The 2nd Aichi-Nagoya International Animation Film Festival (ANIAFF), set to take place in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture this November, has officially unveiled the selected titles for its International Feature Film Competition.
Record Submissions, Asia Takes the Lead
This year’s competition received 67 entries from 33 countries and territories, a significant jump from the inaugural edition’s 45 entries from 29 countries. From that pool, just nine films were selected, with works from Asia — including Japan — accounting for more than half of the lineup.
Japan is represented by two titles: 「CHERRY AND VIRGIN」, directed by Masayuki Kawajiri, slated for a 2027 theatrical release, and 「花緑青が明ける日に」(Hanryokusho ga Akeru Hi ni), directed by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya, which opened in Japanese cinemas this past March. Other Asian highlights include 「寒夜灯柱」 by Chinese director Xu Zao and 「魔法の星図」 by Singaporean director Sun Xun.
Full Competition Lineup
- 「アナ‐通りすがりの街で‐」 — Dir. Fernanda Salgado (Brazil / Portugal / France)
- 「CHERRY AND VIRGIN」 — Dir. Masayuki Kawajiri (Japan)
- 「ジュリアン」 — Dir. Louise Bagnall (Ireland / Luxembourg / Canada / Denmark)
- 「寒夜灯柱」 — Dir. Xu Zao (China)
- 「魔法の星図」 — Dir. Sun Xun (Singapore)
- 「花緑青が明ける日に」 — Dir. Yoshitoshi Shinomiya (Japan / France)
- 「オービット・オブ・マイナー・サテライツ」 — Dir. Chris Sullivan (USA / Japan)
- 「サノバビッチ」 — Dir. Erica Maradona, Tania Anaya, Otto Guerra, Savio Leite (Brazil)
- 「ザザ・ザトゥルナ」 — Dir. Avid Liongoren (Philippines / France)
Artistic Director’s Comment
“We are delighted and grateful to have received 67 entries from 33 countries and regions, far surpassing our first edition. The appeal of Nagoya and Aichi has clearly resonated with the world. In line with our festival’s focus on Asia, works from Asia including Japan now make up more than half of the competition. This reflects the expanding breadth and diversity of feature animation worldwide — and of visual expression itself. Many entries explored new techniques including AI, yet what stood out was that most of the selected films carry a warmth that feels distinctly handcrafted. We are confident these nine films offer a clear window into the state of animation around the world today.”
— Naoshi Sudo, Artistic Director
Dates and Venues
ANIAFF 2 runs from 13 to 18 November 2026 at Midland Square Cinema 2, Winc Aichi, and other venues in Aichi Prefecture. In addition to the feature competition, the festival will host a Director Focus section spotlighting the late director Osamu Dezaki, as well as an all-night screening program dedicated to director Kenji Kamiyama. Tickets for both special programs go on sale on 14 October at 3:00 p.m.
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