The 20th anniversary international animation festival “Big Cartoon Festival” (BCF) will be held in Moscow from October 23 to November 2, 2026. The online version of the festival will be available from November 6 to November 15 across Russia. As part of the BCF, numerous screenings, meetings with authors, lectures, and master classes will take place. From November 4 to 8, a large‑scale “Cartoon Factory” will open at the Palace of Pioneers on Sparrow Hills for everyone who wants to try their hand at animation.
The festival is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.
Co‑organizer of the festival: Soyuzmultfilm Studio
General Partner of the festival
Could we ever have imagined, when we first started the festival, that it would last twenty years — or even longer? No, back then we didn’t make any long‑term plans, and that was probably for the best. Over these years, there have been plenty of events that could have spelled the end of the BFM — but somehow, they didn’t. There was a year when a bank collapsed, taking with it all the money earmarked for the festival. Then came a time when putting together an international programme became incredibly difficult. And through all those years, we were saved by people who trusted us.
Our loyal audience, who bought tickets to see the best animation from around the world. Our beloved animators, who brought jars of homemade pickles to the opening party — even when we had no money for it. Our partners, who simply wanted the festival to go on. And our friends abroad, who kept believing in us, no matter what. We are so grateful to all of them.
Now, every year we put the festival together as if it were the last one. We do this because we want it to stay exactly as you know it: friendly, but not simplistic; able to talk about complex topics with people of all ages; with its own stance; and showing a diversity of views on the world. And as long as it’s possible, we’ll keep doing it. Twenty years — that’s the age of a grown‑up person.
The year of the double anniversary is the perfect time to showcase the continuity of traditions. Soyuzmultfilm and the Big Festival of Animated Films (BFM) are joining forces to give audiences the greatest number of discoveries. We have prepared a unique programme featuring films from the studio spanning different years — it clearly demonstrates the evolution of animation — and we have also established a special nomination within the competition. Our partnership is proof that classics and modernity can resonate in harmony, inspiring millions of viewers across Russia.
This year’s competition programme will feature hundreds of new films from countries around the world. Audiences will see festival hits and premieres, winners of major international film screenings, Russian and foreign short and feature‑length animation, a programme of the best animated documentary films, and special themed selections.
The children’s out‑of‑competition programme remains one of the BFM’s most significant initiatives. In cinemas, libraries, and cultural centres across Moscow, viewers can watch recent Russian animated films for free — they’re designed for toddlers and children of primary school age.
As always, the BFM isn’t limited to film screenings. The programme includes talks, lectures, masterclasses, parties, and exhibitions. Last year, the BFM introduced a business programme for professionals in the animation industry for the first time. The discussions focused on education, artificial intelligence, advertising, and metaverses. This year, the programme will continue and will be dedicated to new technologies and changes in the industry.
The Cartoon Factory will open again to everyone: here, anyone can try their hand at being a screenwriter, artist, animator, composer, or director. Some of those who first came to the Factory as children are now making their own films, winning awards, and returning here as authors and masterclass leaders. The Big Festival of Animated Films will traditionally take place at venues across Moscow, but the BFM also offers an online version — thanks to it, audiences throughout Russia will be able to enjoy the festival’s programmes.The Big Festival of Animated Films will traditionally take place at venues across Moscow, but the BFM also offers an online version — thanks to it, audiences throughout Russia will be able to enjoy the festival’s programmes.
The BFM is a competitive festival. Each year, from March to June, we receive over a thousand animated films from around the world for the competition programs. You can view the list of films selected for BFM 2025 here.
The award ceremony and the presentation of the Animasha prize statuette at the 20th Big Festival of Animated Films will take place on November 2, 2026, at the Ilyuzion Cinema.
International Short Film Competition
Russian National Competition
Competition for Feature‑Length Animated Films
The festival was established in 2007. The BFM emerged as a response to the demand from both the audience and the industry for an open platform to showcase contemporary animation.
The main host city is Moscow. Over the years, the festival’s programmes have also been presented in Saint Petersburg, Voronezh, Krasnoyarsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Norilsk, Kostroma, Lipetsk, and Tolyatti, as well as in several cities across Europe, North America, and Asia.
Around 400 animated films take part in the festival’s programme each year. The festival is held at over 50 venues in Moscow — from major cinemas to libraries and cultural centres in residential areas.
Each year, leading directors, artists, and producers from various countries take part in the festival’s programme. Since 2020, the festival has introduced an international competition, which is judged by jury members from different countries. The BFM is an ongoing animation ecosystem. It includes: festivals in Moscow and other cities across Russia; educational and outreach projects; an animation school; operations of an animation studio; film and online distribution of animation; its own online platform.
Over 18 years, the festival in Moscow and other host cities has built a broad and professional audience for whom the BFM is an important annual event in the cultural calendar. Throughout its existence, the festival has served as an entry point into the industry for young professionals.
For many years, the BFM has successfully carried out its educational and outreach mission by organising events for children and teenagers. Traditionally, the festival has been accompanied by an extensive charity programme for socially vulnerable groups. The festival has featured unique content that cannot be seen in cinemas or on TV. The online version has made it possible for residents of other cities to access screenings and lectures — including those in regions facing a shortage of animation‑related events and a lack of industry professionals. The festival helps build viewers’ visual literacy and supports them in choosing one of the promising careers in the field.
video about the festival
Friends, we invite media outlets, Telegram channels, and communities to collaborate with the Big Festival of Animated Films. You can send us a request for accreditation, as well as video and photo materials. We’d be happy to help you arrange interviews with the festival participants and provide comments from the programming team. Join our social media groups and come to the Festival!
PR team of the BFM: multfest@gmail.com
VK: vk.com/multfest
Telegram: t.me/multfest
Katarzhina Belkova
prmultfest@gmail.com
Victoria Malechkina
@chichiva423
Victor Fedoseev
v.fedoseev@multfest.ru
Общество c ограниченной ответственностью «Студия БФМ»
help@multfest.ru, 105082, Россия, Москва, Переведеновский пер., 18
