The 11th edition of AnimaPIX, taking place December 2–4 in Madalena, will showcase Portuguese animated films, welcome filmmakers from Lisbon-based COLA Animation, and offer a diverse program of cinema and illustrated books for audiences of all ages.
Portuguese animated cinema will take center stage at the 11th AnimaPIX Festival, scheduled for December 2–4 on Pico Island in the Azores, with screenings of award-nominated productions, a special presentation by Lisbon-based COLA Animation, and educational programming featuring 44 animated films available to local schools. Organized by MiratecArts, the festival brings together literature, illustration, and cinema, transforming the Madalena Auditorium and Library into a meeting place for filmmakers, artists, students, and audiences interested in contemporary animation.
The public program will place particular emphasis on Portuguese productions, with two morning screenings beginning at 10 a.m. On December 2, six films nominated for the AnimaPIX Award will be presented: A Última Meia, directed by Carolina Batista; Greenhouse, by Ana Miranda; No Princípio, by Ala Nunu; noir & lumi, by Cláudio Jordão; Permanência, by Mafalda Cruz; and Virgem Fandango, by Marcy Page. The selection reflects the diversity of artistic approaches and storytelling techniques represented in contemporary animation.
This year’s award selection will follow a different arrangement. Renowned Portuguese animation figures Abi Feijó, who has served as jury president, and Regina Pessoa, the festival’s patron, will not participate in their usual roles because of their connections to the production of one of the nominated films. A jury led by the MiratecArts association’s leadership will oversee the selection and determine the award recipients, whose names will be announced during the festival.
On December 3, the spotlight will turn to COLA Animation, a Lisbon-based international production cooperative specializing in handcrafted audiovisual content. Six films will be screened, accompanied by the participation of filmmakers and animators Ala Nunu, Bruno Caetano, Diogo Tavares, João Alves, Niccolò Gioia, and Vier. Their presence will provide an opportunity for audiences to encounter the creative professionals behind the productions and explore the artistic processes shaping contemporary Portuguese animation.
The festival will also offer programming for younger audiences, including 7ª Lenda das 7 Cidades, a puppet-animation short film by Tiago Rosas, selected for kindergarten screenings. On December 4, the Madalena Auditorium will present the French animated feature Marcel et Monsieur Pagnol, which revisits the emergence of sound cinema and the development of one of France’s earliest major film studios, introducing audiences to an important chapter in cinematic history.
Beyond the screenings, the AnimaPIX Bookshop, located at the entrance to the Madalena Auditorium and Library, will feature new publications and special displays throughout the festival. Highlights include a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Winnie-the-Pooh, a new Donald Duck book, the Sala BD dedicated to comics, and the Cantinho da Néveda. The bookshop will be open during regular business hours from December 2 to 4, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to connecting illustrated literature with the moving image.
The 2026 festival poster was illustrated by Raquel Vila Arisa, a collaborator with Lapa Brava who resides on Faial Island. Her contribution adds another dimension to an event that celebrates visual storytelling while encouraging artistic participation across the Azorean archipelago.
AnimaPIX is organized by MiratecArts in partnership with the Municipality of Madalena, with support from the Regional Directorate for Culture of the Government of the Azores. The complete program is available at miratecarts.com.
Now in its eleventh edition, AnimaPIX continues to provide an important cultural platform for Portuguese animation while introducing younger generations to the creative possibilities of illustrated books and cinema. By bringing filmmakers, their works, and audiences together on Pico, the festival demonstrates how artistic imagination can connect different generations, languages, and cultural traditions through the universal power of visual storytelling.
Illustrations from MiratecArts. Story based on a Press Release