We are always excited to share information about our festival.
This year our festival is even bigger. And that’s after the increases last year, too. There are heaps of things we can talk about.
To make things easier, we summarise our festival into a two-page Press Release. To see everything check out the festival page.
MIAF champions the weird and wonderful
See the world’s best independent animation
Melbourne May 2026:
Melbourne International Animation Festival returns once again for its 26th year to celebrate the worlds of animated storytelling. With 46 sessions, 8 big days, featuring over 200 films of the finest international and Australian animation, MIAF promises an unforgettable experience for every animation lover. This year’s festival, running from 17th through to the 24th of May, will once again captivate audiences with a dazzling array of animated masterpieces, discussions, and special showcases.
As always, the festival will kick off with a spectacular opening night, showcasing two programs dedicated to Australia’s best animation talents. The evening will begin with the Australian Student Showcase, spotlighting emerging talents from around the country. This will set the stage for MIAF’s official opening, featuring the Australian Showcase – a curated selection of films exemplifying the diverse and rich creativity within the Australian animation community.
In addition to screenings, MIAF will host a series of Meet the Filmmakers sessions, providing attendees with the unique opportunity to hear from and connect with the masterminds behind their favourite animated films. These sessions offer insight into the creative process and allow for engaging discussions on the art of animation.
The centrepiece of the festival, the beating heart of MIAF, is its international competition. With daily showcases and themed sessions, we aim to highlight the very best in global animation talent, offering audiences an immersive and unforgettable experience into the diverse world of animated storytelling. This includes a specially curated Abstract Showcase, offering a mesmerizing journey through experimental animation; the Character Studies program focuses entirely on films that centre around one very strongly defined and utterly unusual kind of character that could only live in an animated film; and our ever-popular cult classic, featuring the weirdest of the weird, the Late Night Bizarre.
MIAF is beyond thrilled to be able to host the master claymation animator Izabela Plucinska from Poland. As our very special guest, Izabela will join us on Sunday 24th to showcase a collection of her incredible films from a career spanning more than 25 years. We will talk about her techniques, her mastering of the materials she uses to make these films, and the places the stories come from.
But that’s not all, in a first for MIAF we will be screening the Festivals Animation Network European Animation Survey. MIAF has teamed with FIVE European animation festivals who have each curated a program showcasing work from recent submissions and archives. A unique survey of imaginative animated films from Portugal, Cyprus, Greece, Spain and Italy.
All that and we didn’t even cover the whole programme of the festival!
From hidden gems to unexpected delights, The Melbourne International Animation Festival promises to be a celebration of creativity, innovation, and the enduring magic of animation.
Tickets for the Melbourne International Animation Festival are on sale now, and can be purchased online.
For more information on the festival, including a complete schedule of events and a list of films, please visit miaf.net.
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