Another selection of programmes from our Guest Country: Spain up for grabs today!

Check out four new programmes devoted to Spanish animation: The Next Generation; The Stamp of the Artist; Macián, the Master; Humour and Massacre.

While you're at the Mifa you can attend the Territory Focus session to find out about the animation industry in Spain.
You'll be able to discover a short list of 14 animated feature film projects, shorts and TV films. A number of speakers have also made it all the way to Annecy to talk about what their country has to offer in the way of animation.

Women and Animation once again takes centre stage today, particularly through the visit of the Women in Animation association.

Women in Animation brings together an international community of professionals supporting women in the art and production of animation. Seven speakers and one moderator all working in the industry will give their viewpoints on the development and the place of women in it. Come along to the Impérial Palace at 10:00 am and listen to them talk about their experiences and how they look at their work in an essentially masculine environment.

You can also catch up with three female animators at the signing sessions.
Magali Le Huche (Jean-Michel le Caribou des bois) will be there to meet you at 2:00 pm in the Boutique du Festival @ bdfugue (Bonlieu lobby).
Honorary Cristal recipient this year, Florence Miailhe, will also be visiting the Bonlieu lobby at 3:30 pm to present a book and DVD set of her work. 
Later on at 4:00 pm, Regina Pessoa, the talented filmmaker and creator of the Annecy 2015 poster will be stopping by.

Today's the day to learn about all you need to develop an animation project with the Creation, Buisness and Production Organisation Conferences.

Meetings – Creation Conferences
MPC Creature Feature: Animated Features Vs Feature Film VFX Animation: Paul Chung, Animation Supervisor at The Moving Picture Company, will talk about how studios should adapt to character and creature animation. 9:30am, Chambre de métiers.
Feature Film and Graphic Creation: five animation directors and producers will talk about how to prepare for different changes that come along during the production process. 2:30 pm, Chambre de métiers.

Meetings – Business Conferences
Animated Features: Small Budget, Huge Success! This conference is organised in partnership with Europa Distribution and brings together four speakers working in diverse jobs in the audiovisual industry. They will be here to explain how competition between blockbusters and independent films is not necessarily an obstacle for the success of these limited budget films. 2:00 pm, Impérial Palace.

Meetings – Production Organisation Conferences
Weta Digital: Worlds of Characters & Creatures. Eric Reynolds will be representing the studio from New Zeland that has created characters such as Gollum, King Kong, Caesar (The Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) and the Na'vi of Pandora. He will talk about how Weta is able to blend traditional techniques with cutting-edge technology. 10:45 am, Chambre de métiers.

This year, an exceptional animation technique invented by Alexandre Alexeieff and Claire Parker is in the spotlight through different events.

You were perhaps lucky enough to catch the screening of films made with the pinscreen that were shown at the Musée-Château yesterday evening? If you found the technique fascinating, come along to the exhibition showcasing it and learn more about the art of the pinscreen that has been handed down to Jacques Drouin and Michèle Lemieux (Here and the Great Elsewhere).
You can also pick up a book of illustrations from the exhibition and original material. Take them along to the signing session on Thursday at 6:00 pm to get them signed!

Today, Snoopy and the gang will make their big screen debut! Check out never-before-seen footage from the film during the Work in Progress session.

Steve Martino (Director) and Nash Dunningan (Artistic Director) will present the project's origins and its developments yet-to-come. Meet back up with your favourite characters like you've never seen them before, animated by Blue Sky studios (Ice Age, Rio).
The two creators will be here all week long; you can meet them at their signing session at the Boutique du Festival @ bdfugue.

Salle Pierre Lamy

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The crew for the feature in the making "Ballerina" will unveil their film at Annecy during a Work in Progress session where they might even let you in on a few secrets.

Quite a few members from the film crew will be in Annecy to tell you about their project Ballerina. Laurent Zeitoun, Producer and Co-writer, Florent Masurel, Artistic Director, François-Xavier Aubague, Executive Producer and Yann Le Bourbouac'h, Head of Marketing will be here to take you behind the scenes: you'll get to know all about the main character Félicie, a little girl full of ambition and courage.

Salle Pierre Lamy

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Orange, sponsor of creation and animation and technical partner of the Festival, came out to animate Annecy last night on the Pâquier. Congratulations to the big winner!

The winner of the first evening has been announced: Clément VOISIN. Tomorrow before the open-air screening, you can try your luck by tweeting your favourite famous line from an animation film on the Pâquier before the open-air screening. Don't forget your hashtags #annecyfestival and #orange, the winner will be announced on Friday.

See you there at 9:45 pm, more information will be given then.

TeamTO is offering a double whammy with their feature Yellowbird.

You can not only discover creation techniques of the film thanks to the exhibition on the film at the Bibliothèque d'agglomération Bonlieu, but you can also take what you learned at the exhibition to the Pâquier to enjoy it on the giant screen tonight under the stars.

The feature in competition "April and the Extraordinary World" will be presented today at Bonlieu, Grande salle at 8:30 pm. Come and see this film with graphics overseen by Jacques Tardi, author of the original comic book.

Plot
1941, Napoleon V is the ruler of France and scholars keep mysteriously disappearing. Without modern technology, the world runs on coal and steam. A young girl named April goes off in search of her scientist parents who vanished. Accompanied by her talking cat Darwin and a young rogue named Julius, she will brave mysteries and danger in order to discover who is capturing the scholars and why.

Come to the press conference for this feature tomorrow to find out about its artistic vision, graphic choices and the techniques that were used in its production.

Bonlieu

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The opening party for the Mifa will be full of surprises since it's the moment to blow out the candles for the 30th anniversaries of the Market and CANAL J!

The leading youth channel in France, CANAL J, is also turning 30 and so we've decided to celebrate this event together in partnership with the Mifa. Come and enjoy this festive event in the dreamy setting of La Plage de l'Impérial at the heart of the Mifa!

By invitation or for Mifa badgeholders

The European Commission and the European Audiovisuel Observatory will give a report on animation during a session organised for the MIfa.

This presentation will be held at the Mifa on Wednesday 17th from 10:30 am to noon and it should clarify how the animation world operates. Marta Jiménez, Head of the project at the Observatory, will present the first results from the study, concentrating mainly on key indicators like the amount of animated features produced in Europe, the importance of European animation on TV and European animation's overall performance.

Afterwards, a discussion around Mapping the Animation Industry in Europe will be held amongst industry experts and European institutions.

Impérial Palace

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For the Mifa's 30th,we've added a new feature to the mix: Keynote speeches.

Today, you can come along and hear from someone who has influenced the animation industry through his career path and work: Chris Meledandri.

Come and witness one of the biggest names in animation as Chris Melendandri speaks out about his vision of animation's future. He's the Founder and CEO of Illumination Entertainment and the Producer behind hits like Ice Age, Robots, Despicable Me and The Lorax.

Bonlieu

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The Mifa & Variety’s Animation Personality of the year award was created for the Mifa's 30^th anniversary. It will reward someone who's contributed to the evolution of the animation industry.

Chris Meledandri will be the first recipient of this award for his multiple successful productions.