Turku Animated Film Festival is a fresh international film festival celebrating creativity and the art of animation. The 9th edition of TAFF takes place in Turku, Finland, August 21-25, 2024, presenting dozens of events during five days.

TAFF seeks to promote animated film culture both in Finland and internationally. Our aim is to become one of the most important film festivals in Finland and to create a platform for encounters between filmmakers, industry delegates and local lovers of animation. We’re also interested in extending the concept of film screening and bringing together cinema and other forms of creativity as well as entertainment.

Grand Prix
Tough Eye Award
Best Professional Film
Best Student Film
Audience Award
Best Finnish Film
Taff Junior Award

Turku Animated Film Festival - TAFF

COMPETITION FOR ANIMATED SHORTS 2024

Festival dates: August 21–25, 2024

Submission deadline: March 31, 2024

The 9th Turku Animated Film Festival - TAFF (hereinafter: Festival) is a fresh international film festival that celebrates the creative mind and the art of animation.

For the International Competition, International Student Film Competition, TAFF Junior Competition and National Competition we are looking for original, bold, uncompromising & inventive animated shorts under 30 minutes to compete for Grand Prix, Best Professional Film, Best Student Film, Tough Eye award, TAFF Junior Award, Main Prize in National Competition and Audience award in International Competition. In addition, the festival programme consists of a seductive selection of carefully selected special programme screenings, workshops, discussions, exhibitions and escpecially parties.

TAFF takes place in the hometown of the renowned Turku Arts Academy. Our venue is a beautifully restored old factory milieu by the River Aura in Turku, Finland.

1 GENERAL CONDITIONS

Festival’s submissions are open to films applying all animation techniques. Over 70% of the production must be animated, and the Festival reserves the right to determine whether an entry qualifies as animation. Films should be completed after 1 January 2023. Short animated films (maximum running time 30 minutes) can be submitted to Competition for Animated Shorts in following categories:

- International Competition

- International Student Film Competition

- TAFF Junior Competition

- National Competition

Films submitted in other categories will automatically be considered for International Competition.

Submission will be open from January 2 to March 31, 2024.

There is no entry fee.

2 ELIGIBILITY

The Competition is open for short animated films with the following qualifications:

- Films should not exceed length of 30 minutes

- Films must have been completed after 1st of January 2023

- Film has not been submitted to TAFF before

- Industrial, educational or commercial films are not accepted. Also animated TV-series and their episodes are not accepted into the competition.

- Minimum 70% of the film duration must be animation

- Films must have English subtitles if they are not in English or without dialogue

- Screening copy must be submitted in a digital format

- The selection will be made on completed productions only

3 SUBMISSION

Fill in the online entry form here by March 31 2024.

The following material is needed for the submission:

- 1 still photo from the film minimum 300 dpi

- online link (download or stream) and a password in the online application form. Preview screener must be available until 30 June 2024.

4 SELECTION

Festival forms a selection jury that selects films for the competition. Preselection is made during May and June 2024 and the results will be announced in July to all participants as well as on the website www.taff.fi

5 ACCOMMODATION

Guests will be notified about accommodation availability when notified about the selection. Only one director or producer will be invited per film, even in case of co-direction. Invitations are not transferrable.

6 AWARDS AND CATEGORIES

The Festival Jury will select the winners of International competition and International Student Film Competition. Five winners will be selected. The awards will be handed to the directors of each film.

Grand Prix

Best Professional Film

Best Student Film

Tough Eye Award for extraordinary achievements

Audience Award

The National Competition Jury will select the winner of National Competition. The TAFF Junior Jury will select the winner of TAFF Junior competition.

7 SCREENING COPY

The preferred screening copy format is an HD digital file (.mov or .mp4). For other formats please contact festival (films@taff.fi) after pre-selections. Delivery either by online link, memory stick or hard drive. We prefer receiving screening copies online, so be in contact for postal submission.

The screening copy must be delivered by August 5, 2024.

8 RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Each applicant declares to be the author or rights owner of the submitted film(s) and to own all literary, dramatic and musical rights. The Festival reserves the right to use the films for strictly non-commercial or educational purposes. The Festival has the right to use all materials related to the submission as well as a film excerpt up to 10 per cent of the total length of the film that will not exceed more than 3 minutes for promotional purposes. The Festival takes responsibility for the screening copy of the film from the arrival at the festival office to its returning. In case of damage during the festival period, the Festival will reimburse only the material value of physical copies (after a presentation of the original invoice). The Festival is not responsible for copies lost in transport, unless the loss has been caused by the Festival’s doings. The Festival does not pay screening fees for the works selected for the competition programs

9 NON-SPECIFIED CASES

The festival will decide on any cases of doubt, which have not been mentioned in these regulations.

10 ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS

Participation in the Festival, and its film submission process, implies acceptance, without reservation, to the terms of the present regulations. Festival is organized by the non-profit Association Turun elokuvatapahtumat ry, Toijaistentie 15, 20900, Turku, Finland. For information, please contact: info@taff.fi

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Vlad Ilicevici

    Very friendly & efficient talks with the festival staff. It also looks amazing from the pictures. Maybe some day I'll see it in real life :) Congrats & all the best!

    September 2023
  • Fatemeh Gharavi Manjili

    I was honored and delighted to be a part of this festival! A big thank you to the team for the communication and their professionalism.

    September 2022
  • Mika Koskinen

    Wonderful, cozy festival at the most beautiful venue. Top quality screenings and Masterclasses. The most loveliest hosts and staff.

    September 2022
  • Piret Sigus

    It was wonderful and very well organised event. Great team - especially Henri whose energy may load all the batteries in 10 km radius.

    September 2022
  • kaisa penttilä

    Professional and cosy festival in a lovely spot!

    September 2021