Winners of the ANIMATIKA 2026 Children’s Animation Competition Announced

The winners of the 2026 ANIMATIKA Children’s Animation Competition have been announced. The competition, titled “Our Favorite Soyuzmultfilm Characters Among Us!”, was held as part of the preparations for the ANIMATIKA Festival.

This year’s festival is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Soyuzmultfilm Film Studio. Thirty-six winners will receive a unique opportunity to attend a special animation program at the Artek International Children’s Center.

A total of 132 submissions were received in 2026. The competition attracted participants from 45 regions of Russia, as well as from Uzbekistan (Tashkent and Fergana) and Belarus (Barysaw). Following the evaluation process, an expert jury selected the strongest projects created by children and teenagers aged 10 to 17.

The jury included leading representatives of the Russian animation industry:

• Irina Mastusova, Executive Director of the Russian Animated Film Association;
• Yulia Osetinskaya, General Producer of Soyuzmultfilm Film Studio;
• Maria Savinykh, Creative Director of Soyuzmultfilm Film Studio;
• Anna Moryakova, Production Director of Soyuzmultfilm Film Studio;
• Marina Koshevaya, Head of Editorial Department at Soyuzmultfilm Film Studio.

The project is organized by the Russian Animated Film Association in partnership with the Artek International Children’s Center.

The competition continues to serve as an important platform for discovering young animation talent, encouraging creative development, and introducing children and teenagers to the art of animation. The growing number of participants and the expanding international geography of submissions demonstrate the continued interest in animation education and filmmaking among young creators.

Among the winning films are projects inspired by classic Soyuzmultfilm characters and stories, including Kitten Woof: A New Adventure, Winnie-the-Pooh and the Day of Friendship, The Kid and Carlson Against Cyber Fraudsters, and Hedgehog, What’s Wrong With You? Or Happy Anniversary, Soyuzmultfilm!, alongside original animated works exploring contemporary themes such as digital safety, friendship, creativity, and life in the modern world.