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Next autumn, the winners of the Annecy Festival Residency 2026 will take up residence in their new home at the heart of the Cité internationale du cinéma d'animation. After five years at the Papeteries – Image Factory, the program is relocating to this culturally rich venue, an environment steeped in heritage and creativity that’s ideally suited for nurturing ambitious animation projects.

The Villa’s inspiring setting will provide residents with optimal conditions to develop the visual worlds of their upcoming feature films. Over a three-month period, participants will receive tailored support and ongoing guidance from CITIA teams and expert mentors.

Key highlights from the 2026 Residency selection: 52 submissions; 29 nationalities represented and 42% of projects led by women.

As in previous years, the wide range of proposals made the selection process particularly demanding. Ultimately, the committee reached a consensus on a slate of powerful, creatively compelling projects—works distinguished by meaningful themes, strong artistic vision, and clear potential to one day reach audiences on the big screen.

The selection committee unanimously selected the following projects:
• "All the Heaven's Doors", Writer and Director: Armin Rangani (Iran) Writer: Raha Amirfazli (Iran)
• "Condenaditos", Writer and Director: Matisse Gonzalez Jordán (Bolivia). Production : Stefan Michel, Executive Producer, Studio Seufz (Germany), Edwina Liard & Nidia Santiago, Executive Producers, Ikki Films (France)
• "Todo viene del agua", Director and Author: Gustavo Almenara (France) Production: Vanessa Buttin-Labarthe, Producer, Les Astronautes (France), Luc Camilli, Producer, XBO Films (France)

"In a society where history keeps repeating itself, it's no surprise to see projects appearing that question the past as much as they shed light on the present. While sometimes dark, or full of rebellion and hope, these projects take a committed look at social issues as well as offering unique and provocative narratives. These three projects, which oscillate between memory and conflict, violence and hope, refuse to give in to fatalism and revisit fragments of life and history in their own unique way. Using a variety of forms and aesthetics, they once again demonstrate the expressive power of animation film. The selection committee was therefore keen to showcase projects driven by a strong artistic vision and profound commitment. Beyond their creative dimension, these projects boldly question our world, reflecting a broader timescale where recurring themes, heritage and enduring human issues intertwine," asserted the selection committee.