AniMela 2026 concluded its third edition at Whistling Woods International, Mumbai, after three days dedicated to empowering emerging artists and strengthening India’s AVGC-XR ecosystem.
Bringing together students, independent filmmakers, studios, mentors, and international collaborators, the festival created an inclusive platform for dialogue and discovery across animation, gaming, comics, and immersive media. The South Asia Shorts Competition and South Asia Student Shorts Competition provided significant visibility to new voices from across the region.
Immersive experiences were central to this year’s edition. Alongside the Jharokha VR experience and LBVR showcases, Enter Void by Pixadoo Visuals Pvt. Ltd. drew strong engagement, demonstrating how Indian studios are pushing the boundaries of virtual reality and experiential storytelling.
Another key highlight was the International MIFA Campus. Mentored by Delphine Niccolini, Reza Riahi, and Johanna Goldschmidt, five selected Indian animation projects were developed and pitched before an industry audience. The IMC Best Pitch Award was jointly presented to Error #404, directed by Farha Khatun with Creative Director Govinda Sao, and The Myth of Data, directed by Dhruva Rao. Both winning teams will represent AniMela at the Annecy Festival in June.
Festival Director Nina Sabnani said, “AniMela is a space where emerging voices find visibility and where creative communities are built through dialogue, mentorship and shared imagination.”
In the South Asia Shorts Competition, Song of Whales, directed by Afroza Hossain Sara, won Best Film, while Still Life, directed by Lara Jaydha, received an Honorary Mention.
In the South Asia Student Shorts Competition, Nanu!, directed by Ansh Sirohi, won Best Film. The Special Jury Prize was awarded to First Night, directed by Nandhini Sree, and Superlover, directed by Kushagra Kishore, Nivea Choudhary, and Ryan Hmar. Boradi, directed by Alan Jomon, received an Honorary Mention.
The festival also saw the presence of leading distributors supporting international animation in India. Arco was presented with distributor Impact Films India in attendance, while the closing screening featured Little Amélie, represented by distributor Fragrant Nature Film Creations, marking a strong industry close to the festival.
Subhash Ghai, Indian film director, added, “It was a big honour for Whistling Woods International to celebrate ANIMELA, a three-day festival of the animation world at its campus since yesterday with a lot of excitement and commitment to take this animation industry ahead with lots of our Indian stories.”
Across screenings, immersive showcases, and industry exchanges, AniMela 2026 reaffirmed its role as a growing global meeting point rooted in mentorship, collaboration, and the future of Indian storytelling.
