The three Hungarian animation festivals – the 40-year-old Kecskemét Animation Film Festival, Anilogue, and Primanima – each offer a different perspective on the world of animation, creating opportunities for international networking.

The idea of an animation festival in Hungary first emerged when Kecskemétfilm Ltd., the regional studio of the legendary Pannónia Studio, was founded in 1971. However, it wasn’t until 1985 that the first festival was held. The Kecskemét Animation Film Festival (called Filmszemle until 1993) was launched to showcase the latest Hungarian animations – initially every three years, and then, from 2005 onwards, as a biennale (with a break between 1988 and 1993). Ferenc Mikulás has served as the festival’s director from the very beginning.

From 1996 onwards, the festival began including European films, as the number of international productions by Hungarian studios increased after the fall of communism in 1989. Most of these films were not shown in Hungarian cinemas or on television.

Since 2002, the KAFF signal films – like those at the Annecy festival – have been created by students, initially from the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, later joined by the Budapest Metropolitan University and the Partium Christian University of Oradea. Another parallel with Annecy is that KAFF also highlights a guest country each year – in 2023, it was NAN (Nordic Animation Network).

In addition to the Hungarian and European competition and informational programs, the festival features retrospective screenings of films by filmmakers celebrating milestone birthdays, open-air screenings of classics, as well as exhibitions, lectures, and meetings with the filmmakers. A selection of films from the program is also screened in neighboring towns in parallel with KAFF.

Since its launch in 2003, the Anilogue International Animation Festival has presented the latest and most innovative European and Asian short and feature films to Hungarian audiences each year. The festival was born out of the enthusiasm of Tamás Liszka (now CEO of Budapest Film Ltd.) and Kreet Paljas (former Head of the Estonian Institute in Hungary). During the first event, it quickly became clear that the original venue would soon be outgrown, so the festival moved to the Uránia National Film Theatre, where 35mm films could be screened – this was before the days of DCP and online file transfers! Liszka and Paljas, who remain passionate festivalgoers, continue to seek out films that are bold, experimental, and groundbreaking in both form and content.

In addition to the feature and short film competitions, the program includes panorama screenings, films for children, and the fan-favorite Animated Night, where animation lovers can watch shorts until dawn.

Since 2005, the Hungarian members of ASIFA have organized World Animation Day (October 28), which evolved into a full festival in 2012: the Primanima World Festival of First Animations. The festival was founded by Anna Ida Orosz, researcher at the NFI – Film Archive, and Tamás Patrovits, animation director and graphic designer, with the aim of providing talented young filmmakers a platform to showcase their work, build professional connections, and join the international animation community.

In addition to its main focus – the Young Directors’ competition, which features student, graduation, and first films – the festival also includes competitions for children’s and teenage films, as well as a Master category introduced in 2022. That same year, a new award was established: the My Beloved Animation award, created to honor professionals’ dedication to the culture of animated film. In 2023, the program expanded further with the Silhouettes competition, showcasing experimental, provocative, and unconventional animated shorts.

The festival also recognizes young Hungarian filmmakers with several awards: the George Pal Award for the most promising Hungarian talent, the Gyula Macskássy Award for the most popular Hungarian film, and the Tibor Csermák Award for the most popular Hungarian children’s film. Sound also plays a prominent role – the PrimaSound Award is given by sound designers, while the PrimAlter jury, established in 2018, is composed of individuals from outside the world of animation who have made their mark in other professions.

And a Fourth: Friss Hús, a key player in Hungary’s short film scene

Although there are several short film festivals in Hungary, one worth highlighting is the Friss Hús Budapest International Short Film Festival, established in 2012. While it is not specifically an animation festival, the best of international and Hungarian animations are a strong part of its lineup. Friss Hús became an Oscar-qualifying festival last year, meaning the best Hungarian animated and live-action short films are now eligible for Academy Award consideration.