The annual five-day event returns September 20-24; there are no entry fees, and artists worldwide are invited to submit through May 31.
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF), since 1976 one of the world’s leading animation events packed with screenings, exhibits, workshops, and entertainment, returns September 20-24. OIAF has announced that submissions are now being accepted, with the addition of an all-new Official Competition category, “13+ Teen Audiences,” replacing the longstanding “3+ Young Audiences” category.
“This year, we made a few tweaks to the competition; we’ve replaced the 3+ Young Audiences Competition with a 13+ Competition that will be judged entirely by Ottawa-area high schoolers,” said OIAF Artistic Director Chris Robinson. “We’re working to engage Ottawa-area youth in a different way. We don’t want them to just be passive viewers, we’re encouraging them to engage with the films critically and to think about what they’re watching. It’s our hope that by creating this new competition, we can build a new relationship with local schools and strengthen the support of arts and culture opportunities in the Ottawa community.”
The OIAF entry submission process runs March 1 to May 31, 2023. Entries in animated features and shorts are accepted free from animators around the world. Once received, entries are reviewed to determine if they will be selected for the Festival’s Official Competition, which is announced in July.
Visit the OIAF website for additional information on submissions.
Source: OIAF 2023
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
