The Aniverse and Visual Arts Foundation (AVAF) in partnership with Annecy Festival, France, is launching AniMela, India’s first-ever international festival for animation, VFX, XR, gaming and comics.
The three-day festival is set to take place in Mumbai in November 2023 and will provide a platform for Indian talent in the animation, visual effects, gaming and comics (AVGC-XR) industry to showcase their work and network with international professionals.
The festival aims to promote the AVGC-XR industry in India through events, activities and workshops and create a space to celebrate artistic, technological and entrepreneurial innovation in the field. AniMela will also offer masterclasses and workshops to inspire and educate aspiring artists, game developers and storytellers about the art and careers in the industry.
The Indian government has designated AVGC as a “sunrise” sector and in the 2022 a promotion task force was set up to grow the industry. The sector is projected to grow to INR180 billion ($2.1 billion) by 2024, per the annual Indian media and industry report from EY.
Director of AVAF, Kireet Khurana, who also directed animation-live action blend film “Toonpur Ka Superhero,” said: “Today India’s contribution to the global AVGC-XR sector is a mere 0.5%. The global AVGC-XR sector stands at $800 billion. India has an immense potential to increase the share in this pie as we have world-class talent present within the country.”
CEO of Annecy Festival, Mickael Marin, added: “We see immense potential in India not just in providing back-end support to the large studios in the West but in creating a lot of original content that is completely homegrown. There is no dearth of talent in India, it just needs to be showcased and given a larger audience. With AniMela we see that happening.”
Veronique Encrenaz, head of the International Animation Film Market (MIFA), said: “We see a lot of creativity and technological knowhow in Indian animators. They are making content that is at par with any developed country in the world. This initiative will help in the exchange of ideas and thus provide growth to aspirants in the industry.”
India’s AVAF is a not-for-profit organization founded by Kireet Khurana, Archana Trasy, Anne Doshi, Neha Jain and Tehzeeb Khurana to promote animation and other visual arts in India.
AniMela is also supported by Frameboxx 2.0, Assemblage, Anibrain, Paperboat India, Greengold, 88 Pictures, NurnbergMesse India, Whistling Woods International, Indus Club, Hueman Creatives, Animator Festival- Poland, 360X Dubai, Kalaghoda Arts Festival, Amar Chitra Katha, Tulsea, Animation Express, French Consul General in Mumbai and French Institute in India and Media & Entertainment Skills Council.