The 2026 European Film Awards revealed the 5 animation nominees in the Animation Feature category (films over 60 minutes, a long list pre-selected by a committee of the CARTOON association and EFA board experts).
The Annecy Cristal winner and time travel story ‘Arco’ by first-time feature director Ugo Bienvenu is here nominated; we also see the Latvian/US sci-fi story ‘Dog of God’ by Raitis Ābele & Lauris Ābele.
The Berlin-premiered, 4-country stop-motion production of 4 children’s stories ‘Tales from the Magic Garden’ by David Súkup, Patrik Pašš, Leon Vidmar & Jean-Claude Rozec joins the list of European animation features; since last year, all European animation features are automatically considered also in the Best European Film category. The second stop-motion animation feature in the list, ‘Olivia and the Invisible Earthquakes’ by Irene Iborra Rizo focuses on the housing issue and how children attempt to find a solution
Another French animation feature, the metaphysical/meditational children’s story ‘Little Amelie’ by Maïlys Vallade & Liane-Cho Han is among the nominees and closes the list. Surprisingly, no animation short is nominated in the Short Film Category of the European Film Awards.
The Full List of European Animation Features Nominated at EFA 2026
ARCO (France), directed by Ugo Bienvenu
In 2075, a ten-year-old girl, Iris, witnesses a mysterious boy in a rainbow suit falling from the sky. It’s Arco. He comes from an idyllic far future where time travel is possible. Iris shelters him and will do whatever it takes to help him return to his time
DOG OF GOD (DIEVA SUNS) (Latvia, United States), directed by Raitis Ābele & Lauris Ābele.
In a 17th-century Swedish Livonian village, constant rain and drunkenness prevail. When a stolen relic sparks witchcraft accusations, an 80-year-old self-proclaimed werewolf named The Dog of God arrives with a mysterious gift: The Devil’s Balls. This triggers a chain of unexpected events that climaxes in a wild sexual rave party, transforming the village into a frenzy of unleashed desires.
LITTLE AMELIE (AMÉLIE ET LA MÉTAPHYSIQUE DES TUBES) (France), directed by Maïlys Vallade & Liane-Cho Han
Amélie is a little Belgian girl born in Japan. Thanks to her friend Nishio-San, the world is full of adventures and discoveries. But on the day of her third birthday, an event changes the course of her life. Because for Amélie everything is at stake at her age, happiness as well as tragedy. LITTLE AMELIE is adapted from the novel The Character of Rain by Amelie Nothomb.
OLIVIA AND THE INVISIBLE EARTHQUAKE (L’OLÍVIA I EL TERRATRÈMOL INVISIBLE) (Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Chile), directed by Irene Iborra Rizo
Olivia, 12, her little brother Tim and their mother are forced to leave their apartment and move to a new neighborhood. To shield Tim from this upsetting situation, Olivia makes him believe that this is all part of a film in which he’s the main character. Through laughter, tears, magic and the solidarity of new friends, they will find out that they are the heroes of their own life.
TALES FROM THE MAGIC GARDEN (POHADKY PO BABICCE) (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, France), directed by David Súkup, Patrik Pašš, Leon Vidmar & Jean-Claude Rozec
Three kids spend the night at their grandpa’s house. To fill the silence after losing their grandma, the family’s storyteller, they begin to create their own stories and discover the power of imagination.
The nominations are based on the votes of 5,400 members of the European Film Academy who have been watching the films included in the annual Academy Shortlist. The ceremony of the European Film Awards takes place on 17 January 2026 at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin, Germany.
