It’s the small things

Dear friends, colleagues, artists, programmers, workers of the international animation film community; dear animation fans, the day has come:

Through this press release we inform you that, after 8 editions, the Bilbao International Animation Community Film Festival – ANIMAKOM FEST has reached the end of its journey. As in cinema, every great story must come to an end, and the story of Animakom, although shorter than that of other festivals, has given us more joys than we ever dreamed of when we started in 2017.

A story of joy and resilience

Each edition was a challenge. As a small festival, we faced countless difficulties, but managed to overcome them, year after year. We even survived a pandemic. Thanks to you, we now look back on all the work not as a sacrifice, but as a shared act of love — because you made it all worthwhile.

ANIMAKOM was born with a deep commitment to the artists — to each of you who make up this extraordinary animation community. It has been an honor to gather in Bilbao to celebrate your work, and more importantly, your friendships and your lives.

Legacy and hope

We leave with hearts full of stories and unforgettable moments, of faces — new and familiar — that have passed through our city. We are proud to have been a platform for emerging talents, especially those who had been working in isolation, to find community, recognition, and joy.

We hope this spark we helped ignite will keep glowing. May new festivals rise. We encourage public institutions and sponsors to support them. Small things are also worthwhile. Or, perhaps, it’s the small things that are truly worth it.

See you down the road

We’ll meet again, friends — in a corner of the world where our shared passion for animation will bring us together once more. That place may not be Bilbao anymore, but it will surely be magical in your company.

Farewell, Animakom.
Let’s keep it rolling.