- The fifth edition of the Alcoy International Animation Festival celebrates one of its most anticipated days this Friday, with the screening of the feature film Olívia y el terremoto invisible (Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake), directed by Irene Iborra, and a new session of international, national, and student animation short films.
- After an intense professional day on Thursday, the festival continues today with talks, workshops, and premieres focused on the world of stop motion and audiovisual creativity.
SUMMARY — THURSDAY, 13 NOVEMBER
On Thursday, 13 November, Animalcoi delivered a vibrant programme centred on the world of video games. The Rodes Urban Technology Park hosted talks from professionals such as Mariona Valls, JM Blay, Sara Luna, Joveguille, and Ara Rojas, who shared their insights on art direction, creative processes, and the fusion of design and technology.
The Pitch Sessions completed a day that highlighted the dynamism of a constantly expanding sector. The winning project of the first session, dedicated to video games, was Song of the Peacock.
In the afternoon, the BIC Cinemas at the Alzamora Shopping Centre opened their doors to the first screenings of the festival, featuring a selection of international, national, and student short films that reaffirmed why animation is, today more than ever, a universal language charged with emotion and critical thought.
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMME — FRIDAY, 14 NOVEMBER
The festival awakens this Friday with the heartbeat of handcrafted animation. Morning activities at the Rodes Urban Technology Park revolve around professional experience and stop-motion technique.
At 10:00 a.m., José Giménez and Mireia Álvarez from Skydance Animation open the day with the talk The Professional Leap: A First-Hand Testimony, sharing their journey from the classroom to major international studios.
They will be followed by Clay Feats: Life in Stop Motion, a lecture by Stuart Messinger, director of the prestigious Aardman Academy, who will delve into the magic of bringing inert matter to life. This talk will be delivered in English, with simultaneous translation into Spanish.
At midday, director Irene Iborra leads the session How to Make a Stop-Motion Feature Film and Survive the Process, where she shares her experience creating Olívia y el terremoto invisible, which will be screened later in the afternoon at the BIC Cinemas in the Alzamora Shopping Centre.
Throughout the morning, attendees can also visit the Animalcoi Showroom, an open space for innovation where schools, studios, and young creators showcase their projects and independent video games.
Additionally, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Animalcoi-PRO takes place, promoted together with the Alcoy Chamber of Commerce and IVACE+i International to foster connections between European production companies and Valencian studios.
The afternoon continues with Aardman Studio’s professional workshop Animating the Invisible: Communicating Thought and Emotion, a hands-on session in which participants work on animation sequences under the guidance of Stuart Messinger. At 5:00 p.m., the Animalcoi Pitch Sessions will focus on animation projects currently in development.
SCREENINGS OF THE DAY
The first screening of the afternoon begins at 6:00 p.m. at the BIC Cinemas in the Alzamora Shopping Centre with the Animalcoi-AITEX Session 2, featuring short films from animation schools and students.
Shortly after, at 7:00 p.m., audiences will finally be able to enjoy the screening of Olívia y el terremoto invisible (Spain, 2024, 70’), directed by Irene Iborra. Shot in stop motion and premiered to great acclaim in Annecy, the film follows Olivia, her brother Tim, and their mother Ingrid, forced to start over after losing their home. Through play and imagination, Olivia transforms adversity into a life filled with creativity that helps her face reality. A delicate fable about resilience and the power of imagination in childhood. It is worth noting that Iborra will be present at the screening and will take part in both the introduction and the post-screening discussion.
At 8:00 p.m., the Animalcoi-Solitium Session 3 will take place, featuring international short films in competition.
The day will close with the feature film Decorado (Alberto Vázquez, Spain–Portugal, 2025, 96’), an existential tale about a mouse trapped in the monotony of a world that seems like an artificial stage set. With his characteristic dark and symbolic style, Vázquez offers a visual satire about contemporary alienation. Like Iborra, Vázquez will also attend the screening.
PREVIEW OF THE PROGRAMME — SATURDAY, 15 NOVEMBER
The morning, as usual, is dedicated to professional events and activities, beginning with a talk by Jordi Grangel (Grangel Studio) titled 40th Anniversary of Grangel Studio: History and Trajectory, at 11:00 a.m. Shortly after, at 1:00 p.m., the final conference of Animalcoi 2025 will take place: Making a Living from Animation Thanks to Social Media, with Toni Alarco.
As for the afternoon screenings, the day begins with the Family Session at 5:00 p.m. at the BIC Cinemas in the Alzamora Shopping Centre, featuring a selection of children’s short films. This is followed at 6:00 p.m. by the screening of Maya, Give Me a Title (2025), directed by the iconic filmmaker Michel Gondry. Afterwards, two sessions of official competition short films will be presented (Animalcoi–Fundación Mutua Levante Session 2 and Animalcoi–Solitium Session 2), and as the grand finale of the day, the festival will screen Arco (2025) by Ugo Bienvenu.
SPONSORS AND PARTNERS
Animalcoi 2025 is supported by the Generalitat Valenciana, the Institut Valencià de Cultura, the City Council of Alcoy, the Alicante Provincial Council and the Ministry of Culture of the Government of Spain; sponsored by Grupo Solitium, AITEX, Fundación Mutua Levante and the Alzamora Shopping Centre, with the collaboration of Fundación SGAE and the Chair of Audiovisual Analysis and Foresight of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV). À Punt is the festival’s official media partner.
