Artists, film lovers, critics, activists, citizens, and decision makers united once again in Peja, this year for the 14th time, at the opening ceremony of the annual edition of the Anibar – Animation Festival. The festival, a celebration of art, creativity, and storytelling through the magical medium of animation, kicked off with the theme “Love” this year, uniting 36 countries through animated movies. The remarkable progress observed within the LGBTQ+ community in Kosovo was acknowledged with a vibrant opening performance by the prominent Kosovan Drag Queen Adelina Rose.
At this year’s edition, Anibar received a staggering number of submissions, with 160 films from 36 different countries, leaving the jury in awe of the quality and diversity. The task of selecting the final contenders proved to be daunting due to the exceptional talent displayed. Anibar curated seven distinct categories that exemplified the festival’s dedication to excellence. These categories included international films, student works, Balkan creations, human rights-focused films, animated feature films, animated music videos, and a special program for the young audience.
However, the festival extended its devotion to the art of animation beyond the confines of competition. Thirteen films in two out-of-competition categories, Panorama and Experimental, were carefully chosen for their ability to push the boundaries of storytelling and animation techniques.
To ensure a fair and comprehensive evaluation, Anibar assembled distinguished juries for each category. These industry professionals brought their expertise and discerning eye to select the winners. The international feature film category was evaluated by esteemed jurors Anastasiya Verlinska from Ukraine, Chris Robinson from Canada, Hsiang Chin Moe from the United States, Alice Saey from France, and Claus Toksvig from Denmark, while the Student and Balkan competition juries consisted of Vessela Dantcheva from Bulgaria, Igor Hofbauer from Croatia, and Marek Náprstek from Czechia.
The Human Rights and Animated Music Videos categories were judged by Marko Dješka from Croatia, Annika Bergström from Sweden, and Zarko Ivanov from Northern Macedonia, and the Young Audience program jury included Bleona Ibrahimi, Deniza Gafuri, Diellza Franca, Liburn Krrabaj, and Sado Musić, under the mentorship of Joni Manistö from Finland.