Festival · Talks · Career Fair

Innovation & Creativity Light Up the World of Animation

9 November – 31 December 2023

The 2023 edition of SPARK ANIMATION is a hybrid event with both in-person and online events.

Online programming will be available to stream worldwide until 30 November 2023.

The Spark Computer Graphics Society welcomes audiences to participate in in-person programming taking place 9 - 12 November 2023 in Vancouver, Canada. This is a fantastic opportunity for film lovers, creatives, and industry experts to meet face-to-face.

CELEBRATE 15 YEARS OF SPARK!

For 15 years SPARK ANIMATION has been attracting top animation talent from around the world. Many of the projects recognized at the festival in the past have gone on to win Oscars and other awards, including:
• Bear Story (Academy Award winner, 2015)
• Dear Basketball (Academy Award winner, 2018)
• Bao (Academy Award winner, 2019)
• Weekends (Academy Award nominee, 2018)
• Animal Behaviour (Academy Award nominee, 2018)
• Late Afternoon (Academy Award nominee, 2018)
• Sister (Academy Award nominee, 2019)
• If Anything Happens I Love You (Academy Award nominee, 2020)
• Wolfwalkers (Academy Award nominee, 2020)
• Robin Robin (Academy Award nominee, 2021)
• Boxballet (Academy Award nominee, 2021)
• Affairs of the Art (Academy Award nominee, 2021)
• Bestia (Academy Award nominee, 2021)
• Ice Merchants (Academy Award nominee, 2023)

A series of regional, national, and international short and feature films will be programmed over a variety of events. Filmmakers and producers of festival-selected projects will receive complimentary access to all online content as well as complimentary passes to in-person film screenings and talks.

We are looking for local, national, and international animated projects including:
• Animated Feature Films
• Animated Short Films
• Animated Student Films
• Commercials (including PSAs & Self-Promotion)
• Music Videos
• Game Cinematics, Teasers & Trailers (real-time or pre-rendered)
• VFX Narrative Short Films

Accepted Styles:
• Computer Animation (2D & 3D)
• Traditional Animation
• Stop-motion Animation

OSCAR®-ACCREDITATION

In addition to our world-class jury, and our inclusive mix of styles and languages, SPARK ANIMATION is Oscar®-accredited.

The winner of the “Best in Show” prize will be eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film category of the Academy Awards® without a standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.

ABOUT SPARK COMPUTER GRAPHICS SOCIETY

The SPARK ANIMATION Conference and Festival was launched in 2008. Since its inception, the Spark Computer Graphics Society has worked diligently to promote and foster the computer graphics community year-round by holding sold-out events, attracting internationally renowned speakers, and keeping abreast of how to best serve the dynamic community of animators.

Awards & Prizes

• Best in Show
• Best Animated Feature Film
• Best Animated Short Film
• Best Animated Student Film
• Best Canadian Short Film
• Best Animated Music Video
• Best Animated Commercial
• Best Game Animation (real-time or pre-rendered)
• Best VFX Narrative Short Film
• Diversity Award
• Other prizes to be determined at judges' discretion

Rules & Terms

• Films in foreign languages must have legible English subtitles.
• Selected films will be required to submit a fact sheet. A form will be provided along with the selection notification. Failure to submit the fact sheet may result in disqualification.
• Selected films will be required to submit a high-resolution file of the project.
• To be considered for competition, projects must have theatrical premieres in British Columbia, Canada (local graduation screenings or crew screenings excluded). Projects already available online or on streaming platforms are eligible for competition.
• Projects must have festival premieres in British Columbia, Canada. Projects already available online or on streaming platforms still qualify as long as the platform is not a British Columbia, Canada-based festival.
• To be considered for competition, projects must have been completed after 1 January 2022. Older projects may still be submitted for consideration in out-of-competition programming.

All festival award-winning projects will be screened theatrically. In the case the festival is presented solely online, filmmakers will be contacted in advance of the festival.

PROGRAMMING

Films selected to SPARK ANIMATION may be selected for presentation in-person, online, or both. Programming details will be confirmed with filmmakers prior to the festival.

"BEST OF SPARK" PROGRAM

All festival-selected projects may be shown as part of a curated “Best of Spark” program. Filmmakers will be contacted in advance of any such program being finalized.

The individual or corporation submitting the project hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the project for screening (including but not limited to multiple screenings in multiple Canadian and international locations) and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations.