AD25 - Festival Programme by AnimationDingle

Festival Team

Thanks to everyone who brought our AD 2025 over the line

Festival Team

Animation Dingle Staff:

Festival Director / Co-Founder: Maurice Galway

Festival Coordinator: Amy Louise O’ Callaghan

Guests Coordinator / Company Administration: Catherine Galway

Art Director: Miguel Filho

Social Media Coordinator: Natasha Myers

Registration Manager: Jemma Shorten

Communications Consultant: Sinéad Smith

JAM Media:

Festival Co-Founder: John Rice

Selector & Conference/Art Auction/Pitch & A Pint MC: Mark Cumberton

The Big Pitcher / Art Auction MC: Alan Shannon

Video creator: Tiago Batista

Sketch Trail: Borja Espana Guillot & Fabiola Berton

Richard Gordon, Scott McDonnell, Shauna Cullen, Alison Crowley.

MTU Volunteers:

Tamzin Reay, Daria S Popescu, Padraig O Sullivan, Carly Quinlivan, Adrian Astalos, Vladyslav Poroshyn, Cathal Kelly.

Animation Dingle Board of Directors:

Bonnie Arnold, Mark Cumberton, Maurice Galway, John Rice, Alan Shannon

Social Media freelance: Catriona Begley

Web Design: Robert Condon

Projection/Technical team: CAVS

Social Media

How to Fest

Welcome to Animation Dingle 2025! Animation Dingle is a ticketed event and can only be accessed by legitimate ticket holders.

The Animation Dingle Festival Desk

The Animation Dingle Festival desk is located in The Dingle Skellig Hotel foyer, the main hub for Animation Dingle 2025.

Desk opening times are:

Thursday, 20th March 15:00-19:00

Friday, 21st March 08:00-19:00

Saturday, 22nd March 10:00-17:00

We are here to help and assist, so please come to the Desk if you have any questions or concerns.

Collecting Your Festival Pass

On arriving at Dingle, come to the Festival Desk to collect your Festival Pass. Please ensure that you have your Fareharbor confirmation email to hand.

You will be issued a Festival Pass on a lanyard and an Animation Dingle Festival wristband will be secured to your wrist.

Please note: In order to access all Animation Dingle events, you will need to present both your Festival Pass and your wristband.

In the event your Festival Pass is lost or misplaced, you will need to purchase a new pass to gain entry to Festival events. We offer discounted prices on replacement passes for legitimate cases.

Attending Festival Events

You do not need to prebook entry to any of our Festival Events. However, we recommend you arrive at a good time in order to secure your seat/space.

Attending The Animation Dingle Studio Fair

The Animation Dingle Studio Fair allows you to interact directly with studios and make direct enquiries in relation to jobs and vacancies. If the studio you are interested in is busy, you are encouraged to wait.

This space is a hub for students to interact and chat, so please relax and enjoy the fair!

Find us and Join us on Discord

On our platform you can

• Network with other artists and animators.

• Share artwork together

• Keep up to date with festival events

Sustainability

LiliMais Dingle is passionate about Fashion and passionate about the Circular Economy.

In keeping with our theme of Passion this year, LiliMais is working with Animation Dingle on a one-of-a-kind Dress that will be auctioned at our annual Art Auction for UNICEF Ireland.

Whilst travelling from A to B at our Festival, we are asking that you stop by LiliMais on The Marina and contribute to the dress. LiliMais will have a sheet stretched and hanging in the shop with the outline of the dress on it - helping you keep within the lines! LiliMais will have a prototype of the dress at the Art Auction. The highest bidder will get an Original Animation Dingle LiliMais once off Dress!

Make your Mark!

Drop in Friday 09.00 - 18.00 and Saturday 09.00 - 14.00

REcycle. REuse. REturn. PLEASE…

At Animation Dingle every year we ask that all lanyards and pouches be returned at the end of the Festival. Please make sure you return yours and help us to keep this cycle of return going.

Festival Shuttle Bus

This year Animation Dingle will be offering a round town shuttle bus for Festival Pass holders. Dingle is a small town with small streets - so do not expect a double decker green Dublin Bus! There is limited capacity and so we urge everyone to be kind... allow those who need the bus most to avail of a seat.

This is a FREE hop-on-hop-off shuttle departing from the Dingle Skellig Hotel and making stops at all Festival venues before returning to the hotel.

Our Festival Shuttle Bus runs Friday and Saturday, 11.00am to 5.00pm

Dingle Sponsors

Fáilte!

Passion and curiosity—two driving forces behind the magic of animation. Whether you’re a seasoned industry professional or an eager student, these qualities spark creativity, push boundaries, and bring stories to life. And what better place to celebrate this energy than right here at Animation Dingle?

Now in its thirteenth year, Animation Dingle has grown into a global gathering for animators. It’s a space where artistry meets opportunity, where students engage with industry leaders, and where the animation community comes together to share, learn, and, of course, have fun! From the stunning Dingle Bay and our wonderful new venues, inspiration is everywhere—waiting to be discovered, nurtured, and turned into something special.

This year’s theme—Passion—embodies the very essence of what drives animators forward. Passion fuels imagination, helps overcome challenges, and keeps us dedicated to refining our work. Animation Dingle is proud to serve as the bridge between student ambition and an industry eager for fresh talent. Our festival poster this year carries at its centre, an image of the bridge. Here, dreams take shape, collaborations are born, and the future of animation is crafted, one step at a time.

A festival of this caliber wouldn’t be possible without a dedicated team, and we are incredibly grateful to those who make Animation Dingle happen each year. A special thank you to Catherine Galway, whose unwavering enthusiasm ensures that every guest feels at home. We also extend our gratitude to our newest team member, Amy, whose contributions have already made a lasting impact. Thank you to Natasha for getting our message out there and to Miguel for continuing to create beautiful images for Animation Dingle. Welcome too to Sinéad to ensure we are on message. And it is our pleasure to have animation legend Bonnie Arnold join our Board of Directors—her guidance and vision will be invaluable for the continued success of our festival.

Naturally, Animation Dingle couldn’t function without the kind support of our sponsors. We’re grateful for Screen Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán, RTÉjr, and Disney. Your dedication to Ireland’s animation community inspires the innovation and imagination that make our festival such a standout. Sincere thanks, too, to the talented crew at Jam Media, whose work ensures success for our festival, year in, year out.

We mark a significant occasion for the community of Dingle, too, with a new edition of its famous cinema, The Phoenix, reopening its doors for business very soon. Gratitude to Oscar-winning Cillian Murphy and Yvonne McGuinness for getting it up and running again. Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, we’ll have our student’s work opening its doors for a premiere!

Now, with yet another exciting edition of Animation Dingle about to unfold, we invite you to go whole hog. Connect, swap, challenge yourself, and most of all—enjoy yourself, every single one of you!

Animation lives and breathes off your passion, and we can hardly wait to see where yours takes you!

So let’s raise the curtain for Animation Dingle 2025!

Here’s to a weekend full of imagination, collaboration, and memories for a lifetime! RTÉjr Animation Dingle Awards

Maurice Galway Festival Director/Co-Founder Animation Dingle

Welcome

Animation Dingle has always been about celebrating the boundless creativity, talent, and innovation that drive our industry. Now in its thirteenth year, the festival continues to grow, bringing together visionary storytellers, students, and global industry leaders to share ideas, showcase their work, and build the future of animation.

More than just a festival, Animation Dingle is a launchpad for careers. It’s where students and emerging talent meet the biggest names in animation—from Oscarwinning filmmakers to key executives at Disney, Netflix, Aardman, Scholastic, and beyond. Whether through panels, masterclasses, pitch sessions, or casual conversations at the festival, opportunities to connect with industry leaders and potential employers are everywhere. Many of the talented individuals who first came to Animation Dingle as students have gone on to work with some of the world’s top studios—proof that this festival is a true gateway to the animation industry.

A huge thank you to our sponsors and partners—Screen Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán, RTÉjr, Disney, the many studios and the dedicated team at Jam Media—whose support makes this festival possible and special.

So, as we embark on another incredible year of Animation Dingle, we encourage you to immerse yourself in the experience. Engage with the panels, masterclasses, and screenings, connect with fellow creatives, and most of all, take every opportunity to network, learn, and carve your path in animation!

Welcome to Animation Dingle 2025—your future starts here!

John Rice

CEO, JAM Media and Co Founder, Animation Dingle

Urraitheoir Bródúil - Animation Dingle 2025

Proud Sponsor - Animation Dingle 2025

Event Locations

All Animation Dingle events are located within walking distance of one another, however we recommend allowing for travel time between venues. Alternatively, grab our Shuttle Bus.

The Dingle Skellig Hotel

A

B

C

D

E

F

• The Main Hub - come here for the Festival Desk, Conference, Awards, Awards Reception, Awards Party, Pitch & A Pint, Sketch Trail, Games Hub and Animation Dingle Studio Fair.

Toon Boom Room

• This is located in the Dingle Skellig Hotel, beside the Conference Room. Come here for roundtables, Q&As and the start of the Animation Dingle Sketch Trail.

Breeches Room

• Come here for presentations on Saturday only

St. James Church

• Approx 15 minute walk from The Dingle Skellig Hotel

• Come here for screenings, presentations, Q&As and workshops.

WAVE Dingle

• Approx 20 minute walk from The Dingle Skellig Hotel

• Come here for screenings of shorts and features.

The Bridge House

• Approx 15 minute walk from The Dingle Skellig Hotel

• Come here for the DAM x Animation Dingle Student Quiz, and Closing Student Party.

O’Flaherty’s Bar

• Approx 10 minute walk from The Dingle Skellig Hotel

• Come here for the Animation Dingle Art Auction.

LiliMais

• Come here for making your mark on our sustainability dress

Thursday 20th

DAM at Dingle: Animation Table Quiz

From 19:30 to 22:00 at The Bridge House

The DAM at Dingle Animation Table Quiz will challenge participants’ knowledge in a range of areas. How well do you really know the films we all love. Do you know what’s written on Buzz Lightyears chest? Can you tell which character it is based on nothing but early concept sketches? Which character is famous for saying “Just smile and wave boys. Smile and wave.” If you think you’d give it a good shot, then sign up and test your knowledge with old and new friends.

DAM or Dublin Animation Meetup, is a monthly meetup for people studying, working or with a general interest in animation in Dublin. In the past we’ve done picnics, quizzes, film festivals and more. All driven by and enriched by the great community we have in Ireland. In 2025, we aim to up our game and bring even more interesting and engaging events to the animators of Ireland and we’re so excited to be here at Dingle.

Cillian Grant

Cillian Grant is a graduate of BCFE who has been working in Boulder Media since graduating nearly four years ago. DAM and its events are his passion project. He believes in its promotion of community, collaboration and the enriching nature of creativity.

Niall McNally

Niall McNally is an Irish animator, a filmmaker, and a big nerd working in both traditional and digital 2D animation. His unique skillset is now being weaponised by DAM to create questions that can truly challenge those lost in the sauce of the animation world… maybe one or two about scooby-doo as well

Schedule

Friday 21st

Dingle Skellig Hotel

09:10 Welcome - Maurice/John

09:20 YAOTY Presentation by Disney

09:30 In Conversation with Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham

10:15 Norma Foley, Minister for Children, Disability and Equality

10:30 Ink to Animation: The Comic Book Artist’s Journey to The Screen

11:15 How to Fail in Animation

12:00 Women in Animation Panel

13:00 Lunch

14:00 Maddie + Triggs: Fusing Passion with Pragmatism to Get Your Show Made

15:00 Adapting Stories for Screens – Turning Published IPs into Animated Hits

15:45 Break

16:00 The Big Pitcher

17:30 Pitch & Pint

19:00 SPREAG 2025 Launch

20:00 RTÉjr Animation Dingle Awards

22:00 - Late Awards Afterparty

WAVE Dingle

10:15

12:45

15:30

17:00 Memoir of a Snail

St James’ Church

Friday 21st

YAOTY Award

From 9:20 to 9:30, Dingle Skellig Hotel

This year YAOTY has taken a NEW turn, including 1st Year students from Third Level Colleges/ Universities from the island of Ireland. The winner of the YAOTY Award will be presented with the award by Orion Ross, Vice President, International Animation, Disney Branded Television, The Walt Disney Company at the OPENING of the FESTIVAL and to kick off the conference. The winning piece will be screened.

Friday 21st

In Conversation with Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham

From 9:30 to 10:15, Dingle Skellig Hotel

We kick off this year’s conference with two very exciting guests; Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham, co-directors of the two-time BAFTA winning film, Wallace & Gromit’s mostrecent adventure, Vengeance Most Fowl. In conversation post-Academy Awards 2025, in which Vengeance Most Fowl was nominated for Best Animated Feature, we can’t wait to discover what it takes to bring the world’s most iconic stopmotion duo to the big screen. Facilitated by Gilly Fogg.

Host: Gilly Fogg

Gilly Fogg is the Head Creative and one of the founding members of Lighthouse Studios, where she oversees the development of the studio’s original slate and directs productions such as Bug Diaries, and the BAFTAwinning El Deafo. Gilly has worked in stop-motion, CG and 2D animation. Beginning as an intern in Studio Jiri Trnka in Prague, she worked at HOT Animation in the UK, DHX Media in Canada and returned to Ireland to join Lighthouse in 2017.

Nick Park

Nick Park is a four-time Academy Award®-winner, three in the category of Best Animated Short Film - Creature Comforts, Wallace & Gromit films The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave and Best Animated Feature Film for Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the WereRabbit. All four films were created and produced at Aardman studios, in Bristol, where Nick is an executive director. Nick joined Aardman in 1985 to complete his college film A Grand Day Out and served as a director and animator on numerous projects including pop promos, title sequences and inserts for children’s television. Alongside Peter Lord, Nick co-directed the studio’s first feature film, the highly acclaimed box office hit Chicken Run.

In 2005 the first Wallace & Gromit feature film The Curse of the Were-Rabbit was released worldwide. Along with co-director Steve Box, Park picked up his fourth Academy Award®, this time for Best Animated Feature Film (2006). Wallace and Gromit’s A Matter of Loaf and Death was broadcast on BBC One on Christmas Day 2008 to a record beating 16.15M viewers.

The world of Wallace & Gromit is always in Nick’s mind, but his 2018 film featured a very different world that he wanted to share, the pre-historic world of Early Man. The latest Wallace & Gromit film, Vengeance Most Fowl directed by Nick alongside longtime collaborator, Wallace & Gromit creative director Merlin Crossingham, premiered in December 2024.

Nick is a lifetime member of BAFTA, AMPAS and ASIFA and is a patron of the Bristol based charity Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal. In 1997, Nick was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire).

Nick’s much-loved characters can be seen globally across many types of licensed merchandise, games and interactive experiences, in advertising campaigns and giant sculpts in charity trails. The common thread is that they always raise a smile.

Merlin Crossingham

BAFTA award-winning director, Merlin Crossingham joined Aardman as an Animator in 1996 having completed a degree in Film and Photography at the Newport Film School. Initially Merlin began his animation career working on Aardman commercials before taking the roles of Key Animator on the feature film Chicken Run, and Second Unit Director on Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Merlin then went on to direct the Creature Comforts USA series for CBS, for which he gained a Primetime Emmy nomination.

He has since specialised in directing Wallace & Gromit at Aardman and in 2009 took on the role of Creative Director for Wallace & Gromit where Merlin directs all aspects of the brand from merchandise and live shows to commercials, short films and interactive experiences. In 2011 Merlin won a BAFTA New Media award for Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention. Alongside his work on the Wallace & Gromit, Merlin has directed dozens of commercials for established brands such as BBC, Royal Mail, DFS, NPower, Joules, Serta and Chevron.

Merlin also directed and voiced the re-launch series of Aardman’s oldest stop motion character, Morph in 2014, the second series in October 2016 and was Series Director on a new longer format series, The Epic Adventures of Morph which launched on Sky Kids in November 2020.

Other recent credits are Animation Director on Nick Park’s 2018 feature film Early Man, Creative Director on Wallace & Gromit’s first Augmented Reality story, The Big Fix Up in 2021 and Emmy nominated XR experience The Grand Getaway in 2023. Merlin is currently directing Aardman’s latest film for winter 2024 Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl alongside Nick Park, which will be released by Netflix globally, and premiere on the BBC in the UK.

Merlin is a member of BAFTA and has spoken at numerous animation and film festivals around the world.

Friday 21st

Ink to Animation: The Comic Book Artist’s Journey to the Screen

From 10:30 to 11:15, Dingle Skellig Hotel

For animation students who love comic books and dream of becoming comic artists, this panel offers a unique opportunity to learn from industry veterans who have successfully navigated the path from ink to screen. Whether you aspire to create your own comic book IP, design characters for animation, or adapt existing stories into animated series, this discussion will provide invaluable insights into the crossover between comics and animation.

Featuring Will Sliney, Nick Roche, Stephen Mooney, Declan Shalvey, Estrela Lourenco, and Dee Stephens, this expert panel will explore how comic book storytelling translates into animation, the opportunities available in both industries, and the steps aspiring artists can take to build their careers. Panelists will share their experiences working with major studios like Marvel, DC, and Star Wars, as well as how their creator-owned projects have been adapted for animation.

Expect practical advice on breaking into the industry, developing a compelling visual style, and leveraging comic book IPs to open doors in animation. If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing your comic creations come to life on screen, this panel is a must-attend event!

Host: Will Sliney

Will Sliney is one of the most in demand comic book artists of the last 15 years over a decade with Marvel, DC, Star Wars among others. He has worked on titles such as Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Spiderverse, Scarlett Spider, Secret Wars, The Rise of Kylo Ren. Star Wars Galaxy’s edge and many more. His creator owned comic Shrouded College was optioned by Peacock / Universal, with Seth MacFarlane and Fuzzy Door producing. Will is the creator and presenter of Will Sliney’s Storytellers and Draw with Will. In the last three years, with Pioneertown Productions he has created over 100 episodes which are broadcast around the world.

Declan Shalvey

Declan Shalvey is an award winning artist/writer of comics and graphic novels from Ireland. He is best known for his acclaimed run on Moon Knight with Warren Ellis for Marvel Comics and the record-breaking Thundercats revamp for Dynamite Comics. Shalvey has worked on hit titles and characters such as Terminator, Alien, Batman, Deadpool and the groundbreaking X-Men Unlimited with Jonathan Hickman. He has also developed a number of creator owned projects such as Old Dog, Injection, Bog Bodies, Time Before Time and Savage Town, which has been optioned for an animated series by Lighthouse Studios.

Nick Roche

Nick Roche has spent the last four years on Nickelodeon’s Transformers: Earthspark as character designer (in Transformersland, that means designing robots AND vehicles) but filled most of the last two decades in the world of comic books as a writer/artist. With lots of Marvel credits to his name (including Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows; X-MEN: Unlimited), and occasional visits to 2000AD, Nick’s notoriety is mostly borne of his work on IDW’s influential Transformers comics, including the fan-favourite Wreckers-Saga, but he’s most proud of his original graphic novel Scarenthood, a horror/comedy about a gang of ghost-hunting mammies and daddies.

Steven Mooney

Stephen Mooney is the New York Times best-selling author of Half Past Danger. He has illustrated numerous comics for Marvel, DC, Image, Valiant, Dark Horse, Dynamite and every other major US publisher. Stephen has also written for series such as Star Trek, The Rocketeer, Thundercats, Bettie Page and Sheen: Queen of the Jungle, amongst others. He is currently co-writing the screenplay for the upcoming Half Past Danger animated movie.

Estrela Lourenco

Originally from Portugal, Estrela has been living in Ireland since 2009. She is a full time Children’s Book Writer and Illustrator with 14 years experience working in the Animation Industry for shows like The Amazing World of Gumball for Cartoon Network and Wander Over Yonder for Disney XD. She held various positions in the roles of Animation Director, Episodic Director and Storyboard Artist but currently working full time in the kidlit industry for clients such as Penguin Random House, Harper Collins and Henry Holt.

Dee Stevens

Dee Stevens has over 20 years experience in publishing and television. They began their career with the Full Metal Alchemist manga series before working at Brown Bag Films, Penguin Random House Children’s Books, and Scholastic Children’s Books where they published everything from Dara Ó Briain talking about space to the graphic series Star Wars: Jedi Academy. Children’s Publisher of the Year (2022) and Children’s Bookshop of the Year (2023) as co-founder of inclusive children’s publisher Knights Of – Dee is Development Producer at Tiger Aspect Kids & Family, the creative studio behind Mr. Bean, Charlie and Lola, and Super Happy Magic Forest.

Friday 21st

How to Fail in Animation

From 11:15 to 12:00 at Dingle Skellig Hotel

In this talk, JP Vine, Director of Ron’s Gone Wrong and ex-Pixar story artist, will share career insights on leading with passion, pitching your vision, and failing well enough to get better.

JP is Director of the award winning, first feature from Locksmith Animation, Ron’s Gone Wrong alongside Sarah Smith and co-director Octavio Rodriguez.

With a foundation in theatre design, JP started at Aardman in 2005, where he became a director on an Emmy and BAFTA award-winning series Shaun The Sheep. After Aardman, JP went on to Pixar where his storyboarding work was featured in the critically acclaimed Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur.

JP is currently leading the Locksmith Animation development team in several projects.

Women in Animation Panel

Join us for the sixth edition of the Women in Animation, an opportunity to continue broadening the dialogue surrounding the role of women in the animation sector, and hear a range of experiences from throughout the industry. From 12:00 to 13:00, Dingle Skellig Hotel

Host: Eleanor Coleman

Eleanor Coleman is a Paris based American who has worked for over 25 years in the European animation community. Her career began with a 15-year tenure at TF1 in France as head of in-house production and business development across all platforms for children. Since then, Eleanor works independently in animated feature film acquisitions and development with Indie Sales, where she has built an innovative prestigious lineup including the Oscar nominated film My Life as A Zucchini by Claude Barras. Her animated television work concentrates on international business development and pre-sales for the award-winning studio, Blue Spirit in France and Canada. Her clients at Blue Spirit include Netflix Adult Animation Blue Eye Samurai, WBA Gremlins the Secrets of Mogwai, Marvel CU What If?…, as well as many major European broadcasters. Eleanor is a founding member and co-vice president of the French association Les Femmes s’Animent, part of the global Women in Animation network dedicated to gender parity and conscious content production.

Image: Still from Cartoon Saloon’s Éiru, directed by Giovanna Ferrari

Dara McGarry

Dara McGarry started her career at Disney Feature Animation in 1997, and over the course of 13 years worked in a variety of departments including Production, Technology and Effects on films such as Dinosaur, Chicken Little, Tangled and Frozen. But being a bonafide anglophile, she jumped at the chance to move to London in 2010, working as an Artist Manager for DNEG VFX. A few years later, DNEG opened a Feature Animation division with Dara as the Artist Manager, helping to grow and shape the team from its nascent days of 12 people to a global team of 800. She now serves as Director of Outreach for DNEG Animation. A deep desire to support and grow the animation industry in the UK has led Dara on a quest to find and nurture young talent and ensure they have the skills and knowledge to succeed in our industry.

Karen Dufilho-Rosen

Multiple Academy, Emmy and Annie award-winning producer, executive and gatherer of creators and innovators, Karen Dufilho has been working at the intersection of story, animation and innovation for over two decades. Most recently as EP at Epic Games, Karen built an initiative for the adoption of Unreal Engine resulting in a portfolio of over 80 projects including Oscar-winning short film War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko. Prior to Epic, Karen was instrumental in introducing immersive, interactive, narrative content at Google with the award-winning platform Google Spotlight Stories resulting in various awards including an Oscar nomination and an Emmy for Outstanding Innovation in Interactive Media. Karen sits on the Editorial Board for VFX Voice and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences where she serves on the AMPAS Executive Committee.

Giovanna Ferrari

Since the early 2000’s, Giovanna has worked on several feature films across Europe as both a storyboard artist and animator. She has worked with Cartoon Saloon on a number of projects, including Song of The Sea, The Breadwinner, Wolfwalkers, and the Star Wars: Visions episode Screecher’s Reach. She was head of story and animation director on My Father’s Dragon, directed by Nora Twomey. She is currently working as the head of story on a feature film in development in the studio. Giovanna was awarded an Emile Award in 2018 for her storyboards on The Breadwinner and an Irish Animation Award in 2023 for My Father’s Dragon.

Emmanuèle Petry Sirvin

Emmanuèle Pétry-Sirvin is a veteran animation producer, co-founder and Head of International Productions at Dandeloo with over 30 years of experience in the industry. She started her career in 1990 at the animation studio and production company Nelvana and with Studio Ellipse as a joint venture with Canal+. This facilitated the creation of the cult animated series Babar, The Adventures of Tintin and Rupert Bear. During her 17 years at Nelvana she built and developed the full sales department in charge of worldwide international distribution. As Head of the European office, she worked on many co-productions: Franklin the Turtle, Maurice Sendak’s Little Bear, Redwall, Jane and the Dragon and The Never-Ending Story. She gained her first Emmy Awards, the first for the CGI series Rolie Polie Olie (Disney/France 5 co-production with Teamto) and her second for the hybrid series The Treehouse Stories. She co-created the Paris based production and distribution company Dandelooo to produce the Houdini TV special and the Stinky Dog series. Along with her business partner JB she opened the 2D animation studio Ooolala to produce the original TV special Mum is Pouring Rain (Jury Award in Annecy 2021). Now in production is the second season of Billy the Cowboy Hamster. Just delivered is the serialized series The Upside Down River.

Friday 21st

Maddie + Triggs: Fusing Passion with Pragmatism to get your show made

From 14:00 to 15:00, Dingle Skellig Hotel

Getting any show made is hard work, and getting a brand new IP commissioned in today’s climate is especially difficult. So how do we as creators find the right balance between what the industry wants, and what our creative souls need!?

Join Colm Tobin and Aidan O’Donovan, founders of writer-led creator studio Turnip + Duck, as they take you on a journey through the creation, pitching and production of Maddie + Triggs, from its audio-first podcast roots on RTÉjr Radio to a 52-episode preschool series for RTÉjr and CBeebies.

From their early days playing in bands to releasing comedy cartoons online, Colm and Aidan will explore how doing what you love combined with strategy, collaboration and a bit of good luck can help sustain a career in the animation industry.

Aidan O’Donovan

Creative Director, Turnip + Duck

Aidan O’Donovan is a writer, creator, showrunner, producer & performer; and co-founder of Turnip + Duck, an award-winning, writer-led creator studio based in Dublin, Ireland. In a past life Aidan worked as a professional musician, and today brings the skills developed in jazz performance and improvisation into the children’ s work he creates. Together with Turnip + Duck co-founder Colm Tobin, Aidan has written over 100 comedy scripts, and created multiple original shows including Maddie + Triggs, Critters TV, Atom Town, and Brain Freeze.

Colm Tobin

Managing Director, Turnip + Duck

Colm Tobin is a producer, writer and creator; and co-founder of Turnip + Duck, an award-winning creator studio based in Dublin, Ireland. With a background in law and music, Colm has worked over many years across productions from script to screen, attempting to balance creative work with figuring out finance plans. Together with Turnip + Duck co-founder Aidan O’Donovan, Colm has written over 100 comedy scripts, and created multiple original shows including Brain Freeze, Critters TV, Atom Town, and Maddie + Triggs.

Sponsored by

Friday 21st

Adapting Stories for Screens: Turning Published IPs into Animated Hits

From 15:00 to 15:45, Dingle Skellig Hotel

Join us for an insightful panel discussion on the art and strategy of creating exceptional animated TV shows and films based on existing intellectual properties (IPs) and published books. This engaging conversation will explore the exciting intersection of brand licensing, publishing, and animation, showcasing how beloved stories are successfully adapted for screens worldwide.

Featuring industry-leading participants from Scholastic, Brown Bag Films, DNEG, Magic Light Pictures, and Polygon Pictures, the panel will delve into the bigger picture of leveraging established brands for animation. Through real-world examples of global success stories, panelists will provide valuable insights into the creative and business processes behind adapting IPs, navigating partnerships, and bringing iconic narratives to life. Uncover the collaborative magic that drives IP-based animation successes.

Don’t miss this chance to explore the dynamics of brand licensing and publishing within the animation industry!

Host: Darragh O’Connell

Group Creative Director, Brown Bag Films/9 Story Media Group

Darragh O’Connell co-founded Brown Bag Films with Cathal Gaffney in 1994. Darragh produced the short film Give Up Yer Aul Sins, which was nominated for an Oscar® at the 74th Academy Awards® in 2002. He subsequently directed the TV series which went on to become one of the best-selling Irish DVD releases of all time. In 2010, Darragh was nominated for a second Academy Award® as producer of the short film ‘Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty’ and was invited to join the Academy for Motion Pictures, Arts & Sciences. Darragh’s director screen credits also include the TV series I’m An Animal (RTE), Olivia (Nickelodeon) and Octonauts (BBC), and most recently Chico Bon Bon: Monkey with a Tool Belt (Netflix). Darragh is currently Group Creative Director at Brown Bag Films and 9 Story Media Group and is responsible for the group’s creative content.

Caitlin Friedman

Caitlin Friedman, SVP & General Manager, Scholastic Entertainment, Inc. (SEI), the media division of Scholastic Inc., is an expert in children’s media with extensive experience in television, feature film, publishing, and digital content for children, families and young adults. She is responsible for developing animated and live-action TV series and feature films based on Scholastic’s extensive library of books and building global brands with broadcasters and studios across all platforms. Heading up the development efforts for the newly combined Scholastic Entertainment, 9 Story Media Group, and Brown Bag Films, Friedman oversees key properties such as Clifford The Big Red Dog®, Goosebumps® and The Magic School Bus®. She is executive producer of the animated preschool series, Eva the Owlet on Apple TV+, Paramount’s Clifford the Big Red Dog live-action hybrid feature film and the Emmy award-winning Stillwater. Working closely with director, Rob Letterman and screenwriter, Nick Stoller, Friedman helped relaunch Goosebumps® as a live-action series for Disney+ and Hulu. In addition, Friedman is working closely with a range of leading production, broadcast, and studio partners on a number of upcoming SEI projects, including Fly Guy, 39 Clues with Amblin, Animorphs, and a Magic School Bus feature film with Elizabeth Bank’s production company, Brownstone. In addition to her corporate accomplishments, Friedman is a best-selling author and speaker about the work life of women and working mothers. She co-authored the bestselling books The Girl’s Guide to Starting Your Own Business and the award-winning The Girl’s Guide to Being a Boss. The Girls Guide books have been published in more than 11 countries. She is also the author of the children’s book, How Do You Feed a Hungry Giant? and co-author of the upcoming middle grade series, The Russell Bros.

Jef Kaminsky

Jef Kaminsky currently serves as the Vice President of Creative Development and TV Production for Scholastic Entertainment, Inc. (SEI), which is the media division of Scholastic Inc. With over thirty years of experience in book-to-screen adaptations, Kaminsky has a strong background in art, design, and children’s publishing. He has played a crucial role in transforming multiple best-selling Scholastic book series into award-winning television shows for audiences around the world. As an Executive Producer, Producer, and Development Executive, Kaminsky has successfully brought beloved animated series to life, including classics like “Clifford the Big Red Dog” and “The Magic School Bus,” as well as contemporary titles such as “The Magic School Bus Rides Again,” “Stillwater,” and “Eva the Owlet.” His work has been featured on platforms such as NBC, PBS KIDS, Netflix, Amazon, and Apple TV+. In addition to his production work on internationally acclaimed animated content, Kaminsky has written and illustrated more than a dozen books for publishers including Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Scholastic Inc., and MacMillan. His editorial cartoons have appeared in The Wall Street Journal. Before joining Scholastic Entertainment, Kaminsky worked as a kindergarten teacher, animator, illustrator, book designer, and graphic designer.

Jack Liang

After starting his career in Business Development, Licensing and Legal Affairs at Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, he shifted over into International Business and Legal affairs for Konami Digital Entertainment. This shift then led Jack to move to Tokyo, Japan to work out of the Konami HQ offices.Currently, Jack Liang is an Executive Producer and VP of Int. Bus. Dev. And Licensing at ground-breaking and emmy award winning Japan based CG animation studio Polygon Pictures Inc. as well as Boardmember of its subsidiary offices Polygon Pictures Malaysia (PPM) and Polygon Studios India (PSI). Polygon Pictures, established in 1983, is one of the oldest and most recognized digital animation studios in the world. Polygon Pictures brings together over 300 creators from around the world, who devote their days to producing cutting-edge digital content such as, Tron: Uprising, and Star Wars: Resistance, Knights of Sidonia, BLAME!, Stillwater and most recently Marvel Studios Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Jack is a multi Primetime and Daytime Emmy nominee for various other series at Polygon Pictures Inc.

Crosby Clyse

Crosby Clyse is the Managing Director of DNEG Animation, overseeing its production slate and global team of artists. Crosby joined DNEG Animation in 2016 and has been integral to the division’s growth and development. As the previous Head of Production, he was instrumental in defining the pipeline and processes of the new division. Crosby has overseen the delivery of all shows to date, from Ron’s Gone Wrong, Entergalactic and Nimona, to Under the Boardwalk, That Christmas, and The Garfield Movie for which he also served as Executive Producer. Prior to DNEG, Crosby worked at Pixar on the films Onward, Finding Dory, The Good Dinosaur and Brave. Before animation, Crosby worked in New York’s theatre scene across various scenic design studios, Disney Theatrical Group, and not-for-profit theatre companies.

Martin Pope

Joint CEO and co-founder of Magic Light Pictures. The company makes imaginative entertainment for families and children worldwide, directly managing production, licensing, global distribution and marketing. Magic Light manages the Gruffalo And Friends brand based on the best-selling books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler and the associated special films, including an international merchandising programme with over 50 UK licensees and many products. The company has made Oscar nominated and Bafta & International Emmy winning films including “The Gruffalo”, “Revolting Rhymes” and feature “Chico & Rita”. Recent productions include the recent Christmas animated special “Tiddler” and International Emmy winner “Tabby McTat”, along with Children’s and Family Emmy nominated “The Velveteen Rabbit” for Apple. Projects in production include an animated special for Christmas 2025 and a 52 part series “Zog”. Martin is on the board of ACE Producers, the premier European producers training and networking organisation, and previously served as Vice-President.

Friday 21st

The Big Pitcher

From 16:00 to 17:30, Dingle Skellig Hotel

The Big Pitcher is back with six brand new hopefuls, all ready to get on stage and pitch to the crowd and a panel of experts.

Winner will get a 3 month paid internship at JAM Media and a chance to Pitch at Cartoon Springboard 2025, which will take place in Madrid.

Pongo

Created by: Shahaab Hussain College: Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands

Penny For Your Thoughts

Created by: Nkem Oguama College: IADT

Charms for Cash

Created by: Katryn Graham

College: Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands

Bait Bureau

Created by: Mariia

Kishchuk

College: Vancouver Institute of Media Arts

Grave Mistakes

Created by: Aoife Glavey College: Ballyfermot College of Further Education

by: Bobby Kelly College: IADT

Dino-Dad, Detective Extraordinaire

Created

Meet the Judges

Host: Alan Shannon

Alan is the CCO Chief Creative Officer & Co-founder of JAM Media and oversees the creative content conceived, animated and produced by the company. Alan is currently Executive Producer for ‘Nova Jones’ series 2 & 3 –20 X 24 minutes for CBBC. Other recent credits include Executive Producer on ‘Jessy & Nessy’ – 40 x 11 for Amazon Studios and Becca’s Bunch – 52 x 11 minutes for Nickelodeon US & UK. He has also directed the BAFTA® award winning series ‘Roy’ series 01 - 04 for CBBC. Other directorial credits include, ‘Little Roy’ – 52 X 14 minutes for CBBC/CBeebies. ‘Baby Jake’ 02 – 26 X 11 minute preschool animation series and ‘Tilly and Friends’ – 52 X 11 minute preschool animation series for CBeebies, along with various other series such as ‘Funky Fables’ – 26 x 11 minute, and the award winning preschool animated series ‘PICME’ – 104 x 5 minute for RTE/Nickelodeon.

Rick Clodfelter

Executive Director, Content Acquisitions and Partnerships, Disney Branded Television. Rick Clodfelter has a distinct focus on acquiring series, movies and short-form content — scripted and unscripted, live-action and animation — developed and produced by third-party providers for Disney+, Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior, with a primary focus on imaginative, aspirational stories geared towards kids, tweens, teens and families. As the Company’s chief liaison to buyers, sellers, producers, distributors and commissioners around the world, Clodfelter represents Disney Entertainment Television at major industry markets and forums, including MIPTV, MIPCOM and Kidscreen Summit, to discover trade content rights and future content trends for acquisition on a global basis. Among his team’s landmark acquisition deals for Disney Junior and Disney+ audiences, are: an original CG-animated series, “Morphle and the Magic Pets,” with Moonbug Entertainment, based on the hit short-form “My Magic Pet Morphle,” and “Bluey,” a program created by Joe Brumm with Queensland, Australia’s Ludo Studio, a co-commission by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the British Broadcasting Corporation. “Bluey,” the hit animated series for preschoolers made its premiere on Disney Junior in the United States and was released internationally on Disney+.

Suzanne Kelly

Suzanne Kelly has headed up the RTÉ Children’s division since 2018 with responsibility for all content commissioned and created across RTÉ’s video, audio and digital platforms, for RTÉjr, 0 – 6 channel and RTÉ Kids, 7 – 12’s platform. As a PSM company, the RTÉ kids’ team is dedicated to delivering top quality content and ensuring that kids are represented and given a voice. Suzanne works hand in hand with Producers from the Live action, Animation & Audio sectors to deliver stand out moments for TV audio and online; recent commissions include, drama series’ The Unreal & Louise Lives Large, Bellie & Whizz Minding Me, a series helping kids to understand and manage their emotions, animated adventures with Doodle Girl, where creativity knows no bounds & The Scavengers, set in the year 3000 following the adventures of Arrow and his family, the first humans to live on Earth for a thousand years! In our new podcast series, Our Sustainable Village, we meet kids from Dubin, as they create solutions to make their community a healthier, greener, happier place. Prior to joining RTÉ, Suzanne worked as an independent producer/director, creating & developing programme formats, script writing and producing & directing in studio and on location for linear and digital platforms.

Billy Wee

Billy Wee is a Director of Adult Animation at Netflix where he works with creators like Dan Harmon, Nick Kroll, Michael Cusack and Raphael Bob-Waksberg. Prior to joining Netflix in 2022 he spent 4 years as SVP of Comedy & Animation at HBO Max, producing acclaimed series like Scavengers Reign, Our Flag Means Death, Harley Quinn and Common Side Effects. He lives in Los Angeles.

Patricia Hidalgo

Patricia Hidalgo is Director of Children’s & Education at the BBC. She is responsible for developing and implementing creative and editorial strategies for BBC Children’s and BBC Education services across all platforms including BBC’s iPlayer, CBeebies and CBBC, with a focus on the strategic future direction of media consumption and business models, overseeing all the division’s content output including in-house productions, co-productions, and acquisitions. Patricia has a strong industry track record and is behind some of the most successful initiatives and shows in kids’ TV. Launching Ignite for the BBC, the first of its kind animation initiative in the UK, attracting over 1000 entries in the first edition and 1600 in its second year. During her tenure at Turner, where she was Chief Content Officer for its EMEA Kids business and responsible for Cartoon Network’s International content strategy, Patricia was responsible for Cartoon Network UK Studio, for the production of the multiple award-winning series The Amazing World Of Gumball, as well as the Emile-awarded and Baftanominated The Heroic Adventures Of The Valiant Prince Ivandoe. During her time at Disney, Patricia held senior roles in Spain, Italy and the UK and was responsible for Disney Channels content strategy across EMEA and the commissioning and acquisition of multimillion Kids TV franchises, like Disney Channel’s Violetta, Mediawan & Zag’s Miraculous and Hasbro’s PJ Masks amongst others . In 2017 Hidalgo was awarded World Screen’s Global Kids Trendsetter award for her outstanding contribution to the kids’ media industry.

Lucy Murphy

Lucy Murphy is Director of Kids Content for Sky UK and ROI. She joined Sky in 2015 and is responsible for the Kids content strategy, including Original commissions and Acquisitions and the Sky Kids linear channel which launched in 2023. Recent Sky Kids Originals include Moominvalley, BooSnoo!, Isadora Moon and Ready Eddie, Go! Before joining Sky, Lucy worked across distribution, creative development, script editing, writing and as a producer on animated shows including Bing, The Gruffalo and Horrid Henry.

Louise Burgess

Acquisitions & Programme Director, Milkshake! Channel 5. Louise Burgess is Acquisitions and Programme Director for Milkshake!, Channel 5’s pre-school programming block. In this role, Louise oversees all editorial elements of programme acquisitions, original commissions and shortform, from proposal stage through to channel delivery and transmission, ensuring the creative quality of programming content as a commissioning executive. Louise has worked as an Executive Producer across both animation and live action series, including The World According to Grandpa, Meet the Experts, Reu & Harper’s Wonderworld, Mimi’s World, Pop Paper City, Odo and Mixmups and is currently working across a new preschool slate including, Cooking with the Gills and Aneeshwar’s Outdoor Adventures. Prior to Milkshake!, Louise worked as Production and Development Manager at Coolabi Group, working across a range of projects including Scream Street for CBBC, the BAFTA award-winning CBeebies series, Clangers and the internationally successful Nick Jr., Milkshake! and Sprout co-production, Poppy Cat. Louise has produced numerous sessions at Children’s Media Conference, previously sat on the ScreenSkills Children’s TV Council and is currently Co-Chair for the Paramount employee resource group, Parenthood, that supports parents and carers to thrive in the workplace.

Friday 21st

Pitch & A Pint

From 17:30 to 19:00, Dingle Skellig Hotel

Our hugely popular Pitch & A Pint event returns to Animation Dingle 2025. Helping break down the barriers between students and executives, this is a real chance to have quick chats with industry experts one-on-one, pitch your ideas and receive some feedback.

Fast-paced and fun, Studios and Broadcasters will take over the bar. If you’re interested in participating, join the queue!

2K Games

Aardman Animations

Blink Industries

Boulder Media

Brown Bag Films

CBBC

Cbeebies

Cartoon Saloon

D11 Stories

DNEG Animation

Disney

Dream Logic

Elk Studios

Epic Story Media

Floyd County Productions

Gaumont Animation

Guru Studio

Jam Media

Kavaleer

Lighthouse Studios

Little Moon Animation

Locksmith Animation

Milkshake! Channel 5

Monster Entertainment

Netflix

Nickelodeon

Pioneertown Productions

Polygon Pictures

RTÉjr

Scholastic Entertainment

Sinking Ship Productions

Sky TV

Steamroller Animations

Studio Meala

Studio Rakete

TG4

Treehouse Republic

Turnip + Duck

Ulysses Filmproduktion

Westdeutscher Rundfunk

Friday 21st

SPREAG 2025 Launch

From 19:00 to 20:00, Dingle Skellig Hotel

Seolfar scéim maoiniú nua do Ghearrscannáin Anamúlachta as Gaeilge | Launch of new funding scheme for Short Irish language Animated films.

Comhfhiontar idir: TG4 Fís Éireann, Ciste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge, Scáileán Thuaisceart Éireann agus Animation Ireland Talent Academy Díreoidh an maoiniú seo ar fhorbairt Scríobhnóirí & Stiúrthóirí le Gaeilge i réimse na h-anamúlachta. Fáilteofar roimh iarratais ó scríobhnóirí & stiúrthóirí le Gaeilge ag obair i gcomhpháirt le léiritheoirí le taithí.

A joint venture between: TG4 Fís Éireann, the Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcasting Fund and Animation Ireland Talent Academy. SPREAG 2025 fund will focus on growing Irish language writing & directing talent and will welcome project applications from Irish language writers and directors working in collaboration with experienced Producers.

Reception by Dingle Distillery

Enjoy a “Dingle Donkey” from our very own award winning distillery

Friday 21st

RTÉjr Animation Dingle Awards

Awards from 20:00 to 22:00

Awards Party from 22:00 till late at Dingle Skellig Hotel

RTÉjr Animation Dingle Awards

We are delighted that RTÉjr continues as our title sponsor for The Animation Dingle Awards.

After a lengthy decision process, we are delighted to screen 137 short films in competition.

We are honoured that Animation Dingle continues to be an Academy Awards® qualifying festival.

• This means that student films selected in competition are eligible to be considered for the Student Academy Awards®

• It also means that the recipient of Animation Dingle’s Best Irish Professional Short Award is also eligible for consideration in the Animation Short Film category of the Academy Awards®

Without further ado… here are our nominees!

Awards

Hosted by

Sharon Mannion

Sharon Mannion is an Irish comedian and writer best known for her role as ‘Concepta’ in the RTE 2/UKTV hit comedy, ‘Bridget & Eamon’. She is resident host of The Comedy Cellar at the International Bar, the longest running comedy club in Ireland and is currently touring the country as support act for Deirdre O’Kane on her national tour ‘O’Kaning It’ as well as with her own solo show ‘Sharondipity’. She is a co-writer on ‘Blasts from the Past’, a historical sketch show for RTE 2, has written political satire for ‘Callan’s Kicks’ on RTE Radio 1, and recently wrapped as a writer and performer on ‘You Couldn’t Make It Up’, a topical comedy panel show for Newstalk FM. Previously, she wrote & performed alongside PJ Gallagher and Jim-Jim Nugent in the hidden camera series ‘Trojan Donkey’ for Channel 4 and she is a performer on the IMRO Award winning radio series ‘Colm O’Regan Wants A Word’ – RTE Radio 1.

She performs as a stand up at clubs and festivals all over Ireland and the UK including The Cat Laughs Comedy Festival – Kilkenny, Paddy Power Comedy Festival - Iveagh Gardens Dublin, Vodafone Comedy Carnival, Galway and more. She recently won a Writers Guild of Ireland Zebbie Best Radio Script Award for her RTE Radio 1 play ‘Stuck’, and the radio version of her highly successful one-woman comedy show ‘The Curse of the Button Accordion’ was nominated for a Celtic Media Award in 2019.

Further FILM/TV credits include ‘Bad Sisters 2’ (Merman Pictures/Apple TV) ‘Small Town Big Story (Sky TV), ‘Aisha’, ‘Michael Inside’ (Pathway Films, directed by Frank Berry), ‘Republic of Telly’, ‘Irish Pictorial Weekly’ (RTE), ‘Damo & Ivor’ (RTE), ‘Prosperity’ (RTE, directed by Lenny Abrahamson), ‘Roy’ (BBC) and more. She has also narrated two series of RTE’s ‘Don’t Tell the Bride’. She is a regular MC for corporate events. Previous clients include, Dingle Animation Awards, Skillsnet Ireland and C.R.C to name a few.

https://www.instagram.com/sharonmannioncomedy www.sharonmannioncomedy.com

Nominees

Best Irish Student Award

CUTTLEFISH

Ciara Walsh

Moncha

Freya Porrittwessman

My Sister’s Nature

Bella Quinn

Samhain

Domhnall Cotter

TurmOil

Daragh O’Shea

You’ve Got This, Allie!

Wren Petkov, Michelle Saal

Sponsored by

Best Animation Award

CUTTLEFISH

Ciara Walsh

Inner Demons

Tadhg Horgan

My Sister’s Nature

Bella Quinn

Samhain

Domhnall Cotter

You’ve Got This, Allie!

Wren Petkov, Michelle Saal

Sponsored by

Best International Student Award

Acrobats

Eloïse Alluyn, Hugo Danet, Anna Despinoy, Antonin Guerci, Alexandre Marzin, Shali Reddy

Dragfox

Lisa Ott

Jour de vent

Martin Chailloux, Ai Kim Crespin, Elise Golfouse, Chloe Lab, Hugo Taillez , Camille Truding

Le Charade

Erika Totoro

Polliwog

Julia Skala

The Shyness of Trees

Bingqing Shu, Maud Le Bras, Jiaxin Huang, Simin He, Lina Han, Loïck Du Plessis D’Argentré, Sofiia Chuikovska

Sponsored by

Best Director Award

Dragfox

Lisa Ott

Freak of Nature

Alexandra Lermer

Jour de vent

Martin Chailloux, Ai Kim Crespin, Elise Golfouse, Chloe Lab, Hugo Taillez , Camille Truding

Le Charade

Erika Totoro

The Shyness of Trees

Bingqing Shu, Maud Le Bras, Jiaxin Huang, Simin He, Lina Han, Loïck Du Plessis D’Argentré, Sofiia Chuikovska

Wild Animal

Tianyun Lyu

Sponsored by

Best Writer Award

AVA

Michelle Higgins

My Sister’s Nature

Bella Quinn

RED REVERIE

Hugo Fearon

Samhain

Domhnall Cotter

TurmOil

Daragh O’Shea

Wasting

Laura Breslin

Sponsored by

Best Stop Motion Award

Detlev

Ferdinand Ehrhardt

Dragfox

Lisa Ott

Freak of Nature

Alexandra Lermer

Humantis

Paris Baillie

Le Charade

Erika Totoro

Samhain

Domhnall Cotter

Sponsored by

Awards

Best Original Score Award

Lullaby

Olga Zhernovkova

Moncha

Freya Porrittwessman

My Sister’s Nature

Bella Quinn

Of Minds and Terrors

Simas Abrutis, Joseph Catney

You’ve Got This, Allie!

Wren Petkov, Michelle Saal

Best Design & Art Direction Award

CUTTLEFISH

Ciara Walsh

Moncha

Freya Porrittwessman

My Sister’s Nature

Bella Quinn

Samhain

Domhnall Cotter

You’ve Got This, Allie!

Wren Petkov, Michelle Saal

Sponsored by

CUTTLEFISH

Ciara Walsh

Lullaby

Olga Zhernovkova

Moncha

Freya Porrittwessman

Of Minds and Terrors

Simas Abrutis, Joseph Catney

Samhain Domhnall Cotter

Moncha Freya Porrittwessman

My Sister’s Nature

Bella Quinn

Of Minds and Terrors

Simas Abrutis, Joseph Catney

Samhain

Domhnall Cotter

TurmOil

Daragh O’Shea

You’ve Got This, Allie!

Wren Petkov, Michelle Saal

Best 2D Award

CUTTLEFISH

Ciara Walsh

Lullaby

Olga Zhernovkova

My Sister’s Nature

Bella Quinn

Moncha

Freya Porrittwessman

You’ve Got This, Allie!

Wren Petkov, Michelle Saal

Sponsored by

Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado

Natalia León

Hurikán

Jan Saska

Impossible Journey YUCA

Snow Bear

Aaron Blaise

Tennis, Oranges

Sean Pecknold

Best Sting Award

Star Collector

Daria Hres ATU

For the Kingdom

Pauric Kearney ATU

Chaotic Cookery

Noseh Okojie

IADT

Cat-Phished

Ben Hyland

BCFE

Dr. Doublehead

Destroys Dingle?

Tiarnan O’Connor

BCFE

Siopa an Bheairbóra

Karol Kordys

MTU Tralee

An Phiast’s Destruction

Naoise Ryan

Phiast Gone Fishing

Theodore Goodwin

Rival’s Passion

Matt Martinek

The Dingle Mystery

Marcin Zapedowski

The Beat of Phiast

Damien McCarthy

Sponsored by

DISTILLERY TOURS

AVAILABLE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK

This guided tour will take you through all aspects of whiskey, gin and vodka production in our independent and artisan distillery. During the tour, you will get the opportunity to sample our spirits. Valid ID required upon tour check in.

Murakami Award

村上輝明

Jimmy Murakami, 1933-2014, was one of the founding fathers of Irish animation. He was a key figure in the establishment of the thriving Irish animation industry that we know today. In 1965 he launched his own company, Murakami-Wolf Productions, with business partner Fred Wolf. Murakami settled permanently in Ireland while working on Roger Corman’s, ‘The Red Baron’ in 1971. His work in the 1986 feature, ‘When the Wind Blows’ produced some of the animator’s most acclaimed work with ‘The Snowman’ remaining an enduring children’s favourite to this day. Murakami Films opened in Dublin in 1989, with the studio producing popular television series such as ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’. Cathal Gaffney of Brown Bag Films, called Murakami “a founding father of Irish Animation”.

At Dingle International Film Festival/Animation Dingle 2013, Jimmy Murakami, received the inaugural Murakami Award for his lifetime achievement in Animation. Of the event, he said:

“I have been to hundreds of film festivals, all over the globe, for what seems to be the last hundred years, and in my opinion the Dingle Film Festival is the best among them all”.

Past recipients include: Michael Algar, Producer (2024) Steve Woods, Writer and Lecturer (2023), Eileen Bell, Senior Business Development Advisor, Enterprise Ireland (2022); Robert Cullen, Creative Director and founder of Boulder Media (2021); Nora Twomey, Co-founder and Creative Director of Cartoon Saloon (2019), Darragh O’Connell & Cathal Gaffney, founders of Brown Bag Films (2018); Aidan Hickey (2017); Don Bluth & Gary Goldman (2016); Oscar winner Richie Baneham Avatar (2015); Oscar nominated Tomm Moore, Song of the Sea (2014); Oscar nominated Jimmy T. Murakami, The Snowman (2013).

Andrew Fitzpatrick

Andrew is Chairman of Dublin-based distribution, production and brand management company, Monster Entertainment.

At Cartoon Forum 2013, Monster won the award for Distributor of the Year and it was nominated again in 2023. The company has produced TV series I’m a Fish, I’m a Creepy Crawly, Rocka-Bye Island and co-produced The Adventures of a Young Marco Polo. Monster has developed 2 animated feature films together with Pillarstone Productions and hopes to start production on the first one very soon

Andrew ran the Don Bluth companies (from 1985-1995 the largest animation studio in Europe and producers of An American Tail – which was the highest-grossing animated feature of all time, The Land Before Time, All Dogs Go to Heaven), raising over $160m in finance for its films and directing the company’s marketing and distribution activities

Before Bluth, Andrew was a Management Consultant specialising in advising international companies setting up operations in Ireland. Though he hates to admit it, Andrew is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce Degree.

Sponsored by

Animation Dingle Awards

Afterparty

The awards are out and it’s time for the party. DJ IZZEE will open the set with support later in the evening from DJs Bloodveil and RED40 to round off the first day of Animation Dingle 2025 with a bang! From 22:00 to Late, Dingle Skellig Hotel

IZZEE

An up-and-coming DJ on the Cork scene, IZZEE specialises in groovy, hard-hitting techno. Her energetic, genre-bending sets are guaranteed to keep you moving all night. After an active year of gigs and college parties, IZZEE is steadily proving herself on the Cork underground scene.

BloodVeil is a Dublin based DJ with a focus on dark, gritty techno. Blending goth culture with techno, she combines elements of EBM, industrial, and dark techno into her sets.

RED40 is Dublin-based DJ with a Korean background. Jumping across many different genres and sounds, she brings a unique blend of cultural influences to the decks that will get you moving!

BloodVeil RED40

Schedule

Saturday 22nd

Dingle Skellig Hotel

10:00 - 17:00 Animation Dingle Fair

12:00 - 13:30 Book Signing: Drawing the Line by Steve Woods

Toon Boom Room

10:30 Chinwag: YOUR SHORT: The Next Level

11:30 In Conversation with Andrew Fitzpatrick

12:00 Life Drawing with Morph, Peter Lord & Will Sliney

12:30 Kerry College Animation Sketch Trail

13:15 Cut to Perfection: The Editor’s Role in Animation

14:30 Chinwag: Gaming Next Level + Best Game Trailer Interview

15:45 Storyboard to Screen: Bringing Animatics to Life with Storyboard Pro

Breeches Room

12:00 A Slice of Life: Storytelling for Preschool Animation

13:15 Blink Industries Mixed Media Masterclass

St James’ Church

10:00 RTÉjr Animated Shorts Showcase

11:15 The Art of Stop-Motion Fabrication with Georgina Hayns

13:00 In Conversation with Patrick Dacey

14:15 Éiru Presentation & Q&A with Giovanna Ferrari and Nora Twomey

16:00 Sound Design for Animation: Building Sonic Worlds

17:30 The Eye Candy Show with Shelley Page

WAVE Dingle

11:00 Best Game Trailers

12:00 NTAA Short Film Fund Showcase

13:30 Miyu Distribution Showcase

14:30 Oscar Showcase

15:30 Family Feature: Kensuke’s Kingdom

18:00 Chicken for Linda!

O’Flaherty’s Bar

16:00 Art Auction

Dingle Bridge House

20:00 - Late Student Closing Party

Saturday 22 nd

Animation Dingle Studio Fair

From 10:00 to 17:00, Dingle Skellig Hotel

On Saturday the Dingle Skellig Hotel once again transforms into the Animation Dingle Studio Fair, a vibrant recruitment hub filled with major animation studios, Animation Ireland, The National Talent Academy for Animation, Campus France, and more!

This is an opportunity to pop in, hang around, meet the studios and learn exactly what they’re looking for.

Steve Woods Book Signing

RTÉjr Animated Shorts Showcase

From 10:00 to 11:00, St James’ Church

From Herstory to Shorts Yule Love to A Breath of Fresh Scare and a whole lot in between RTÉjr has been showcasing Irish animation talent via its animated shorts series yearly. In this showcase we will be presenting a look back at a short number of shorts, 10 to be precise, from down the years. We’ll also be screening the directorial debut from Marvel artist Will Sliney ‘Droid Academy’ which is premiering at Animation Dingle this year. This animation is from the latest series dropping on RTÉjr in June called Schools Out!

Eimear O’Mahony, Executive producer from RTÉjr will be chatting to directors Graham Holbrook from Treehouse Republic, Jessica Patterson from JAM Media and Will Sliney about the art of the animated short.

We’ll also be unveiling the brand new logo and title for RTÉjr’s animated shorts strand!

Host: Eimear O’Mahony

Executive Producer, Children’s & Young People’s Programming, RTÉ. Eimear O’Mahony has worked in RTÉ for more than 20 years. Over that time she has worked in Sport, Current Affairs, Irish Language Programmes and Entertainment. She has produced documentaries, Winning Streak, Up for The Match, Electric Picnic and the Late Late Toy Show in 2018. She joined Young Peoples Programmes in 2019 as an Executive Producer. Amongst other things, she has been Exec across RTÉjr’s animated shorts since then. Eimear founded and runs The RTÉ Women’s Network.

Will Sliney

Jess Patterson

Jess Patterson is a director and filmmaker from Dublin, Ireland, with just under 10 years experience in the animation industry in both TV animation and short film production. Her first short film ‘The Wiremen’ (2018), funded with support from Screen Ireland, won the Oscar qualifying James Horgan Award following its premiere screening at the Galway Film Fleadh 2019, and was subsequently long-listed for the 91st Academy Awards. The Wiremen proceeded to win the award for Best Animation at both the Irish Animation Awards 2019 and the Dublin Animation Film Festival 2019 before receiving its US premiere at Aspen Shortsfest later that year. Her next short film ‘The Voyage’ (2020) was produced as part of a national Covid-Relief campaign RTÉ Does Comic Relief in association with Irish musician Christy Moore, which received an IFTA nomination for Best Animated Short in 2020 and was awarded two Royal Television Society awards for Best Animation in Northern Ireland (2020) and Ireland (2021). Jess was soon-after commissioned to direct a subsequent short animated piece on British Olympic Gold Medalist Mo Farah for Comic Relief UK which was broadcast as part of BBC’s national television appeal in 2022. Having graduated with a first class honours BA and the Award for Animation from the National Film School of Ireland, Jess moved to Dingle, Co. Kerry to work with Barley Films on the development of an animated feature before joining BAFTA-winning production studio JAM Media in 2016; initially as an animator and story artist for clients including Nickelodeon, Amazon Prime and PBS America before progressing to the role of Episodic Director on live-action hybrid series Nova Jones for CBBC and the upcoming Nickelodeon series; Tim Rex in Space.

Graham Holbrook

Spending my early years escaping into cartoons led to a very strong aversion to growing up. Graham’s love for those fantastical worlds, where he learned lessons from giant cats and helped robots save the day has only grown. Today he helps create these worlds as a creative professional. He is passionate about creating stories, characters, and worlds on screen. Experienced and skilled in directing for television and commercials, Graham aims to help all projects with a strong emphasis on creative leadership and creative problem-solving.

Sponsored by

Your Short: The Next Level

From 10:30 to 11:15 at the Toon Boom Room

Level Up Your Short: Get Noticed, Get Hired!

For any animation student or recent graduate, the biggest challenge—and the most important goal—is getting your work out into the world. That’s where our Chinwag: YOUR SHORT THE NEXT LEVEL comes in! This fun and informative session is designed to give you the insider knowledge you need to take your short film to the next stage. Learn what’s expected of you, how to approach distributors, and the best ways to get your work seen on the festival circuit. Whether you’re aiming to land your dream job or make a splash with your film, this session will give you the expert insights to get noticed and get ahead!

Host: Shelley Page

Key Talent and Artistic Liaison, Locksmith Animation

Shelley Page is Artist Liaison at Locksmith Animation in London. Locksmith is currently in production on the studio’s next feature ‘Bad Fairies’. For over 25 years, Shelley has been selecting her favourite new short films for her annual ‘Eye Candy Show’, which she presents at events around the world. Shelley’s career in feature animation began with legendary animation director Richard Williams, as head of backgrounds on ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’ (1988). In 1989 she joined Steven Spielberg’s Amblimation Studio before moving to LA in 1995 to help establish DreamWorks Animation as co-head of Artist Development. Shelley has worked in many areas of feature animation development and production, including helping establish new DWA studios in India and China. Since leaving DreamWorks in 2016 , Shelley has worked with leading animation studios worldwideincluding Aardman and Netflix. Her 36+ feature film credits include: ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, The Prince Of Egypt, Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Ron’s Gone Wrong and, most recently, That Christmas. In 2019 Shelley joined Locksmith Animation in London to seek out amazing artists for the studio’s slate of feature animation projects. Locksmith Animation is currently in production on ‘Bad Fairies’. Shelley also regularly gives presentations and masterclasses at leading animation schools and festivals and conferences worldwide. One of the very best parts of her job is finding wonderful new talent on her travels!

Fabian Driehorst

Fabian Driehorst is an animation producer. He is managing director and co-founder of the Hamburg based studio Fabian&Fred. His films have been widely distributed and critically acclaimed. In 2023 he was awarded the Producer Prize for International Co-Production at Filmfest Hamburg and in 2019 he was awarded the Documentary Producer Prize at DOKfest Munich. Also in 2023, Fabian&Fred was honoured with the FFA Industry Tiger as the most successful short film production company. He is chairman of ASIFA Germany and a member of AMPAS, the European Film Academy and Deutsche Filmakademie. In 2023 he became a mentor for Women in Animation.

Karen Dufilho

Aaron Gilman

CEO Steamroller Animation

With over 25 years in the industry, Aaron has worked at all levels of animation in film, games, and TV. Aaron’s early film work at the acclaimed Tippett Studio included Matrix Revolutions, Hellboy and Constantine. His career accelerated over many years at Weta Digital (now Wētā FX), where Aaron contributed to 14 feature films, such as Avatar, The Avengers, Tintin and the Hobbit trilogy, mainly as an Animation Supervisor. Aaron joined DNEG as an Animation Director in 2016, overseeing projects such as Togo and Ghostbusters: Afterlife as he continued on to the Head of Animation role at DNEG’s Vancouver office. In 2021, Aaron joined Steamroller Animation, initially as Chief Creative Officer, then transitioning into the Chief Executive Officer role. During Aaron’s time at Steamroller, the studio has expanded its global footprint, cultivated initiatives in staff training and wellbeing, and developed strong bonds with industry partners through collaborations on a variety of high-profile projects, including Avatar 2: The Way of Water, Fortnite, Overwatch 2, Sonic 3, and Batman: Arkham Shadow. Steamroller has also built an internal pipeline to support its growing slate of original features, series, and video game IPs, excelling in real-time Production. Aaron earned a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the University of British Columbia and Honors Certificate in Character Animation from the Vancouver Film School. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Visual Effects Society. Aaron has given talks on the business and craft of animation, his philosophies on leadership, and being an entrepreneur in the industry at schools and conferences around the globe.

Carrie Schilz

Carrie Schilz is a Production Manager with close to 20 years of experience in the animation industry. After receiving her Graphic Design Diploma in Duesseldorf, she moved to Hamburg to get her qualification in animation. Her career began 2006 with traditional 2D animation features and TV series with 3D elements. After a detour to managing high-end creatives in advertising, she returned to her passion for animation and has been part of Jana Bohl’s team at Studio Rakete since 2018. Established 2005 Studio Rakete develops and realises animation projects of all kind. With features like “Niko - Beyond the Northern Lights”, “The Amazing Maurice”, “Ooops! The Adventure Continues ...” and many more, Rakete has shown to be a successful and reliable partner in the development and realisation of 3D animated features with international success. Carrie is specialised in the coordination of design and animation departments and loves being involved in the entire process of film making, from initial visualisations to the final movie on screen. Her favourite part: hearing children’s laughter in the cinema.

The Art of Stop-Motion Fabrication with Georgina Hayns

From 11:15 to 12:15 at St James’ Church

Join Georgina Hayns, one of the world’s leading puppet fabrication artists, for an in-depth look at the intricate world Behind stop-motion animation. Our festival theme is Passion this year and Georgina is certainly passionate about the craft of Stop-Motion, with over 30 years of experience working on iconic films such as Corpse Bride, Coraline, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Georgina will share her knowledge and expertise in puppet fabrication through the lens of the Characters she has created for these well known films and television shows.

In this workshop, attendees will gain insight into the full puppet fabrication process—from initial design and armature construction to the fine details of costuming and facial mechanics. Georgina will discuss the evolution of puppet-making techniques, the challenges of stopmotion fabrication, and what it takes to create expressive, durable, and performance-ready puppets for feature films.

Georgina Hayns

Director of Puppet Fabrication

Georgina Hayns has been involved in all aspects of puppet fabrication for stop-motion films for over 30 years. Her career began in the UK, working for Cosgrove Hall Films and Mackinnon & Saunders. She was Armature Supervisor on children’s television series and commercials, including BBC Television’s Noddy, HIT Entertainment’s Bob the Builder, Lipton® Brisk® Tea and Puffs Tissues commercials. She also worked on shorts including the Academy Award®-nominated Periwig Maker.Her first feature film was Warner Bros Mars Attacks! Followed by Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride. eorgina joined LAIKA in 2006 as Puppet Fabrication Supervisor and was a key contributor to all of LAIKA’s Oscar-nominated films: Coraline (2009), ParaNorman (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014) Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) and Missing Link (2019) She is currently the Director of Puppet Fabrication for ShadowMachine, most recently for the Oscar and BAFTA-winning film Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.

Saturday 22 nd

Andrew Fitzpatrick: In Conversation

From 11:30 to 12:00, Toon Boom Room

Gilly Fogg sits down with Andrew Fitzpatrick, this year’s recipient of the Murakami Award, to learn about his contributions to the Irish animation industry throughout the years.

Host: Gilly Fogg

Andrew Fitzpatrick

Andrew is Chairman of Dublin-based distribution, production and brand management company, Monster Entertainment.

Monster finances and distributes television series worldwide. Monster has sold programmes to over 200 countries. Its flagship projects include animation series Jungle Beat, which it has sold in 196 countries, The Day Henry Met which it has sold in 193 countries and Earth to Luna, sold to over 100 countries. Its catalogue also features adult animation, docs, and shorts, as well as including Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning animation. At Cartoon Forum 2013, Monster won the award for Distributor of the Year and it was nominated again in 2023. The company has produced TV series I’m a Fish, I’m a Creepy Crawly, Rocka-Bye Island and co-produced The Adventures of a Young Marco Polo. Monster has developed 2 animated feature films together with Pillarstone Productions and hopes to start production on the first one very soon Andrew ran the Don Bluth companies (from 1985-1995 the largest animation studio in Europe and producers of An American Tail – which was the highest-grossing animated feature of all time, The Land Before Time, All Dogs Go to Heaven), raising over $160m in finance for its films and directing the company’s marketing and distribution activities. Before Bluth, Andrew was a Management Consultant specialising in advising international companies setting up operations in Ireland. Though he hates to admit it, Andrew is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce Degree.

A Slice of Life: Storytelling for Preschool Animation

From 12:00 to 13:00, Breeches Room

Join Disney Jr.’s Director of Development Bryan O’Connell as he shares how an original story idea evolves into a preschool series and learn about the hallmark core elements that make Disney Jr. the place where the magic begins!

Bryan O’Connell

Director, Development Disney Jr

Bryan O’Connell oversees the creative development of multiple shows, shorts, and original specials for the Disney Jr. preschool brand, as well as working with Disney’s franchise team to expand properties into consumer products programs and live experiences. Based in LA, O’Connell reports to Kim Berglund, VP of development for Disney Jr. With ten years under his belt at Disney, O’Connell has worked in creative roles across the company, including as a senior coordinator at Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Manager of Programming for Disney Jr. Before joining the company, he was a creative coordinator at Silvergate Media, where he developed and assessed pitch materials for the prodco’s projects, and worked on the development and production of Nick Jr’s Sunny Day. Prior to that, he held a series of positions at NBCUniversal, Illumination, DreamWorks and Sesame Workshop.

Sponsored by

Life Drawing with Morph, Peter Lord and Will Sliney

From 12:00 to 12:30 at the Toon Boom Room Saturday 22 nd

Join us for a unique life drawing session hosted by Aardman Animations Creative Director & co-founder Peter Lord and Will Sliney, one of the most in demand comic book artists of the last 15 years working with Marvel, DC & Star Wars. Peter Lord’s iconic plasticine character Morph will take centre stage as model for this fun drawing session.

Peter Lord

Aardman Animations

Peter Lord is Creative Director of Aardman Animations which he co-founded in 1972 with his long-time collaborator David Sproxton. Aardman is now owned by its employees. In 1976, their breakthrough success was with the clay character Morph. As a director, Peter has been honoured with three Academy Award® nominations for Adam in 1992, for Wat’s Pig in 1996 and for his first solo feature The Pirates! Band of Misfits in 2013. Peter is Executive Producer on the studio’s most recent releases: Chicken Run, Dawn of the Nugget, and also on Vengeance Most Fowl - the new Wallace and Gromit movie directed by Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham.

Will Sliney

Saturday 22 nd

Animation Dingle Studio Fair: Book Signing

Book Signing 12:00pm to 13:30pm, Dingle Skellig Hotel

For the bookworms! The Animation Dingle Studio Fair will also host an exciting book signing.

Drawing the Line

The first book on Irish animation, ‘Drawing the Line’ charts the industries journey from its roots in James Horgan’s dancing Clock Tower in 1919 to the wide variety of creative talent working in Ireland today. Featuring many familiar faces, it’s a must-have for any animation fan.

Steve Woods

In 2023 Steve was the recipient of Dingle Animation’s Murakami Award.

Steve Woods works in animation, documentaries and dance films. In 1989 he helped set up the Galway Film Fleadh. He lectures at the National Film School at Dun Laoghaire, where he teaches experimental animation. He also occasionally writes and talks on film and animation and curates for film festivals.

Steve’s company is Cel’ Division. He specialises in short films but also is known for his installations and directing workshops. As well as producing his own work people approach him from time to time with an animated project which other producers might consider ‘left of field.’

22 nd

Kerry College Animation Sketch Trail

From 12:30 to 14:30, Dingle Skellig Hotel (Meeting Point)

The Animation Dingle Sketch Trail is always a highly-anticipated part of the Animation Dingle programme, offering an inspiring jaunt throughout Dingle Town and encouraging students and professionals alike to stretch the legs and do some drawing.

This year we will be adding a brand new stop at LiliMais on the Marina where all those taking part in the Trail will be given the opportunity to contribute to the dress being designed. LiliMais have a passion for fashion and a deep commitment to Circular Fashion and Sustainability, which we at Animation Dingle are proud to support. LiliMais are donating the dress to our Art Auction and all funds go to UNICEF Ireland.

Art Director / Development Creative

Borja has been the Art Director and Development Creative with JAM Media for over 20 years and is responsible for overseeing many aspects of the creative process: from pre-production conceptual ideas to productionready final designs. He studied Fine Arts in Valencia, Athens and Australia; and in 2004 moved to Ireland. Borja initially began working with JAM Media as a compositor on the children’s series PICME before settling into his current senior role. His Art Director and development credits for JAM Media productions include a long list of TV shows like Funky Fables, Baby Jake, Zig and Zag, Tilly and Friends, Little Roy, Jessy and Nessy, Nova Jones and Beddybyes. Today, Borja continues in his roles as Art Director, Development Creative, and Conceptual Artist with JAM Media.

Background & Concept Artist at Jam Media

Visual Development Artist (with a spark of 3D as well) focused on the animation industry as a concept artist, creator of environments, backgrounds, lighting and color key artist. Has also played roles as art director on animated shorts, as well as color key IB and lighting artist on the 2020 Oscar-nominated animated feature film, “KLAUS” from The SPA studios, and background & lighting artist on the series Netflix “The Cuphead Show!” Has worked with various clients and animation studios including, Apple TV, Netflix, Lighthouse Studios, La Madriguera Animation Studio, etc. Currently background & concept artist at JAM Media Ltd. When she is not doing art, you will find her gardening, taking photos, writing stories, meditating, walking in nature or enjoying a nice hot cup of tea. Yep! even in summer.

Sponsored by

Borja Espana

Fabiola Berton

for everyone working in the Irish Creative Sector; both at home and overseas

Our growing programme of free and conﬁdential services include:

• Short term mental health interventions provided through our counselling service, trauma and abuse counselling (up to 12 sessions).

• Counselling is available by phone, video or in person and is provided by our partner Spectrum Life.

• Mainstream advise on legal and ﬁnancial matters.

• Career Hub: Specialist mentorship Programme, workshops, masterclasses, peer tutorials, online career clinic.

• Creative sector speciﬁc advisory service.

• Creative Art Therapy (Music, Art, Dance/Movement).

• Online support forum - monthly Meet & Greet meetup for creatives & live events crew.

22 nd

In Conversation with Patrick Dacey

From 13:00 to 14:00, St James’ Church

Inside the special world of music in Bob’s Burgers (AKA Bohemian Radishy , Olive and Let Die, The Final Kraut Down, Parma Parma Parma Chameleon, Poutine on the Ritz....)

One of the most beloved and long running animated shows on television, music has and remains a hugely central character in the world of the iconic multi-award winning Disney series Bob’s Burgers. From the original end credits songs, through to characters who play instruments (some real ..some very much invented), musical songs from the feature film, and magical moments of pure sonic alchemy - music feels embedded into all aspects of the creative process. In this unmissable session, Bob’s Burgers Music Director Patrick Dacey will sit down to discuss all the ways music is used in the show and how creative music thinking fits into the production pipeline, from scripts and lyrics, design to boards, demos to cast recording, and everything in between. In conversation with Mark Gordon (Score Draw Music).

Patrick Dacey

Patrick Dacey is the Music Director for the acclaimed animated sitcom, Bob’s Burgers. Since 2017 he has been with Bento Box Entertainment, overseeing the music production and final mixing of Bob’s Burgers, Central Park, The Great North, and The Bob’s Burgers Movie. Patrick has contributed to fulfilling the musical vision on a diverse range of character driven storytelling in television and film while overseeing teams of composers, editors, and coordinators whose accomplishments include everything from recording a 50 piece orchestra, to producing well over 200 original songs, to building custom instruments like a fry basket slide guitar.

Mark Gordon

Mark Gordon is a multi award-winning composer who runs the music production company Score Draw Music, which provides original music, audio and songs for children’s TV. Current work spans content for Nickelodeon Jr, Cartoon Network, Netflix, CBBC, Channel 5, Milkshake and Sky. Score Draw are now also producing content, and their first show – a 52 part animated pre school music series called “Yukee” which Mark co-created , started airing on Cbeebies / BBC from Feb 2024 and featured guests including Wet Leg, Rivers Cuomo from Weezer, Tom Odell, Lauren Laverne, Maisie Peters and Femi and TJ from Ezra Collective. Outside of the company, Mark is a member of the Ivors Academy Media Committee Board, sits on the Screen Composers Guild of Ireland board, and also programmes Output Belfast – Ireland’s largest music conference

Sponsored by

Cut to Perfection: The Editor’s Role in Animation

From 13:15 to 14:15 at Toon Boom Room

Ever wondered how animation comes together in the edit? Join Kevin O’Brien, Head of Animation at Boulder Media, for an insider’s look at the essential, yet often unseen, role of an editor in animation.

Kevin will dive into his career journey, break down the editing process from pre-production to final cut, and reveal why ToonBoom’s Storyboard Pro is a game-changer. Plus, discover how editing for animation differs from live action—and why timing is everything.

With real examples from his work, Kevin will unpack the craft, share pro tips, and offer advice for aspiring editors looking to break into the industry.

Don’t miss this chance to learn from a top animation editor!

Kevin O’Brien

If you like transforming robots, magical ponies or secret agent mice then it could be you’ve seen some of Kevin’s editing without knowing it. With many years experience in the entertainment industry, Kevin has held a variety of roles including Editor, Series Co-Creator, VFX Editor, Post Production Supervisor and Director. For nearly a decade he has been the Head of Editing in Boulder Media, one of Ireland’s most successful animation studios. He has worked on shows for the BBC, Warner Brothers, Hasbro, Apple, Netflix, Sony, Fox and more, with genres from Preschool to Adult Primetime and everything in between. Over the years he has mentored many other professional Editors and run courses for those hoping to enter the industry.

Sponsored by

Blink Industries Mixed Media Masterclass

From 13:15 to 14:15, Breeches Room

Animators get ready to unleash your inner punk! Blink Industries, the award-winning mixed media mavericks, are landing at Animation Dingle to blow your minds and kickstart your creativity.

Blink are an Emmy-winning and BAFTA-winning and production studio based in London. Specialising in bringing an inventive, mixed-media approach to their slate of Comedy and Kids & Family broadcast projects and they love developing ideas that look and feel like no other!

In this Masterclass, Blink will introduce the studio their mixed media approach, including a discussion on the challenges and process. From there, Blink will present a case study on a recent Irish production - ‘Peter and the Wolf’

Lole

Ben Lole is an Executive Producer and Head of Animation at Blink Industries. Having previously worked in Commercials and Broadcast production at Aardman, over the past 12 years at Blink Productions, Ben has Produced a broad range of animation projects in every possible style and medium - most notably projects for John Lewis, O2, BBC One and the online series Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared. He now oversees the growth of Blink Industries animation studio and Blink’s long form content with partners such as Netflix, Disney +, Max and Channel 4.

Courtney Arumugam

Courtney Arumugam serves as Head of Development and Executive Producer, working across the animation development and production slate, where Blink have exciting projects in both Kids & Family and Adult Animation, as well as feature films and games. Blink are currently in production on The Sunnyridge 3, a mixed-media show for older kids with Disney+. Blink recently announced an exclusive first-look deal with BBC Studios, Kids & Family. Prior to joining Blink, Courtney was an Executive Producer at LEGO. She has held positions in development, production and commissioning, for companies including Mattel, Fremantle, Channel 4 and the BBC.

Ben

Éiru Presentation & Q&A with Giovanna Ferrari and Nora Twomey

From 14:15 to 15:45 at St. James Church Saturday 22 nd

Cartoon Saloon are back to present a behind-the-scenes on an exciting project, a brandnew short film, Éiru. Developed as a co-production with Herstory, it is the directorial debut of Giovanna Ferrari, an award-winning storyboard artist and animator of projects such as WolfWalkers and The Breadwinner, who most recently was Head of Story and Animation Director for My Father’s Dragon (2022). The presentation will be followed by a Q&A with Giovanna and producer Nora Twomey.

Director & Writer

Producer

Nora’s passion for visual storytelling began at an early age and has led her to explore the medium of animation with her collaborators in Cartoon Saloon in Kilkenny, Ireland. From the studio’s early years, directing award winning short films & commercials, she went on to co-direct Tomm Moore’s Academy Award-nominated The Secret of Kells while also guiding the development processes on a number of series including the preschool show Puffin Rock. She directed The Breadwinner, which was nominated for an Academy Award & Golden Globe, and won several international awards including the Best Indie Feature Annie and the Audience & Jury Awards at Annecy. Nora most recently directed My Father’s Dragon feature film, a Netflix original animated feature, inspired by the Newbery Award- winning children’s book by Ruth Stiles Gannett. She continues to collaborate with her creative partners Tomm Moore and Paul Young as a director, producer, editor, writer, production artist and voice director, depending on the needs of each production.

Sponsored by

Giovanna Ferrari

Nora Twomey

Saturday 22 nd

Gaming Next Level +

From 14:30 to 15:30, the Toon Boom Room

Gaming Next Level + will delve into the fascinating world of game trailers, exploring how top animation companies bring some of the most iconic gaming moments to life. Featuring industry experts such as Sylvain Doreau Independent Creative, François de Rosenbo, Business Development Director at Eddy, and Loïc Dulac, Animation Producer at Eddy, the panel will provide behind-the-scenes insights into the creative and technical processes involved in crafting cinematic and visually stunning game trailers.

Host: Sylvain Doreau

Sylvain is a seasoned industry veteran with 30 years of experience in games and animation. He studied Art and film and began his career in France before moving to Northern California in 1996, where he worked on Antz and Shrek at DreamWorks Animation. Later, he became a cinematics director at EA Redwood Shores, before joining ILM/Lucasfilm, where he collaborated directly with George Lucas at the Skywalker Ranch, on feature films and Emmy-winning Animated series such as Clone Wars. In 2010, Sylvain moved to Activision Publishing, leading cinematics productions for mega-franchises like Call of Duty, Destiny, Skylanders, there he worked on 20 AAA games, directing and producing hours of cinematic content. He continued directing cinematics through his own production company, Spacecargo, working with Ubisoft, Warner, and HBO Interactive. In 2018, he moved to Dublin to work with Hasbro Animation at Boulder Media. Most recently, Sylvain served as Executive Creative Director at Virtuos and Technicolor Games, before joining 2K Games in as Sr Director of Creative Development. He’s currently member of the board of directors at the IMIRT (Irish game makers association), and consulting on various games and animation projects.

Loïc Dulac François de Rosenbo

Business Development Director at Eddy

Animation Producer at Eddy

Eddy was founded in 2015 by Jean-François Bourrel and Nicolas de Rosanbo to create bold, innovative films across multiple techniques, collaborating with writers, directors, and producers from diverse creative fields.This expertise shapes everything they do, whether in films, ads or documentaries, all driven by a commitment to both technical excellence and creative freedom. Eddy is the parent company of Eddy Film and Eddy Animation, both focused on commercial film production; Eddy Cinéma, which develops short and feature films; and Eddy Story, our documentary division specializing in cultural and author-driven stories.

Storyboard to Screen: Bringing Animatics to Life with Storyboard Pro

From 15:45 to 16:45 at Toon Boom Room

Join Kevin O’Brien, Head of Editing at Boulder Media, for an engaged workshop exploring the power of animatics in animation storytelling.

Learn how Kevin crafts animatics in Storyboard Pro, transforming storyboards into dynamic, timed sequences that define the pacing, composition, and flow of an animated film.

Discover why animatics are a crucial pre-production tool, providing a blueprint for the final animation by syncing visuals with voiceovers, music, and sound.

Used by top storytellers, directors, and creatives worldwide, Storyboard Pro is an all-in-one tool that combines drawing, scripting, camera control, editing, and sound design—everything you need to bring your vision to life.

Ready to turn storyboards into cinematic magic? This workshop is for you!

Kevin O’Brien

Sponsored by

Sound Design for Animation: Building Sonic Worlds

From 16:00 to 17:15 at St James’ Church

Pa Lynch, Sound Engineer with the National Talent Academy, will lead the audience through creating the very best sound for animated works. Pa explores how Voice Over Recordings allow sound engineers and designers to begin conceiving and crafting the sonic universe that acts as the soundtrack to animated projects.

Pa Lynch

Pa is an experienced and creative audio post production engineer interested in all aspects of audio creation, design and implementation for various types of production. He has many years of experience in Music and Audio Production in the UK and Ireland, working on ‘My Buddy Cormac’, ‘Blow-Ins’, ‘FLIX’ and ‘Sir Mouse’ . He’s recently returned to education as a mature student and completed a BA in Music Technology with First Class Honours in 2022.

Saturday 22 nd

Art Auction

From 16:00 to 18:00, O’Flaherty’s Bar

Our annual Art Auction will take place in O’Flaherty’s Bar, during which our star hosts, Mark Cumberton and Alan Shannon will once again auction donated artwork and other fabulous items from this year’s guests.

Last year’s Art Auction raised €40,000 for UNICEF Ireland, and we’re honoured to donate this year’s proceeds to the charity once again. Got cash in your pocket and looking to support a great cause? Make your way down to O’Flaherty’s.

Hosted by

Chief Operations Officer & Co-founder, JAM Media

Mark Cumberton

CCO Chief Creative Officer & Co-founder, JAM Media

Alan Shannon in support of

Saturday 22 nd

Student Closing Party

From 20:00 to Late, The Bridge House

Celebrate another Fantastic Festival! This year the Animation Dingle Closing Festival Party for Students will be in the NEW venue, The Bridge House. Kicking off at 8pm on Saturday, be sure to bring your dancing shoes!

Caolan Ryan

Dj/producer Caolan Ryan from Dingle, Co.Kerry most recently played at SIAR 2025. Following on from a fantastic 2024 at Ministry of Sound, supporting JONAS BLUE, going B2B with Grammy award winning artist, FRED AGAIN. Bringing a variety of electronic dance music, from Tech House to Garage tunes inspired by artists such as Bicep, Overmono, Lawrence Hart, Tourist and George Fitzgerald.

Tuesday 18th - Sunday 23rd

ACE Animation Special

Dingle Skellig Hotel

The ACE Animation Special, held in Dingle (Ireland) between 18 and 23 March 2025, is supported by Creative Europe MEDIA, Netherlands Film Fund, and Screen Ireland and is organised in close collaboration with Animation Ireland and Animation Dingle.

The workshop is aimed at experienced producers who want to diversify their activities to include, and/or deepen their knowledge of, developing and producing long form/feature film animation production for an international audience (cinema, broadcast or streaming).

16 to 18 producers will be selected for the workshop, preferably with a long form/feature length animation project at concept stage. Focusing primarily on the creative and financial aspects of feature and longform animation production, the ACE Animation Special will offer sessions on animatic story development, international production workflows, the creative dynamics of animation production, financing strategies and international distribution. The workshop will also include one or more sessions on physical line production as well as case studies on completed animation projects. Group sessions, plenary sessions and one to one meetings will together build a workshop where producers learn from each other’s experiences and those of key industry guests.

ACE Selected Producers

Anne-Flore Aussant – Studio Marguya – Ireland

Jure Bušić – Jaka Produkcija – Croatia

Daniel Dow – DPPLR – The Netherlands

Barney Goodland – Magic Light Pictures – United Kingdom

Kjersti Greger – Klipp og Lim – Norway

Anne-Laure Guégan – Need Productions – Belgium

Anika Homolová – Krutart – Czech Republic

Robert Jaszczurowski – GS Animation / Grupa Smacznego – Poland

Maria Motovska – Maurfilm s.r.o. – Czech Republic

Anna Mroczek – Likaon/WJTeam – Poland

Marianne Ostrat – Alexandra Film – Estonia

Svitlana Soloviova – SvitloforFilm – Ukraine

Alba Sotorra – Alba Sotorra S.L. – Spain

Marica Stocchi – Rosamont – Italy

Samantha Taylor – Film & Music Entertainment Ltd. – United Kingdom

Federico Turani – IBRIDO Studio – Italy

Dagne Vildziunaite – Just A Moment – Lithuania

Al Williams, Specials Manager, ACE Producers

Isabel Allen - ACE Producers

Eleonor Coleman – Indie Sales (sessions on financing and distribution)

Giovanna Ferrari – Cartoon Saloon (sessions on storyboards and animatics)

Kristine Knudsen – Den Siste Skilling (sessions on international co-production)

Martin Pope – Magic Light Pictures (general moderation and overall knowledge of the animation industry)

Simon Quinn – Big Fat Studio (line production)

Ronan McCabe – Animation Ireland

Gerry Shirren – Cartoon Saloon (sessions on international co-production)

John Reynolds – Flip Side Media

Martin Gondre – Best Friends Forever

Jan Naszewski – New Europe Media

Marc Irmer - Producer

Screening programme

Animation Dingle are delighted to present an exciting and dynamic programme of shorts and features.

First up is our In-Competition programme - comprising over 130 short films from around the world, representing top colleges and studios from Ireland and beyond, across various themes and genres. This year, for the first time, we’re also delighted to introduce our Game Trailers programme, featuring some of the most exciting work currently being made in the industry (and many familiar titles).

Next are our out-of-competition programmes, featuring:

• Our continuing collaboration with Miyu distribution, presenting an inspiring collection of student and professional shorts.

• A screening of three of this year’s nominees for Best Animated Short at the Academy Awards®.

• The NTAA Film Fund Showcase which specially highlights the films made within NTAA’s First Credit Scheme and Short Film Fund.

• The Eye Candy Show, presented by Shelley Page. A presentation of exciting upcoming talent in the industry and “ones to watch”.

That’s not all! We’re also very excited to screen three feature films at our new venue in WAVE Dingle. Another recent Academy Awards® nominee, ‘Memoir of a Snail’; Cillian Murphy-starring ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ and award-winning French animation ‘Chicken for Linda!’.

Plenty to watch - Come on down to St James’ Church and WAVE Dingle for a break from the workshops and presentations.

Thank you to our wonderful selectors for aiding us in creating such a varied and eclectic programme this year!

Meet the Selectors

Festival Coordinator, Animation Dingle

Amy Louise O’Callaghan

Art Director and Trainee Director, Little Moon Animation

Avery Angle

Programme Director, National Talent Academy for Animation

Deirdre Barry

Animation and Game Design Degree Coordinator, BCFE

Gwen Fagan Director, JAM Media

Jessica Patterson Founder, D11 Stories

Lena Byrne Producer, JAM Media

Shauna Cullen

Creator, Animation Director, EP and Showrunner

Chris Dicker

Chief Operations Officer & Co-founder, JAM Media

Mark Cumberton

CCO Chief Creative Officer & Co-founder, JAM Media

Alan Shannon

Festival Director & Co-Founder, Animation Dingle

Maurice Galway CEO, Animation Ireland

Ronan McCabe

Independent Creative

Sylvain Doreau

Compositing Artist, Animator and Filmmaker

James Naughton

Friday 21st

International Students 1

10:00 to 11:00, St James’ Church

Acrobats

France / 2024 / 7:35

Directed by Eloïse Alluyn, Hugo Danet, Anna Despinoy, Antonin Guerci, Alexandre Marzin, Shali Reddy College: Gobelins

A girl comes back home to an oppressive living room and throws up acrobats in front of her family.

Jour de vent

France / 2024 / 06:32

Directed by Martin Chailloux, Ai Kim Crespin, Elise Golfouse, Chloe Lab, Hugo Taillez , Camille Truding College: ENSI

In a park, a family is enjoying a picnic, a businessman is working next to a grandpa playing with his dog, while two lovers are passionately kissing. The wind blows hard and disrupts their daily routine. In the air, they meet and see their lives evolve.

Dragfox

United Kingdom / 2024 / 8:10

Directed by Lisa Ott College: National Film and Television School

Sam’s search for identity gets interrupted by a mysterious neighbourhood fox. Together they embark on a magical journey to the attic to discover the surprising things they might have in common, and how to celebrate the ways in which they differ.

Le Charade

United States / 2024 / 3:20

Directed by Erika Totoro College: SCAD

A psychological comedy set in a run-down 1950’s diner. Le Charade follows the final performance of a lonely mime and the psychotic episode that ensues after his imaginary friend breaks up with him and he is forced to re-enter society.

Freak of Nature

Germany / 2024 / 8:16

Directed by Alexandra Lermer College: Nuremberg Institute of Technology

A shy and lonely creature is too scared to leave the old circus cage it once was trapped in until it finds a little seedling to care for. A story about personal growth and the process of overcoming fear.

Wild Animal

United States / 2024 / 12:35

Directed by Tianyun Lyu College: University of Southern California

In the Mongolian wilds, a hunter’s heir, With his father, a bond so rare. Kindness within, ‘midst nature’s might, A tale of love, in the wild’s wild fight.

The Shyness of Trees

France / 2024 / 8:56

Directed by Bingqing Shu, Maud Le Bras, Jiaxin Huang, Simin He, Lina Han, Loïck Du Plessis D’Argentré, Sofiia Chuikovska College: Gobelins

Hélène, 40 years old, comes to visit her aging mother in the french countryside. But her mother isn’t being her usual self. She seems to have formed a strange bond with the plants, insects, and the old oak tree at the end of her garden...

Polliwog

Germany / 2024 / 9:13

Directed by Julia Skala College: Film Academy Baden-Württemberg

On a forest home trip with her classmates, ten year old Marlene is struggling with her early pubescent, changing body. She feels ashamed of her boobs growing. Therefore, she avoids to shower with the other girls and hides her evolving body under large sweatshirts. When the other kids start making fun of an oddly developed tadpole at the forest home museum, Marlene is weirdly identifying with it and decides to set it free.

Friday 21st

International Students 2

11:15 to 12:15, St James’ Church

Well Come to the Beach

Germany / 2024 / 6:20

Directed by Pia Mingyue Sun College: Kunsthochschule Kassel

On the beach, a small sea turtle hatches from their egg and begins to make their way to the ocean. But on the way, there are many obstacles to face, including three starving seagulls. Can he survive and reach the ocean?

Detlev

Germany / 2024 / 12:50

Directed by Ferdinand Ehrhardt College: Film Academy Baden-Württemberg

A constantly freezing man in his forties drives to a lonely petrol station every evening and orders a microwaved Toast Hawaii. Detlev indulges in this in a bizarre ritual, because it’s the only thing that warms him in his daily life. But when he is observed by a stranger one night, his world begins to crumble into shameful pieces.

Courage

France / 2024 / 5:21

Margot Jacquet, Nathan Baudry, Marion Choudin, Jeanne Desplanques, Lise Delcroix, Salomé Cognon College: Supinfocom Rubika

When Anna, an Olympic athlete, finds herself behind in the race, she redoubles her efforts with the aim of winning the competition and never disappoint again. But as she pushes herself beyond her limits, she burns out. She then has to face the wave of judgment...

The Legend of Bill

United States / 2024 / 5:26

Directed by Jacob Birmingham College: Lipscomb University

When a duck challenges the track favorite in a Texas desert race, only one champion can emerge from the heat.

Raja

Germany / 2024 / 19:42

Directed by Franziska von Holst, Louisa Maria Würden College: Hochschule Mainz

Darkness haunts the young girl, Raja. Overwhelmed by the weight of her shadows, she collapses. A light appears and her journey begins. In search for the end, Raja stumbles through a wondrous in-between world. There, she finds something she thought she had lost forever.

Wormwood

France / 2024 / 09:58

Directed by Matthieu Dupille, Binlin Xie, Alexander Vanderplank, Ninon Quemener, Philémon Martin, Chenhe Liu College: Gobelins

The day the radiation disappears, Simon rushes to the heart of the zone, taking his colleague Agathe with him, in the hope of rediscovering a lost past.

Sphere Supreme

Belgium / 2024 / 5:02

Directed by Hasan Pastaci College: KASK

Follow Arama, guided by a mystical pomegranate tree, meeting a mysterious man. Along the way, Arama faces parts of himself, slowly putting together the puzzle of his identity. But before he is able to put everything together, will he manage to keep himself in one piece?

Friday 21st

Irish Students 1

12:30 to 13:30, St James’ Church

AVA

Ireland / 2024 / 2L56

Directed by Michelle Higgins College: IADT

A short film about a girl’s makeup routine suffering from low self esteem and body dysmorphia. I was influenced by my own experience with the subject and the current trend of beauty influencers in online media. This film takes inspiration from unrealistic beauty standards and the rising popularity of beauty influencers on social media.

Lullaby

Ireland / 2024 / 1:39

Directed by Olga Zhernovkova College: Pulse College

Lullaby is an animated short that shows the beauty of prenatal development and the intimacy of first sight between a mom and a newborn baby accompanied by the sound of traditional Russian lullaby.

Cuttlefish

Ireland / 2024 / 4:47

Directed by Ciara Walsh College: TUS LSAD

Naga exists in between the sea and the land, a mix of human and not. They are desperate to find a community where they finally ‘fit’. Like a cuttlefish, they constantly transform and morph themselves to mimic their peers. Yet, they can never truly connect with anyone while camouflaged. They journey to the bottom of the ocean in search of a place to fit in.

Moncha

Ireland / 2024 / 6:02

Directed by Freya Joan Magret Porritt Wessman College: TUS LSAD

‘Moncha’ offers a glimpse into the story of a remote island dweller Moncha, a simple shepherd who spends his days walking up and down the hills with his flock of sheeplike creatures. It pays an ode to rural cultures of Ireland and the north and reflects both the calms and the storms of our worlds both outside and within.

Inner Demons

Ireland / 2024 / 4:00

Directed by Tadhg Horgan College: TUS LSAD

Three creatures attempt to understand an unknown that has appeared in their midst. Each character tries to unlock the object’s secrets, leading to a chaotic series of events.

My Sister’s Nature

Ireland / 2024 / 4:00

Directed by Bella Quinn College: IADT

On a quiet farm, identical twin sisters are inseparable. When one is lured into a forest by a mysterious force, the other faces a tough decision: follow the darkness to stay with her sister or let her go.

Red Reverie

Ireland / 2024 / 11:55

Directed by Hugo Fearon College: Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School

Sasha and Gretchen try to navigate through the surreal world they find themselves in after their parents’ death. The two, very different, sisters confide in us during one morning of many; but we’re not who needs to know.

TurmOil

Ireland / 2024 / 5:26

Directed by Daragh O’Shea College: IADT

An animated docudrama following a climate activist’s reflection on the events that led to her arrest.

Samhain

Ireland / 2024 / 1:20

Directed by Domhnall Cotter College: IADT

On Samhain night, when the veil between the living and the dead is lifted, a hardened warrior is confronted by a vengeful spirit.

Wasting

Ireland / 2024 / 4:40

Directed by Laura Breslin College: ATU

A girl who is being bullied at school starts starving herself as a means to cope.

Of Minds and Terrors

Ireland / 2024 / 6:09

Directed by Simas Abrutis, Joseph Catney College: Ulster University

A Priestess leads her brainwashed cult to a ruin of a church, desecrated to worship their Deity. Here they plan to contact him, which threatens to further spread his insanity.

Stay Awake

Ireland / 2024 / 2:58

Directed by Aoife O’Byrne College: IADT

Stay Awake was inspired by a worldbuilding project I created based on my own nightmares, which I have been writing down and compiling for a number of years. It intends to encapsulate the inescapable off-putting nonsense of dream logic, and the way in which nightmares and their denizens reflect and distort the anxieties of the waking world.

You’ve got this, Allie!

Ireland / 2024 / 5:21

Directed by Wren Petkov & Michelle Saal College: IADT

An uncertain young girl takes a leap and finds herself alone in a big city, surrounded by strangers for the first time in her life. But are we ever really alone in a crowd? “You’ve got this, Allie!” is about how far we’re willing to go for others, unexpected friendships, and a cute dog.

Friday 21st

Irish Students 2

13:45 to 14:45, St James’ Church

Adopt-A-Cat

Ireland / 2024 / 5:17

Directed by Dylan Murphy College: BCFE

A lonely man finds companionship after his beloved pet cat’s death by befriending and cooking food for a raccoon that reminds him of his deceased pet.

Distorted and Disordered

Ireland / 2024 / 3:25

Directed by Xion Chong College: Coláiste Dhúlaigh

Can’t sleep... How many hours, days, months have passed by? With time escaping from their grasp, reality begins to warp with their subconsciousness. Questioning everything, they succumb to their subconsciousness and their world is consumed.

A Necessary Wish

Ireland / 2024 / 5:04

Directed by Seán Nolan College: BCFE

A trio of adventurers come to the end of the quest to have their wishes granted. But one of them isn’t quite sure what he wants still.

Die for a Pie

Ireland / 2024 / 2:14

Directed by Samira Sikder College: IADT

In a cosy cottage by the forest, there lives a little Pumpkin man. On a stormy night he goes out into his pumpkin patch to harvest a pumpkin. This shadowy figure has a deliciously sinister idea. We follow him through the dark corridor into his kitchen where he prepares to bake a pie out of the very thing that he is.

Going Nuts

Ireland / 2024 / 3:43

Directed by Colin Reddin College: Cólaiste Dhúlaigh

A squirrel is getting organised for hibernation in his beloved house built into a tree. Dusting down shelves, fixing crooked picture frames and preparing his acorn collection for later. He settles down but is awoken with a thud shaking the whole house. A lumberjack has taken an axe to his tree.

Habitual

Ireland / 2024 / 4:50

Directed by Reese Carroll College: IADT

Wake up, Work, Sleep, Repeat.

Habitual is inspired by the repetition of daily life and how it eats away at one’s sanity as time goes on.

In Every Universe

Ireland / 2024 / 0:45

Directed by Maria Elisabeth Farrell College: IADT

Two characters imagine if they were close friends in every universe.

It’s Okay

Ireland / 2024 / 2:46

Directed by Caroline Gillespie College: TUS

A short film about a moment in the lives of an elderly couple whose love persists in the face of illness.

PACKRAT

Ireland / 2024 / 2:49

Directed by Shana Brewer-Gannon College: BCFE

PACKRAT is a short student film that depicts the impacts of hoarding through the eyes and imagination of a child. It depicts how a child can feel trapped, overwhelmed, and neglected in hoarding households.

The Faceless

Ireland / 2024 / 3:51

Directed by Liam Francis Moran College: Coláiste Dhúlaigh

A man’s life is changed completely after he is conscripted into the army.

Rendezvous

Ireland / 2024 / 3:46

Directed by Lydia Stone College: TUS Athlone

In this love-letter to the hand drawn internet animation that one may have stumbled upon when browsing Newgrounds 10-15 years ago, Dave craves a peaceful night’s rest. Unfortunately the rats in his walls desire booze, tunes and violence.

Wayward

Ireland / 2024 / 4:00

Directed by Thomas David Gilpin College: Ulster University

‘Wayward’ showcases 3 unique environments as a spirit deer walks between them using portal doorways. In its presence, strange and magical effects start to happen.

Lampizan

Ireland / 2024 / 2:00

Directed by Gabija Lengvinaite College: TUS LSAD

Inspired by the Smalls Lighthouse incident off the Pembrokeshire coast in 1801, this psychological horror game follows a tragic tale of a cursed isolated island. The lighthouse keeper maintains the light. A false hope shines to those sailor souls lost at sea, crashes occur frequently, and bodies are stranded upon the shore on the beach.

Spectral Veil

Ireland / 2024 / 4:22

Directed by Fathia Sandra Olawale College: ATU Donegal

Fenyang is on a mission to investigate strange paranormal activity in Meadowville Museum, where he encounters a powerful and cunning demonic entity who threatens to invade the mortal realm. He must defeat this threat to protect humanity and the Veil..

Who Killed Cinema?

Ireland / 2024 / 14:15

Directed by Corey Talbot College: St Farnan’s Secondary School

A man has been found dead at an afterparty for an awards ceremony, all the guests are locked in and left to question if it was a death or a murder.

Irish Professionals

Friday 21st 15:00 to 16:30, St James’ Church

Another go

Ireland / 2024 / 3:41

Directed by Elisa Beli Borrelli

A young woman struggling with Borderline Personality Disorder goes about her day until something goes terribly wrong.

Colours Set

Ireland / 2024 / 3:38

Directed by Yufei Du

⁤This experimental animated music video, inspired by the experimental music of GoneClements, delves into the themes of light and self-discovery. ⁤⁤Set in a world without sunlight, our protagonist, with a blurred head, seeks definition through various light sources, mirroring the human quest to understand light.

Droid Academy***

Ireland / 2024 / 2:20

Directed by Will Sliney

A playful robot struggles to fit into her rigid school environment.

Unable to connect with her classmates, she breaks with routine and explores outside her school. She discovers the freedom & beauty of nature and learns to bring fresh creativity back into school as she tries to make it a brighter place for everyone.

Eldritch Karaoke

Ireland / 2024 / 5:00

Directed by Joe Loftus

A young woman on the road to escape her past is hit by a car and descends into a chaotic musical after-life. She must decide whether to join the song or die.

Dembaya**

Ireland / 2024 / 2:20

Directed by Borja Espana Guillot

Forced to flee their African village due to war, a young girl and her family seek refuge in Ireland. As they rebuild their lives, they discover that home is not just a place, but a feeling they create together.

Homebird**

Ireland / 2024 / 2:20

Directed by Aoife Doyle

Steo, a salt-of-the-earth seagull, and air marshall at Dublin’s busiest avian airport, has never had the desire to leave home knowing that his little wing only allows him to fly around to the shops and back and not much further, but today the touching reunions he’s witnessing on the tarmac give him an epiphany…maybe he should leave and get a real homecoming when he comes back!

This film is co-funded by Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and RTÉ under the Frameworks short film scheme.

This film was commissioned by RTÉjr for its ‘Home’ series, available to view now on the RTÉ Player.

This film was commissioned by RTÉjr for its ‘Schools Out’ series, coming this June.

Introducing Bovina Creamcracker Buttermilk

Ireland / 2024 / 4:09

Directed by John O’Connell, Joe Coveney

Liam is a lonely farmer. Everyday he works away on his farm by himself, but all of the time he is dreaming of a more glamorous life! His neighbours get a sense of his hidden desires and help him to realise his dreams by hosting a talent show in the local hall.

ReRooted*

Ireland / 2024 / 6:26

Directed by Christian Spurling, Delphine Coudray

A bored warehouse worker’s quest for an enduring legacy as an animator takes a darkly comedic turn when she signs up for an ecofriendly burial.

Mero*

Ireland / 2024 / 3:00

Directed by Jack Phelan

Mero makes her way into the city by train. It feels like this might be her first time out in some time. She ducks into her favourite café where a mug of coffee and an encounter with a kindred spirit put her at ease.

Retirement Plan*

Ireland / 2024 / 7:17

Directed by John Kelly

At apathy with his life, Ray (Domhnall Gleeson) dreams of the beauty and joy he will find in retirement.

Inside, The Valley Sings

Ireland / 2024 / 14:59

Directed by Nathan Fagan

Trapped in the never-ending horror of prolonged solitary confinement, three prisoners seek comfort and escape in the boundless vistas of their own imaginations.

Póg mo Pigeon

Ireland / 2024 / 6:48

Directed by Clíodhna Lyons

In 1970s West Cork, the piercing eyes of the Sacred Heart icon look down upon every household. Mikey escapes their gaze by spending his days in the freedom of the forest. It’s here he meets Pidgey, whose unique brand of bird-brained chaos appeals to Mikey, and the two become firm friends. There’s just one problem.

Tadhana*

Ireland / 2024 / 5:27

Directed by Deither Kirby Jay, Jessie Lopez II

In an afternoon of preparations to leave her parents’ home, Camille wanders in a mist of feelings and memories of her past, through which she finds the strength to face her future.

International Professionals 1

10:15 to 11:15, WAVE Dingle

Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado

France / 2024 / 13:31

Directed by Natalia León

Olivia, a young woman living abroad, returns to her hometown in Mexico in the hope of reconnecting with her past.

Impossible Journey

Brazil / 2024 / 5:28

Directed by YUCA

The journey of two storks on an ordinary workday reveals the urgent crisis in maternal health care in the United States. One stork has a relatively safe trip to deliver her baby, while the other faces significant dangers, risking her life; each obstacle serves as a metaphor for various forms of violence or obstetric complications.

Have I Swallowed Your Dreams

Canada / 2024 / 6:04

Directed by Clara Chan

A poetic conversation between an immigrant daughter and her mother about sacrifices and dreams.

Hurikán

Czech Republic / 2024 / 13:07

Directed by Jan Saska

Hurikán rushes out to save his favourite beer stand from closure by fetching a new keg to impress the bartender he has a crush on. In a wild Prague district, he faces robbers, cops, and his own thirst.

Snow Bear

United States / 2024 / 11:29

Directed by Aaron Blaise

Set in a rapidly changing world, “Snow Bear” tells the story of a polar bear in an unforgiving environment on his quest to find a friend.

Tennis, Oranges

United States / 2024 / 10:53

Directed by Sean Pecknold

A robotic vacuum suffering from burnout quits its job at a hospital and sets out to find community and a greater purpose on a quiet street where two lonely rabbits are stuck in perpetual loops.

Friday 21st

International Professionals 2

11:30 to 12:30, WAVE Dingle

Detours Ahead

Canada / 2024 / 7:45

Directed by Esther Cheung

A road trip traces a transition of grief to acceptance through valleys, junctions, and detours. It is a meditation on solitude, and articulates my shifting relationship with place.

Shimmer

Mexico / 2024 / 20:20

Directed by Andrés Palma

Cast away on a desolate beach, Ricardo toils tirelessly on a massive lighthouse that he believes holds the key to his rescue, neglecting his daughter whose own plans might derail her father’s dreams.

Mama Micra

Germany / 2024 / 24:00

Directed by Rebecca Blöcher

My mother led a very unorthodox life, living in palaces and under bridges. Her independence was most important for her, which in the end became her undoing. She decided to live in her tiny car for 10 years. Only when the car broke down and she was unable to walk even, we got the chance to re-connect.

Jesus 2

United States / 2024 / 7:00

Directed by Jesse Moynihan

In the future no one can die and no one wants to live anymore. Two space pirate brothers must destroy an evil messiah to break the curse of immortality and deliver Humanity to its final resting place.

International Professionals 3

From

15:30 to 16:45, WAVE Dingle

Loneliness & Laundry

United Kingdom / 2024 / 10:00

Directed by Jonny Eveson

Tabitha is lonely. Too embarrassed to accept help from loved ones, she lives in her own (slightly stinky) pit of solitude. But even the stinkiest of pits needs tackling eventually, and Tabitha’s attempt to clean her space leads to her falling into a magical world of softness –and sentient clothing.

Les belles cicatrices

France / 2024 / 15:04

Directed by Raphaël Jouzeau

Gaspard is still very much in love with Leïla. They meet in a crowded bar a month after she left him. The conversation turns awry and, as he feels tears welling up, Gaspard seeks refuge under the tablecloth, away from prying eyes and closer to his memories…

Death’s Intern

Norway / 2024 / 14:43

Directed by Peter Alan Clayborough, Magne Skagen, Audun Andreas Erikstad Løkås

In 14th century Norway, plagued by pestilence and disease, being Death isn’t exactly a walk in the park. There’s a fair bit of work to be done. How does he manage his new, rather eager intern, Konrad?

Paradise Buffet

Spain / 2024 / 8:00

Directed by Santi Amézqueta, Héctor Zafra

In a buffet restaurant, a diverse group of characters access a wide variety of exquisite delicacies without being aware of the serious sin that gluttony represents.

The View

Sweden / 2024 / 18:11

Directed by Alli Sadegiani

In 1980s Sweden, an immigrant boy embarks on a journey of self-discovery, identity and love, finding solace in video games and a secret friendship. As he navigates societal pressure, admiration for Prince, and a life-changing condition, he questions where true acceptance lies.

The Wedding Veil of the Proud Princess

United Kingdom / 2024 / 6:33

Directed by Anna-Ester Volozh

A princess’s impossible demand sparks an endless war, until a mysterious suitor emerges, claiming to be the one to satisfy her pride. Based on a story by L.M.Montgomery.

International Professionals 4

From 16:45 to 18:00, St James’

Church

Butterfly Kiss

Germany / 2024 / 10:30

Directed by Zohar Dvir

Carol panics and argues with her girlfriend Ray after an unexpected proposal. The situation gets worse when she wakes up in an apocalyptic reality and terribly discovers that Ray has transformed into a butterfly. Ray’s transformation, the invasion of the outside world into their home, and the growing tension between the two threaten their relationship.

Nemesis Battlefield

Volume 16

United States / 2024 / 6:28

Directed by Neeraj Bhattacharjee, David Cisneros, Ran Fang, Richard Musinguzi, Saurabh Vashistha

A sci-fi author’s career spirals as his oncebeloved books turn into boring sludge. Things get out of hand when his own characters rebel, mocking his storylines and demanding better plots.

Dolores

Mexico / 2024 / 8:51

Directed by Cecilia Andalón Delgadillo

Dolores is a 7 years old girl who just wants to play, runs away from a fire demon and accidentally falls into grave.

Il burattino e la balena

Italy / 2024 / 8:11

Directed by Roberto Catani

Story of a puppet, from his “birth” to the uncertain choice to follow the example of his father/creator, through discovering a humanity that scares him, and of which he will have to be part.

Gardening

United Kingdom / 2024 / 13:54

Directed by Sarah Beeby

In the aftermath of sexual assault, a woman retreats into the garden of her mind. Searching for answers and struggling to do ‘the right thing’, she realises that she must regain her voice and find new paths to healing, before she and her garden are destroyed completely.

Flower Show

Finland / 2024 / 8:31

Directed by Elli Vuorinen

Girls have been cultivated like flowers for generations. We need more growing seasons to breed new ways into the system.

Cafuné

Spain / 2024 / 8:00

Directed by Carlos F. De Vigo, Lorena Ares

Alma, a solitary refugee child, is thrust back into her traumatic past when her doll falls into the swimming pool, mirroring the shipwreck of the refugee boat where she was the lone survivor. Luna, her savior, steps in to help her overcome her trauma and rebuild her life.

Grandpa has a broken eye and mom is an adventure

Norway / 2024 / 8:13

Directed by Marita Mayer

Friday 21st

International Students 3

12:45 to 13:45, WAVE Dingle

Baggage

Australia / 2024 / 5:20

Directed by Lucy Davidson College: Aardman Academy

Three girlfriends check in their baggage at the airport, but one is carrying a little more than the others. As they travel along the conveyor belt to security, can she hide what’s inside?

Humantis

United States / 2024 / 9:13

Directed by Paris Baillie College: CalArts

Humantises are masters of deception. But can they hide from change? When one Humantis unexpectedly goes through a physical transformation, it struggles to adapt and grow into its new self.

Floaters

United Kingdom / 2024 / 5:54

Directed by Mocong Yuan College: Royal College of Art

A woman’s life has been turned upside down ever since she noticed those strange floating strings in her sight.

Lavomatrix

France / 2024 / 7:05

Directed by Matthieu Fulcheri, Simon Vernus, Mila Cottin, Martin Carvalho, Chloé Langlet, Lou-Eva Goimet College: Supinfocom Rubika

On the day of his 18th birthday, like all the other teenagers in Omnicity, LUKA 237-02 receives an odd gift inviting him to the city’s laundromat. He is finally ready to be part of the OMNI Family!

Harbor

United States / 2024 / 2:40

Directed by Sam Jackson College: SCAD

A single father raises his daughter in their coastal town. We witness their good times and growing pains intercut with the patterns of the local bird population.

My Heart Beated

China / 2024 / 7:36

Directed by Xianting Lin College: China Academy of Art

A fire came suddenly, more devastating than the calamity itself, is the apathy surrounding us, the shell of the flesh has long arranged the way of your life in the dark. If the world’s “color” is not high and noble, if every soul deserves to be respected, born like mustard, the heart must be hidden in the heart, will be blossomed. In frustration and misunderstanding.

One Day I May

United States / 2024 / 6:25

Directed by Shon Xiao College: University of Southern California

River, a young teenager, is experiencing puberty and begins to dread their future as a woman. A mayfly takes River on a journey of transformation to show them a different possibility, a different future. Maybe not now, but someday, River can break out of their chrysalis and live as their truest form.

Why Won’t Anyone Eat Me?

United Kingdom / 2024 / 4:13

Directed by Lewis Joseph Parker Macaulay College: Arts University Bournemouth

Michael, a young chef with a passion for cooking her own scabs, seeks the validation of her idol Le Grande Louche, the experimental TV chef who is seemingly the only person she thinks will accept her scab cooking.

Ronny: A Crocumentary

Canada / 2024 / 2:37

Directed by Abbey Britton Collings College: Sheridan College

A frog documents Ronny, the friendly crocodile, whose only desire is a hug. A silly story through rose-tinted glasses.

Pear Garden

Germany / 2024 / 7:04

Directed by Shadab Shayegan College: Film Academy Baden-Württemberg

Six years old Lily visits her grandmother after grandma had a mastectomy and doesn’t have breasts anymore. At night, Lily finds out that the shadow of grandma has the breasts, Lily follows her and tries to get the breasts back for her grandma.

Friday 21st

International Students 4

14:00 to 15:00, WAVE

Dingle

Above the Clouds

United States / 2024 / 2:53

Directed by Alani Sanders College: SCAD

An ambitious owlet yearns to fly above the clouds despite his shortcomings but keeps falling short, only to find that all he needed was an unexpected glide down the mountainside.

Please Listen to Me

China / 2024 / 14:45

Directed by Keyu Zhou College: China Central Academy of Arts

From the perspective and tone of youth, this article describes some gray emotions that the post-2000s generation did not embrace, as well as the spiritual state and life exploration of the youth.

Banjo Girl

Netherlands / 2024 / 5:36

Directed by Kater Becker College: MIVC, St. Joost School of Art & Design

A cozy adventure about a girl who boards a train in search of belonging.

Dare to be Fabulous

France / 2024 / 6:04

Directed by Zhen Zhou, Xinxin Qin, Carla Sampaio da Silva, Adam Meziane Philipps, Yangjia Chen, João Buosi College: Gobelins

As to prove himself to his gangster father, Alessandro decides to rob a bar. What he wouldn’t expect is to meet another side of his father: Lady Victoria the drag queen.

Sublime

France / 2024 / 8:02

Directed by Marie Heribel, Candice Yernaux, Juliette Buysschaert, Camille Leroy, Joséphine Vendeville, Martin Laurent, Lucas Foutrier College: Piktura

In a society where beauty is revered like a deity, a doll seeks to find her place.

It All Comes Down

United Kingdom / 2024 / 6:16

Directed by Meg Earls College: National Film and Television School

Three generations of women sit around a table. A granddaughter asks questions. A memory from the past resurfaces. It all comes down, no matter what.

Colourful White

China / 2024 / 4:33

Directed by Jiahao Li College: Central Saint Martins, UAL

Colourful White is an animated documentary about the life experiences of people with vitiligo.

Heartland

Canada / 2024 / 2:19

Directed by Helen Peng College: Sheridan College of Art and Design

Desperate for human touch, a middle-aged man follows the woman of his dreams through an alternate-reality hallucination.

The Song of the Sheep

France / 2024 / 7:48

Directed by Jules Marcel, Anaïs Castro de Angel, Juliette Bigo, Evan Lambert, Alex Le Ruyet, Jeanne Bigo, Anaïs Ledoux

At dawn, in the Alps, Frank wakes up drunk. There’s only one cure for the headache: a drink. But misfortune strikes! His cellar has been emptied overnight. Who could this mysterious thief be? Hervé, the talking sheep, may have the answer…

Game Trailers Showcase

Make sure to experience our curated selection of trailers from some of the best games worldwide, showcasing the artistry and innovation behind these short-form masterpieces. The screening marks the launch of the festival’s inaugural Best Trailer Award, celebrating the outstanding work of animation studios in the gaming industry.

Teamfight TacticsInkborn Fables Eddy Animation 1:42

Teamfight TacticsMagic is Brewing Eddy Animation 1:59

Valorant - Clove Eddy Animation 1:57

Saturday 22 nd

Miyu Distribution Showcase

13:30 to 14:15, WAVE Dingle

Miyu Distribution specialises in international sales and distribution of animated short films, with a particular focus on graduation films from leading animation schools and independent studios and animators.

Comprising four student films and one professional, this showcase highlights just a fraction of Miyu’s incredible slate, exhibiting unique techniques, innovative art direction and compelling storytelling.

Atomic Chicken

France / 2023 / 5:04

Directed by Thibault Ermeneux, Lucie Lyfoung, Solène Polet, Capucine Prat, Morgane Siriex, Anna Uglova College: ENSI

A chicken coop set up at the foot of a nuclear power plant sees its daily life turned upside down by a series of comic, cartoon-style mutations.

The Name

France / 2023 / 1:37

Directed by Alexander Aguilar College: Gobelins

Conflicted and alienated with his given name. A young kid struggles to live a double life in secret, fearing that coming out might tear apart his relationship with his mom.

Leap of Faith

MISSING / 2023 / 7:45

Directed by Martina Doll, Coline Reverbel, Kenzo Talma, Edgar Vernier, Lisa Vlaine, Anaïs Dos College: ENSI

Papa Bouteille

France / 2023 / 7:49

Directed by Lucie Carraz, Eleonore Deprun, Lalita Bruguiere, Clement Bretou, Pierre Étienne Mazet, Fred Marcassoli College: ENSI

We follow an 8 years old child’s daily life. From their eyes, we see their dad’s alcoholism.

The Miracle

Belgium / 2023 / 14:58

Directed by Nienke Deutz

40-year old Irma goes on a vacation to an all-inclusive resort. Soon after her arrival she realizes the place is meant for young families. Irma has to find her own place in this holiday paradise.

Sponsored by

Oscar Showcase

14:30 to 15:15, WAVE

Dingle

Each year, the Academy Awards® nominees include five stand-out shorts nominated for the award of Best Animated Short. In acknowledgement of their nomination, Animation Dingle is very excited to present three of this year’s Academy Awards®-nominated shorts in this exciting showcase. Meet the cast of an ill-fated classic children’s tv show, travel to Turkey with three lonely brothers, or revisit your first kiss with this compelling selection of shorts, all equally-worthy of an Oscar in their own right.

Beautiful Men

Belgium / 2023 / 18:35

Directed by Nicolas Keppens

Three balding brothers travel to Istanbul to get a hair transplant. Stuck with each other in a hotel far from home, their insecurities grow faster than their hair.

Wander to Wonder

Belgium / 2023 / 13:20

Directed by Nina Gantz

Mary, Billybud and Fumbleton are three miniature, human actors who perform in an eighties kids TV series called “Wander to Wonder”. After the creator of the series has died, they are left alone in the studio. With their slowly decaying costumes and growing hunger, they continue to make increasingly strange episodes for their fans.

Yuck!

France / 2024 / 13:10

Directed by Loïc Espuche

Yuck! Kissing on the mouth is disgusting. But secretly, little Léo really wants to try it...

The Eye Candy Show

From 17:30 to 19:00, St James’ Church

Shelley Page is Talent Liaison at Locksmith Animation (UK)

She sits on many international festival and graduation juries every year and, in the course of these events, she collects her personal favourites into a series of special screenings, known as ‘The Eye Candy Show’. This personal selection represents some of the brightest young talents emerging on the international animation scene as well as award-winning work from renowned independent studios and directors around the world.

Shelley’s selection is constantly evolving as she discovers wonderful new films during the year’s festivals and other events.

Shelley Page

Shelley Page is Artist Liaison at Locksmith Animation in London. Locksmith is currently in production on the studio’s next feature ‘Bad Fairies’. For over 25 years, Shelley has been selecting her favourite new short films for her annual ‘Eye Candy Show’, which she presents at events around the world. Shelley’s career in feature animation began with legendary animation director Richard Williams, as head of backgrounds on ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’ (1988). In 1989 she joined Steven Spielberg’s Amblimation Studio before moving to LA in 1995 to help establish DreamWorks Animation as co-head of Artist Development. Shelley has worked in many areas of feature animation development and production, including helping establish new DWA studios in India and China. Since leaving DreamWorks in 2016 , Shelley has worked with leading animation studios worldwideincluding Aardman and Netflix. Her 36+ feature film credits include: Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, The Prince Of Egypt, Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Ron’s Gone Wrong and, most recently, That Christmas. In 2019 Shelley joined Locksmith Animation in London to seek out amazing artists for the studio’s slate of feature animation projects.

Saturday 22 nd

NTAA Short Film Fund Showcase

From 12:00 to 13:00, WAVE

Dingle

An Lár

Ireland / 2024 / 3:45

Directed by Liam Weir

Four Dubliners head for home.

Unanimated Strangers

Ireland / 2024 / 5:00

Directed by Róisin Sinai Kelly

A young woman takes the daily commuters on a journey through her memories of a past relationship.

Little Caesar

Ireland / 2024 / 6:17

Directed by Amy Tierney

Little Caesar is a heartwarming animated film about a young lamb’s journey towards acceptance and belonging in a world that values appearances over true character.

The screening of 5 short films funded by the National Talent Academy for Animation followed by a conversation with the filmmaking teams, who will take us through their projects, their production processes and the mentorship they received throughout their filmmaking journeys.

With a focus on ‘First Credit Opportunities’, this is the NTAA’s inaugural First Credit Scheme and Short Film Fund.

The NTAA is funded by Screen Ireland and managed by Animation Ireland.

Brón

Ireland / 2024 / 3:43

Directed by Cat Mangan Williams

By a riverside, a man battling personal demons finds unexpected companionship in a curious fox.

Spooky

Ireland / 2024 / 5:23

Directed by Adeola Lawal

A young child feels disconnected from her parents and drawn into themselves and technology, until an unexpected house guest shakes up their routine.

Deirdre Barry

Deirdre Barry is Programme Director of the National Talent Academy for Animation, an initiative by Screen Ireland, managed by Animation Ireland, providing support and training opportunities to Irish-based creative talent. Deirdre has been in the industry for over 25 years. She began her career in Los Angeles and has been working in Ireland since 2001, where she has produced and executive produced on numerous animated series including Flix, Sir Mouse and the Warner Bros’ Flintstones spin off Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs.

Sponsored by

Memoir of a Snail

From 17:00 to 18:35

Screening at WAVE Dingle 94 minutes Friday 21st

Australia // 2024

Written and directed by Adam Elliot

Grace Pudel is a lonely misfit with an affinity for collecting ornamental snails and an intense love for books. At a young age, when Grace is separated from her fire-breathing twin brother Gilbert, she falls into a spiral of anxiety and angst.

Despite a continued series of hardships, inspiration and hope emerge when she strikes up an enduring friendship with an elderly eccentric woman named Pinky, who is full of grit and lust for life. From Academy Award-winning animation writer and director Adam Elliot, Memoir of a Snail is a poignant, heartfelt, hilarious chronicle of the life of an outsider finding her confidence and silver linings amongst the clutter of everyday life.

Saturday 22 nd

Family Feature: Kensuke’s Kingdom

From 15:30 to 17:00

Screening at WAVE Dingle 84 minutes

UK, Luxembourg, France, US // 2024

Directed by Neil Boyle, Kirk Hendry

Written by Frank Cottrell Boyce, Michael Morpurgo

Based on the much-loved, best-selling children’s novel by Michael Morpurgo and adapted for screen by Frank CottrellBoyce, Kensuke’s Kingdom tells the epic adventure of Michael, a young boy, shipwrecked on a remote island, who must adapt to life alone. Over time, he feels another presence, learning that this world is home to both unimaginable danger and beauty, in this gripping animated adaptation of a beloved novel.

Features the voices of Academy Award-winner Cillian Murphy, alongside Sally Hawkins, Ken Watanabe, Raffey Cassidy, and Aaron MacGregor.

Animation Dingle is thrilled to present this FREE family screening. The film is open to Pass holders BUT for nonpass holders including local families, please book your place on EVENTBRITE

Chicken for Linda!

From 18:00 to 19:30

Screening at WAVE Dingle 76 minutes

France, Italy // 2023

Written and directed by Sébastien Laudenbach, Chiara

Malta

After wrongly punishing her daughter Linda, Guilt-ridden mom Paulette promises to cool a meal of chicken and peppers. But, when a general strike closes down all the shops, Linda’s request suddenly transforms into a wild adventure, as Paulette does everything to keep her promise.

Screenings

Stings

Each year, we set students the task of pitching and animating a collection Stings featuring our festival mascot, An Phiast.

This year’s theme was ‘An Phiast’s Passion’ and the students did not disappoint! Featuring submissions from ATU, BCFE, MTU, TUS and IADT, keep your eyes peeled before our screening programmes and tune in at the Awards to discover the winner of ‘Best Sting’.

Make sure to catch your favorite sting, screening before each of our shorts and feature programmes.

Chaotic Cookery Noseh Okojie IADT

Siopa an Bheairbóra Karol Kordys MTU

Soulful Serenade Amber Hogan BCFE

Bubble Wonder Leon McKinley Duncan ATU

An Fast Conor O’Reilly BCFE

An Doirteadh Foirfe Kristen Rogers MTU

For the Kingdom Pauric Kearney ATU

An Phegas

Stephanie Byrne BCFE

Star Collector

Daria Hres

ATU

Cat-Phished

Ben Hyland

BCFE

TUS

BCFE

ATU

BCFE

Passion in Focus

Jack Massey

Phiast Food

Guy McCammon

An Phiast’s Passion for Fashion

Donna McDaid

Dr, Doublehead

Destroys Dingle?

Tiernan O’Connor

Screenings

Game Stings

Visit the Studio Fair Room on Saturday 22nd to check out our selection of Game Stings, once again featuring An Phiast.

Naoise Ryan SETU

Matt

The Beat of Phiast Damien McCarthy BCFE

Rival’s Passion

Martinek SETU

Phiast’s Destruction

The Dingle Mystery

Marcin Zapedowski BCFE

Phiast Gone Fishing

Theodore Goodwin TUS Athlone

Explore Animation - Outreach Programme for Primary Schools

From 10:30 to 12:00, Siamsa Tíre

For burgeoning artists and animation enthusiasts; Animation Dingle presents a curated selection of short animated films for young audiences. Featuring innovative films created by iconic Irish animation studios and up-and-coming artists, explore the endless possibilities the medium has to offer, including hand-drawn, CGI, and more.

The screening will be introduced by Lena Byrne, who will lead a story-building activity with the children.

Age Rec: 8+

Lena Byrne

Lena Byrne is the founder of production company D11 Stories and has been collaborating with writers for 25 years helping them get their stories to shine. She has worked on many children’s TV series including ‘Roy’ (CBBC), ‘Little Roy’ (CBeebies), ‘Becca’s Bunch’ (Nickelodeon), ‘Jessy and Nessy’ (Amazon), and ‘ShowKids’ (RTÉ).

In association with

Bookings ONLY directly via Simsa Tíre website, please go here to reserve your place.

We are happy for you to use the link to your event on our webpage also for booking.