workfield (d. Toma Alexandru, Horia Manolache, p. Anca Manolache, VANA, Romania)
CICLIC RESIDENCY
Trois-Fois-Rien (d. Titouan Tillier, p. Sylvain Debretagne, Frigo Films, France)
TRAVELLING DISTRIBUTION AWARD
Redefining Island (d. Julie Černá, p. Kristina Husová, Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague UMPRUM, Czechia)
For its singular world, wild sense of humor and outlandish storytelling, this refreshing project makes us want to pick the director’s brain and wonder what on earth does she eat for breakfast. For us, the most meaningful short films are the ones that honor the medium by embracing one of its most fundamental purposes: to be a playground, a space for exploration. This film doesn’t just explore the possibilities of the medium; it goes ballistic. For these reasons, we give the Distribution Award to the colorful and sweaty Redefining Island by Julie Cerna.
CARTOON MOVIE – DIRECT ACCESS
Dancing Bears (sc, Aleksandra Świerk, Witek Szabłowski, d. Anna Błaszczyk, Marta Pajek, p. Maja Tokaj, Animoon, Poland)
CARTOON FORUM – DIRECT ACCESS
Pebbi (d. Sofiya Gorokh, p. Matěj Šak, Pirogy Studios, Czechia)
TV PAINT ANIMATION LICENCE
How to Become a Landlord (d. Abigél Dérczy, p. MOME Anim – Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Hungary)
For the one-woman show, creating a unique universe of humour and characters.
CEE Animation is financially supported by Creative Europe MEDIA.
CEE Animation Forum 2026 is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. The mission of the Fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
CEE Animation Forum is further supported by the Czech Audiovisual Fund, the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the Czech Audiovisual Producers’ Association, the Council of Europe, home of Eurimages, the Pilsen Region, the Slovak Audiovisual Fund and the LITA Society of Authors.
