The AniNation animation festival marks its first decade of business at the Jerusalem Cinematheque

The AniNation animation festival celebrates its tenth anniversary with a six-day program at the Jerusalem Cinematheque from November 3-8, 2026. Artistic director Shlomi Steiner Yosef curates a diverse lineup including French satire 'Jim Queen', Japanese war drama 'Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise', and Oscar-nominated 'Letter to A Pig' by Tal Kantor. Steiner Yosef discusses budget cuts and lack of state support for Israeli animation.

The AniNation animation festival celebrates its tenth anniversary with a six-day program at the Jerusalem Cinematheque from November 3-8, 2026. Artistic director Shlomi Steiner Yosef, in his fifth year with the festival, has curated a diverse lineup spanning genres, cultures, and age groups. Highlights include the French satirical film 'Jim Queen', about a virus that turns gay men heterosexual, and 'Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise', a Japanese manga-based war drama set in WWII. The festival also features 'Decorado', a psychedelic Spanish film by Alberto Vázquez, and 'Letter to A Pig' by Tal Kantor, an Oscar nominee for Best Animated Short in 2024. Steiner Yosef discusses the challenges facing Israeli animation, including budget cuts and lack of state support compared to countries like France, which has the CNC. He notes that the cultural pie is small and that politicians do not understand animation as distinct from cinema. The article frames the festival as a milestone for Israeli cultural ventures.