Fantoche 2024 is open to films applying all animation techniques, including combinations of live action and animation, lasting a maximum of forty minutes and completed after 31st December 2022.

Fantoche is Switzerland’s most prestigious animated film festival and is one of the leading events for the medium in the world. It takes place every year in September over the course of six days in the Swiss town of Baden. The festival, which benefits from broad media coverage, attracts both industry professionals and the general public – over 25,500 ticket sales were recorded in 2021 (during covid 20,000 tickets on site and 5,000 tickets online).

The diverse festival programme comprises more than 300 animated short and features films from around the world every year. The schedule is augmented by a wide range of presentations, panels, lectures and exhibitions. Each year, Fantoche holds both an international and a Swiss competition for short animated productions. Under the guidance of the curators, it addresses and explores an array of key themes and shines the spotlight on new, multimedia-based and interactive forms of animation. Fantoche maintains various partnerships with national and international cultural events and festivals, and is involved in cultural exchange throughout the year.

International Competition: Total prize fund 25'000 CHF
Swiss Competition: Total prize fund 20'000 CHF
Kids Film Competition: Total prize fund 2'000 CHF

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
In its “International Competition”, Fantoche showcases the best and most interesting new examples of animated short film production worldwide. The competition is a potent mix of contemporary animated film and illustrates the impressive diversity and power of this medium. The “International Competition”, together with the “Swiss Competition”, is the heart of the Fantoche festival.

Films using all types of animation techniques can be entered, including the combination of live action and animated film, with a maximum duration of 40 minutes. Student films, independent productions, art-film commissions and game sequences will be treated equally. Commercial advertising films are excluded from the competition.

Experimentation and tradition
The main criterion for film selection is innovation. Fantoche’s “International Competition” principally offers a forum for animated films which veer away from conventions of the genre in terms of aesthetics, content or technique, which scrutinize them skillfully or which are audacious enough to turn them on their head. It particularly welcomes projects which push the boundaries of expression of animation further, which seek to experiment and which stand apart thanks to their artistic independence.

However, Fantoche is interested, at the same time, in classical, conventional auteur films, and its selection includes animated films which offer a striking, persuasive blend of idea and implementation, and of content and form. They are deliberately juxtaposed with experimental entries. This is because Fantoche is trying to locate the friction that exists between vision and tradition, offering an insight into the creative wealth of animated film-making.

Selection and prize concept
To judge the competition projects submitted, Fantoche engages experts from all areas of film production and training, storytelling and sound design. The composition of the jury changes from year to year. The prize concept adopts the selection criteria and gives equal weight to student films and experimental competition contributions as well as the already established festival films.

An international three-person jury will select films for awards in the categories:
– Best Film: For a convincing combination of idea and implementation, content and form.
– High Risk: For visionary originality and the uncompromising exploration of the art of animation.
– New Talent: For the best film by a student or for a first film.
– Best Visual/Best Sound: For the most impressive visuals/sound design.

The public also chooses its favorite film – the Audience Award.
A total prize fund of CHF 25'000 is awarded in the International competition.

Young talent and established filmmakers
Fantoche has refined the profile and the prize categories for its “International Competition” over the years. Its preference for the unconventional, audacious and visionary means that it also offers a prominent platform to young talent and students, in particular. And Fantoche occupies a significant position within the international animated film fraternity by deliberately juxtaposing eccentric, artistic auteur films and outstanding classical works.

Fantoche launched the “Swiss Competition” in 2009 to give home-grown animators a chance to gain a prominent footing on an international festival stage. All Swiss film productions entered in the “International Competition” are automatically entered in the “Swiss Competition” too. They can be nominated simultaneously for both competitions.

Students, new talent and renowned film-makers
As for the “International Competition”, submission is open to films of all kinds of animation techniques, including combinations of live action and animation, which last a maximum of fourty minutes. Student films, independent productions, films by well-known directors and art-film commissions are given equal consideration and evaluated together. Commercial advertising films are excluded from the competition.

SWISS COMPETITION
The selection criteria for the “Swiss Competition” correspond to those of the “International Competition”: We want to see new trends, fresh talents and interesting experiments, alongside established auteur films and animation. All Swiss productions which are entered in the “International Competition” are also added to the selection for the “Swiss Competition” and can be nominated for both competitions at the same time.

Selection: Open, independent, refreshing
The entries in the “Swiss Competition” are selected by experts who are not involved in Swiss animated film production, which means that the films can be judged from outside the local scene, without bias.

Awards
An international three-person jury will select films for awards in the categories:
– Best Swiss: For a convincing combination of idea and implementation, content and form.
– High Swiss Risk: For visionary originality and the uncompromising exploration of the art of animation.
– New Swiss Talent: For the best Swiss film by a student or for a first film.
– Fantastic Swiss: For the best fantastic Swiss film.

A Swiss Jury of six young Swiss cineasts from various provinces and language regions will select the winner of the „Swiss Youth Award“.
The winner of the Swiss Audience Award will be selected by the viewers.

A total prize fund of CHF 20'000 is awarded in the Swiss competition.

The Fantoche “Swiss Competition” is the only animated film competition in the country which has an international dimension and which is judged by an international jury.

KIDS FILM COMPETITION
Every year, Fantoche screens current animated film productions for kids and young people in two programmes of short films for the age groups 4 to 7 and 8 to 12. Since 2009 the films have been judged by a children’s jury and by the younger members of the public.

The short films of the “Kids Film Competition” are chosen from the entries for the “International Competition” and for the “Swiss Competition”. The selection is always made in close consultation with the “Zauberlaterne” (The Magic Lantern), the film club for kids. The main criteria applied are that they have good, clever story lines, are packed with ideas, cover a variety of themes and exemplify different techniques.

We’re keen to know what our youngest visitors think
The films are judged by a jury of seven children aged between 6 and 12 which will award the “Best Kids” Award. These children are picked from among the members of the children’s film club. Fantoche and “Zauberlaterne” will look after them as they get together at the festival to watch, discuss and judge the films. At the official awards ceremony, they outline their impressions, explain how they reached their decision and award the prize to the winning filmmaker. The younger members of the general public also get the chance to pick their favorite film using a voting slip, and so select the “Young Audience Award”.

Kids and young people are very drawn to animation, we particularly value the opinions of our youngest visitors. The Kids Jury and the Audience Award give them a say, which also matters greatly to filmmakers.
A total prize fund of CHF 2,000 is awarded for the Kids Film Competition.

FANTOCHE 2024 – COMPETITION REGULATIONS

COMPETITION REGULATIONS 2024
1. ORGANISER
Organiser of the Fantoche International Animation Film Festival in Baden/Switzerland is the independent, non-profit association Fantoche, registered in Baden/Switzerland.

2. CRITERIA
The Competitions are open to any audiovisual animation, created frame by frame, with a maximum running time of forty minutes and completed after
31st December 2022.
Eligible for the Swiss Competition are films by Swiss filmmakers, filmmakers living in Switzerland or with Swiss producers or co-producers.

3. REGISTRATION FOR THE COMPETITION
No entry fee is required.
Films must be submitted preferably via the platform FilmFreeway (filmfreeway.com/festival/fantoche) or alternatively via Excel Submission Form (fantoche.
ch/en/call-for-entry-2024) by 12th May 2024. The registration forms should be complete upon submission, including film credits, image material, synopsis and director’s filmography.

Please note, that films with non-English dialogue must be subtitled in English.
Fantoche may take into consideration unfinished works (Work in Progress) providing they are well enough advanced to be judged and the person submitting the film guarantees to finish it by 21st July 2024. If this is the case, it must be clearly stated in
the title and at the beginning of the film that it is a Work in Progress. Please contact film@fantoche.ch if the Work in Progress copy is to be replaced by a more recent version.

4. SELECTION
Three selection committees will select the films for the International Competition, the Swiss Competition, and the Kids Film Competition according to criteria that are described on fantoche.ch. The selection committee can also consider individual works
for other parts of the festival, particularly the ‘Panorama’ or ‘Music Video Darlings’ programme (out of competition). The list of selected films will be posted on www.fantoche.ch in the beginning of July 2024.

5. NOTIFICATION AND INVITATION
The Festival will inform the person submitting the film by email if their film has been selected, at the same time requesting material necessary for the publications and screenings.
After being notified entrants have until 23rd June 2024 to withdraw from the programme. No film can be withdrawn after this date.
If a film has not been selected, Fantoche will inform the person submitting the film by email before 7th July 2024. Invitation and/or accreditation forms will be sent with the film selection notification and should be returned before 5th August 2024. Fantoche is pleased to welcome filmmakers whose work have been selected for Fantoche 2024 at the festival and provides if possible free board and accomodation for one member of the film team. In individual cases part of the travelling expenses can be reimbursed.

6. FILM COPIES
Selected films must be submitted in DCP format (24 fps, 25 fps or 30 fps, unencrypted) or as ProRes 422 HQ. 5.1 surround sound is recommended, otherwise stereo will suffice. They can be submitted on USB Keys, external hard disks or digitally by FTP, WeTransfer, etc. Selected works must be received by the Fantoche festival office in pristine projection condition by 21th July 2024 at the latest. Please contact film@fantoche.ch for further information on postal delivery.

7. SUBTITLES
Fantoche will subtitle some films presented in competition. It will bear all expenses of this operation subject to receiving the complete original time-coded text of the original dialogue and/or commentary, as well as the English translation (these documents will be requested if the film is selected for competition). Fantoche will provide the subtitles to the filmmaker free of charge.

8. SCREENING AT THE FESTIVAL
The festival has the right of multiple Cinema screenings of the selected works within the context of Fantoche 2024. The festival will not pay any film screening fees. For any online screening, Fantoche will contact the filmmaker in advance to negotiate terms and conditions.

9. COMPETITIONS, AWARDS AND JURY
International Competition: An international threeperson jury will select films for awards in the categories: Best Film (CHF 7’000), High Risk (CHF 5’000), New Talent (CHF 3’000), and Best Sound/Best Visual (CHF 3’000). The winner of the International Audience Award (CHF 7’000) will be selected by the audience. A total prize fund of CHF 25’000 is awarded in the International Competition.

Swiss Competition: An international three-person jury will select films for awards in the categories: Best Swiss (CHF 10’000), High Swiss Risk (CHF 4’000), New Swiss Talent (CHF 3’000) and Fantastic Swiss (in-kind). A Swiss jury of eight young Swiss cinephiles will select the winner of the Swiss Youth Award (in-kind). The winner of the Swiss Audience Award will be selected by the audience. The winner of the Swiss Audience Award (CHF 3’000) is also offered a screening contract with SSR (Schweizerische Radio- und Fernsehgesellschaft) online platform Play Swiss. A total prize fund of CHF 20’000 plus inkind Awards are awarded in the Swiss Competition.

Kids Film Competition: A seven-person kids’ jury selects the film for the Best Kids award. The winner of the Kids Audience Award is selected by the audience. A total prize fund of CHF 3’000 is awarded for the Kids Film Competition. The juries’ and audiences’ decisions will be announced during the awards ceremony in Baden on 08th September 2024. Every film selected for the competition programmes will receive a certificate. Further information on the individual awards can be found on www.fantoche.ch.

10. ARCHIVE
During the festival some submitted films will be made available for the press and attending filmmakers through access to or online film library (“Filmothek”) via Filmfreeway. After the festival, selected films will be deposited in the festival archive and will be made available for academic research.

11. FESTIVAL ADVERTISING
By accepting the present regulations, the entrant authorises Fantoche to reproduce and broadcast an extract or trailer of the films selected for the Festival free of charge. These extracts are limited to a maximum of ten percent of the total running time of the film. They will only be used for the promotion of the Festival in TV and web programmes, interviews and reports.

12. AFTER THE FESTIVAL
Fantoche is entitled to screen awarded films as part of its annual activities in Switzerland between September 2024 and September 2025, and shall not pay any screening fees for these activities. For any screening abroad, Fantoche will contact the filmmaker in advance to negotiate terms and conditions. Fantoche is also entitled to provide the award winning films in low-res on the Fantoche AR application (brochure plus app) for a period of one year until September 2025.

13. RIGHTS
Each entrant declares to be the author or rights owner of the submitted film and to own all literary, dramatic and musical rights guaranteeing Fantoche against any claims, conflicts and legal action concerning the presentation of the film. The information
requested, including photos, is required for electronic and paper (catalogue and programme) media linked to Fantoche. This information will also be used on the Internet and Fantoche’s database.

14. VALIDITY OF REGULATIONS
The submitter accepts these regulations by submitting a film. In case of dispute, Fantoche is granted the right of decision. Place of jurisdiction is Baden, Switzerland.

Baden, January 2024

Fantoche – International Animation Film Festival
P.O.Box CH – 5400 Baden/Switzerland
Tel: +41 56 290 14 44
mail@fantoche.ch
www.fantoche.ch

Address for courier deliveries:
Fantoche – International Animation Film Festival
Bruggerstr. 37, CH – 5400 Baden/Switzerland

In charge of programme coordination:
Xenia Nguyen, nguyen@fantoche.ch

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • The Festival was as always really well organized, people were relaxed, having a good time. The weather fit perfectly, too. Lots of people showed up at the screenings, which was wonderful.
    Thanks to the all the helpers involved!

    September 2024
  • Alistair Kerr

    I attended the festival this year and had a wonderful time it was great to be amongst many talented and creative people and we were looked after well.
    I look forward to submitting an animation next year.👍🏻😎

    September 2024
  • Lotti Bauer

    I just love it. Thank you for everything.

    September 2024
  • A top-level festival. It was a pleasure to be in your program. Keep going guys.

    September 2023
  • Gisela Chicolino

    A festival of this topic is really a necessary one. Please keep working on generating this exquisite programming for the audiences.

    September 2023