Animadeba closes its 19th edition with record attendance and participation
The International Animation Festival of Deba concludes four days of screenings, encounters and creative activities with its highest attendance and participation figures to date. Animadeba has brought its 19th edition to a close this Saturday with a very positive assessment from the organisation and an especially significant achievement: the festival has reached its highest attendance and participation figures in its history. From 9 to 12 September, Deba became a meeting point for audiences, filmmakers, professionals and animation enthusiasts. Over four days, the public enjoyed a wide-ranging programme of screenings, meetings, Work in Progress sessions and different activities focused on animation. The 2026 edition has once again strengthened Animadeba’s role as a meeting point between audiences, creators and art, while maintaining its commitment to new talent, local creation and animation in Basque.
EL CUERPO DEL CRISTO WINS THE ANIMADEBA AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
The Animadeba Award for Best Short Film has gone to El Cuerpo del Cristo, directed by Bea Lema. The jury highlighted its innovative visual language, in which tradition and embroidery intertwine to explore how trauma is woven into our lives and how wounds can be passed down from one generation to the next. The Award for Best Screenplay has gone to Quai Sisowath / Sisowath Quay, by Georges Sifanos, for its original combination of Cambodian folklore, ecological catastrophe and horror. Im Auto, Tapes und Butterbrot / With Tapes and Toasts in the Car, by Kiana Naghshineh, received a Special Mention for bringing the experience of illness within a family into the realm of fantasy, while standing out for its fresh perspective, character design and humour.
NEW DIRECTORS EHU RECOGNISES NEW VOICES
The New Directors EHU Award has gone to The Tale of Tran Thanh Duong, by Hachul Le Do, for its fresh and bold animation style and its creation of a constantly transforming universe. The film combines folklore, music and the search for one's own identity, addressing the universal theme of transcending binary categories. In this section, the First Special Mention went to When The Mountains Shook, by Daiyu Li, for its experimental, radical and deliberately absurd approach to animation. The Second Special Mention went to Da Mor Ghag / The Mother's Voice, by Mian Ijlal Ahmad, for its moving portrayal of the harsh realities and contemporary forms of exploitation faced by food delivery workers.
WORK IN PROGRESS: SUPPORTING NEW TALENT
Animadeba’s Work in Progress section has also recognised several projects in development, reaffirming the festival’s commitment to supporting new talent and animated creation. The DAMA New Talent Special Mention went to In Between, by Celia Alcina, for its graphic and technical quality, as well as the ambition of a project presented in a professional, honest and clear manner. The BERRIA Award for the best Work in Progress project presented in Basque went to the short film Ur Gazitan, by Libe Carballo Aramburu. The jury highlighted its humour, simplicity and sensitivity towards materials, as well as its ability to demonstrate great talent through a remarkable economy of means. The DAMA New Talent Award went to Kirie Eleison, by Marina Verdaguer Ros, for its use of the possibilities offered by animation and format, and for the strong relationship between form and content. Finally, the DAMA Professional WIP Award went to Nor Nai, by Kote Camacho, for recovering the talent of an overlooked female artist from the past, long forgotten in the pages of history.
AN EDITION DEFINED BY THE SUPPORT OF THE AUDIENCE
The 19th edition of Animadeba leaves behind an especially positive balance. The audience response has been historic, with the festival reaching the highest attendance and participation figures in its history. Over these days, Deba has welcomed films and filmmakers from different parts of the world, while Animadeba has continued to strengthen its commitment to local creation, new talent and animation in Basque. With this edition, the festival consolidates its role as a meeting point for audiences, creators and industry professionals, reinforcing its ambition to make Deba a reference point for animation cinema.
TOWARDS THE 20TH EDITION
With the closing of its 19th edition, Animadeba is already looking towards the future. Next year, the festival will celebrate its 20th edition, a particularly significant milestone that it will approach with the aim of continuing to promote animation cinema and creating new spaces to discover, share and enjoy this art.
Aniamdeba will return in 2027.
