Manchester Animation Festival

Overview

Manchester Animation Festival is the UK's largest Animation Festival dedicated to the celebration of the animated art form. MAF is both Academy Award® and BAFTA Qualifying. Hosted at HOME in Manchester, the festival brings one of the UK’s biggest animation hubs together and invites the international community to join us to delight in all things animated; working with organisations such as Aardman, Adult Swim, Apple, BBC, Blue Zoo, Cartoon Saloon, Disney, DreamWorks, Netflix, and many more on special events and screenings. Animation is everywhere, from the smallest smart phone screen to the largest cinematic projection. Manchester Animation Festival unites artists, practitioners, students and enthusiasts and all those in between to savour the many and varied achievements of the animated form. If you’re an animation insider or just want to see something unique, you don’t have to be an animation boffin to join us for animated short competitions, feature films, retrospective screenings, workshops, networking events, panel discussions, masterclasses and screen talks from the industry's finest. Manchester Animation Festival is a member of the Alliance of British Animation Exhibitors, promoting UK talent through curated screenings at home and overseas to increase the visibility and recognition of UK animation talent.

Last updated Sep 26, 2026

Legitimacy Analysis

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Festival Details

FilmFreeway communityGold festival

• Filmmaker

  I’m so grateful to have been a part of the Manchester Animation Festival! The event was incredibly well-organized, and I felt truly welcomed as a creator. The atmosphere was very inspiring, and it was fantastic to connect with so many talented individuals in the animation community. I’m already looking forward to returning – this definitely won’t be my last visit!

• Filmmaker

  Where do we start...?! A stellar programme, brilliant industry, and they cater for all the filmmakers with their networking events and opportunities. If you're an animator then this festival SHOULD be on your submission list for every project. We had two clients screen in 2024: 🎬 Family Portrait of the Black Earth 🎬 The Unseen

• Filmmaker

  Participating in this year's Manchester Animation Festival was an incredible experience. The overall atmosphere were fantastic, and the staff were always available and ready to assist. Looking forward to joining you again in the near future!

• Filmmaker

  Had a fantastic time at my first MAF. Everything was well organised and smooth, the people were lovely and a great selection of films!

• Filmmaker

  Manchester Animation Festival is always a highlight of the year that we look forward to. The team do such an amazing job of putting on a real celebration of animation and providing a place for the animation and film community to get together. The team champion animation throughout the year but this is the main event. It gets bigger every year and we hope it continues to do so. We absolutely love attending, whether we have a film in the festival or not. Great industry events. Great selection of films. All round amazing atmosphere. I was missing it when it was over. I hope the festival gets all the support it needs and deserves. A highlight in the Manchester City calendar that should be celebrated by the city for everything it brings, from investment, to culture, to community.

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