Gran Canaria’s Animayo festival is hitting a major milestone – its 20th anniversary – and they’re pulling out all the stops for a luxury edition. Think of it as the animation world’s cool hangout, with big players like Disney, Skydance, and a bunch of other top studios showing up.
They’ve got over 40 VIP guests lined up, including masterclasses, talks, workshops, premieres – the whole shebang. If you’re looking to break into the industry, there’ll be tons of chances to network, get portfolio reviews, and maybe even snag a job.
Disney’s even sponsoring this year, sending production designer Lorelay Bové (you know, from Encanto and Zootopia) to give a masterclass. Emmy winner Sherry Gunther, who used to produce The Simpsons and Family Guy, will also be there. And get this – the original Spanish voices of Homer, Bart, and Lisa Simpson are doing a special panel!
Cool fact: Animayo is the only festival in Spain that can qualify animated shorts for the Oscars. So, you know it’s a big deal.
The main event runs from May 7th to 10th in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Animayo has really put the island on the map for animation, and it’s a point of pride for the locals, who’ve been supporting it for two decades. Gran Canaria is even becoming a bit of a hub for animation talent, thanks to the festival and its awesome vibe. So, if you’re into animation, this is the place to be.