Annecy International Film Festival’s Mifa (International Animation Film Market) has opened its doors to video gaming and given an additional boost to immersive content, with a new and dedicated space. Mifa will be held from 11 to 14 June 2024 on an area of over 11,000 m².
Mifa will comprise more than 160 events, 190 stands in the Exhibition Area and something new: creation of the XR&Games Area. This year Mifa will encompass 22 Pitch sessions, 12 conferences, demo sessions, industry panels, targeted meet-ups, short film forums and more. The conferences will span four categories: Creation, Tech, Business and XR Conference.
Below are some highlights from the agenda:
- Recruitment: A Recruiters Talk event will cover Studio Hari, Dneg Animation, nWave Studios, Illumination Studio Paris and Laika. More than 35 Recruitment Sessions are scheduled, and there will be close to 25 studios on hand detailing new career openings.
- Talent Panels: This programme will include 20 talent panels with famed guests and studios like Regina Pessoa, ArtStation, Walt Disney Studios, Cartoon Saloon, Mo Sutton, Nicolas Deveaux.
XR and Video Games
Located not far from the Imperial Palace and Campus Mifa, the Chambre de Métiers will house the new XR&Games Area: 1,000 m², 10 rooms on four floors, a 200-seat conference hall, an XR viewing area and a video gaming spot .
Below are some highlights from the agenda:
- There will be close-ups at Spain and the African continent, along with participation of major studios such as Lex & Otis, TeamTO, DIGIC Pictures, Passion Pictures, Crunchyroll, as well as a masterclass by Ankama.
- An award for best video game cinematic will be unveiled at the XR&Games Area’s opening cocktail on the evening of Tuesday, 11 June.
- Five immersive projects now in production will be presented every morning, as well as Friday, 14 June afternoon.
- Digital Experience Pitches: Six XR projects in development will be presented on Tuesday, 11 June, 2 pm.
- Three XR Conferences:
- Animation, Dance and Interactivity
- “Wallace & Gromit” : Will IP Save XR?
- XR Tests the Documentary Format
- Three Gaming Conferences:
- Video Game Cinematics Masterpieces
- IPs Expending Beyond Original Mediums
- Special Focus on Spanish Video Games
The new XR&Games Area is aimed to foster synergies between animation, immersive content and video gaming, opening up to new horizons and maximising crossovers between projects and audiences.