Mike Judge, Ricky Gervais and Brad Bird lead Annecy 2026 lineup

The Annecy International Animation Film Festival has announced its 2026 lineup, bringing back one of the biggest global events for animation.

The festival will take place in Annecy, France from June 21 to June 27.

It will welcome Ricky Gervais, Brad Bird and Mike Judge as special guests.

Mike Judge will also be honoured with a special award during the event as Ricky Gervais is set to speak about his new animated series Alley Cats for Netflix.

Brad Bird will also join Netflix session where he will talk about his upcoming project Ray Gunn.

The opening film will be Minions and Monsters and major studios like Disney Pixar and Warner Bros Animation will also present new projects and early previews for upcoming releases.

In the main competition, eleven films will compete for the top award. These include The Sunrise File, Tangles and The Violinist.

A separate section will focus on independent films and new creators who are bringing fresh ideas to animation.

The festival will also include industry talks, behind the scenes sessions and a large animation market where companies and professionals meet.

However, Annecy remain one of the most important events for animation worldwide, bringing together both big studios and new talent each year.