ANIMATION IS FILM 2026: DANA TERRACE’S ‘KNIGHTS OF GUINEVERE’ LEADS 9TH EDITION LINEUP
Humberto SaabedraLOS ANGELES (Sept 22, 2026) — Animation Is Film (AIF) has unveiled the program for its ninth edition, running October 16–19, 2026, at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood. Produced by GKIDS in partnership with the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and Variety, the awards-season bellwether features nine competitive feature premieres, high-profile studio work-in-progress reveals, and a historic series opener.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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Opening Night Milestone: Breaks festival tradition by opening with an animated series—the world-first theatrical premiere of Dana Terrace’s (The Owl House) psychological thriller Knights of Guinevere (Glitch Productions).
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Awards Season Heavyweights: Competition lineup features 2026 Annecy Cristal winner The Violinist, Cannes/Annecy triple-award winner Iron Boy, and Cartoon Saloon’s newest feature, Julián.
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Studio & Indie First Looks: Behind-the-scenes previews of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Hexed and Matt Braly’s independently funded Clara and the Below.
- Retrospectives & Special Screenings: Paramount’s Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, a 25-year Cartoon Saloon anniversary showcase (Wolfwalkers), and an HD remaster of Yoshiaki Kawajiri’s cult classic Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.
FEATURE COMPETITION LINEUP
| Title | Director(s) / Origin | Premiere Level | Notable Highlights / Context |
| The Violinist | Ervin Han, Raúl García (SG/ES/IT) | US Premiere | 2026 Annecy Cristal Winner; WWII Singapore historical drama. |
| Iron Boy | Louis Clichy (FR/BE) | LA Premiere | Cannes Un Certain Regard Jury Prize; Annecy Jury & Audience Award winner. |
| Julián | Louise Bagnall (IE/LU/CA/DK) | US Premiere | Cartoon Saloon adaptation of Julián Is a Mermaid. |
| Tangles | Leah Nelson (CA/US) | LA Premiere | Graphic memoir adaptation; voice cast includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Seth Rogen. |
| Jim Queen | Nicolas Athané, Marco Nguyen (FR/BE) | West Coast | Bobbypills adult comedy selection from Cannes and Annecy. |
| Cherry and Virgin | Masanao Kawajiri (JP) | West Coast | Debut feature; offbeat indie romance blending manga mediums. |
| Ghost – End of Night | Shingo Natsume (JP) | North American | Sci-fi feature debut from the director of Sonny Boy. |
| O Filho da Puta | Otto Guerra et al. (BR) | US Premiere | Bold, graphic hand-drawn Brazilian road trip comedy. |
| Viva Carmen! | Sébastien Laudenbach (FR/LU) | West Coast | Expressive reimagining of Bizet’s opera from the director of Chicken for Linda!. |
SPECIAL EVENTS & WORKS-IN-PROGRESS
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Spotlight Premiere — Knights of Guinevere: Dana Terrace, John Bailey Owen, and Zach Marcus present the first two episodes on the big screen, followed by a filmmaker Q&A.
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Work-in-Progress — Hexed: First-look presentation by the creative team behind Walt Disney Animation Studios’ upcoming feature.
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Work-in-Progress — Clara and the Below: Amphibia creator Matt Braly and art director Britney Thoreson share artwork and developmental animation from their independently funded mini-series.
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Paramount Spotlight — Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender: Special theatrical screening with co-director Lauren Montgomery in attendance.
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Cartoon Saloon 25th Anniversary: Retrospective screening of Wolfwalkers with studio founders Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey, and Paul Young.
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Industry Panel — Inside Animation: UTA-partnered discussion on representation, market trends, and emerging talent discovery.
SHORTS & AUXILIARY PROGRAMMING
AIF 2026 will present five short film blocks covering student work, international festival favorites, and underrepresented creators:
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Shorts Programs 01 & 02: Featuring new works from Don Hertzfeldt (Paper Trail), Stephen P. Neary, and Jocelyn Charles.
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Best of Annecy (w/ WIA): Standout global shorts curated in partnership with Women in Animation.
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New Voices in Animation: Showcase spotlighting underrepresented talent in partnership with Latinx in Animation, Asians in Animation, BRIC Foundation, Legends Animated, Silver Lake Shorts, and Titmouse Foundation.
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Student Showcase: Highlighting projects from CalArts, Gobelins Paris, USC, SVA, ArtCenter, and RUBIKA.
TICKETING & VENUE DETAILS
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Dates: October 16–19, 2026
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Venue: TCL Chinese 6 Theatres (Hollywood, CA)
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Passes & Single Tickets: Available now at AnimationIsFilm.com
