CEE Animation Workshop 2026 Takes Off in Lillehammer
CEE Animation Workshop is ready to embark on its eight edition, with Module 1 set to start in Lillehammer, Norway, from February 23 – March 1. 31 participants from 18 countries will attend with 12 animated projects in development. The workshop will welcome two career-oriented participants, as well as two script consultants in animation trainees.
Tailored to meet the specific needs of animation professionals, the programme will guide selected projects from their early stages to the final developed production package, ready to access the market. Over the course of one year, participants will engage in group work, expert lectures, masterclasses, and individual consultations, with a strong focus on creative development and production.
Script consultants Phil Parker (UK) and Rita Domonyi (HU) will once again be joined by producers Réka Temple (Cinemon Entertainment, HU) and Annemie Degryse (Lumiere Group / Beast Studio, BE) as group leaders, bringing their wealth of experience and expertise to mentor participants throughout the programme.
Module 1 will take place in Lillehammer from Monday to Saturday, 23 February – 1 March 2026. The first two days of the workshop will focus on personal presentations, group sessions – giving participants their first taste of the collaborative approach that will remain central to their experience throughout the year, and individual meetings with the script consultants.
On Wednesday, participants will greatly benefit from Open Industry Day, which offers the opportunity to network with producers, creatives, and representatives from Norway’s animation and film industry. The programme will include a presentation on Animation in Norway and the Norwegian Film Institute, as well as lectures by esteemed Norwegian experts.
Sarah Winge-Sørensen’s masterclass titled Introduction to Outreach: Connecting with Audiences will offer valuable insights into developing strategies for defined target groups from the early stages of development. Simon Nyhus, 3D artist, concept artist, and art director, will present a masterclass on The Importance of the First Visual, while Rasmus A. Sivertsen. Norwegian film director, editor, producer, animator, and former television director, will present a case study on the making of his film Flåklypa – Rally from Paris to the Pyramids, a 2025 Norwegian 3D animated film with a distinctive stop-motion-inspired aesthetic.
During the second part of the workshop, from Thursday to Saturday, group and individual work will be complemented by lectures and sessions led by renowned experts. Script doctor Sara Wikler (FR / BE) will share her extensive expertise in advising on screenwriting and the development of animated films in her session Script Analysis & Feedback, Ulrich Michel (Noerr, GE), legal expert and certified lecturer in non-violent communication, negotiation, and mindfulness practice, will lead the session The Art of Film Negotiation.
Business and company development experts Caroline Williams and Bernie Cullinan (UK) will introduce strategic tools for business development in their session titled Company Strategy, while Juraj Krasnohorsky (CEE Animation, Artichoke Production, SK) will provide participants with practical tools for project packaging and presentation in his lecture titled Production Package and SWOT.
During the Module 1 participants will have the opportunity to discuss the visual approach of their projects with Luca Tóth and Katinka Bognar, experienced directors and pedagogues from the famous Budapest school MOME.
The workshop will consist of four modules, striking a balance between online and on-site sessions: two modules will be held online (May and October), and two on-site: February 23–28 in Lillehammer, Norway, and July 27–August 2 in Budapest, Hungary. After the completion of the Workshop, participants will be able to take advantage of the CEE Animation network and gain privileged access to various industry and market events in the EU.
CEE Animation Workshop 2026 is organized by Slovene Animated Film Association – DSAF, CEE Animation, Slovak Association of Animated Film Producers – APAF in partnership with Lillywood and Animation Norway.
The CEE Animation Workshop is supported by Creative Europe MEDIA programme, Ministry of Public Administration, Republic of Slovenia, Østnorsk Filmsenter, Filminvest, Innlandet fylkeskommune, Lillehammer kommune, Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, Czech Audiovisual Fund, Czech Audiovisual Producers Association and National Film Institute Hungary.
