From winning accolades for India at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival to joining the festival’s jury board for the competition segment, veteran Indian animation artist Suresh Eriyat has become a force to reckon with in the global animation landscape.
“Over the years, my journey with Annecy has been deeply special. Our films have had the honour of receiving two awards at the festival, the first for India and still among the very few from our country. To now be invited into the jury feels both humbling and significant. I see this not just as a personal milestone, but as a step of recognition for Indian animation on the global stage,” Studio Eeksaurus founder and creative director Eriyat shared in a heartfelt post on LinkedIn.
His stop motion short film Desi Oon on India’s indigenous Deccani sheep and wool received the jury award at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Festival 2025. He bagged the Annecy Cristal Award in the Commissioned Film Category for their film on child labour for Rotary International titled Fateline in 2015, a first for India.
The jury members will be tasked with judging the 2026 Annecy Festival Official Selection entries. Hailing from across the globe and from a wide variety of backgrounds, these jury members represent all the richness and diversity of animation culture and creative expression.
Eriyat, the artist, author, animator and filmmaker will be judging the Contrechamp feature films category. The Contrechamp competitive section showcases original, independent works aimed at a more discerning audience. This year, 11 films have been selected in this space for exceptional and experimental work.
