As part of the Industry Days programme at the 18th Fest Anča International Animation Festival 2025, the Slovak Industry Day once again brought together professionals, students, and experts in the field of animation through a series of lectures, discussions, and networking events – just as it does every year.

Presentations of Slovak Animation

The morning block presented the current state of animation in Slovakia, highlighting the diversity and creative vitality of Slovak animation across education, student work, and professional production.

To open the first block of the programme, Mgr. Bohumír Bobocký, ArtD. introduced the activities of the Slovak Audiovisual Fund and presented statistics on support under Programme 1.3 from recent years, including the financial resources allocated for the development and production of animated works in the past and current year.

Slovak educational institutions then presented their animation programmes and approaches to teaching animated production. The participating schools included: the Private School of Applied Arts in Žilina, the School of Applied Arts in Trenčín, and the University of Žilina.

The student projects attracted attention with their originality and perspective. The following projects were presented:

Summer Lamb – Olívia Jánošíková and Marty Müller (Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava)

A Walk In Nature – Matej Mihályi (Academy of Arts Architecture and Design in Prague)

Prechádzka prírodou – Matej Mihályi (UMPRUM)

The following projects currently in development from the field of professional original animation were presented:

Guess How I Feel – Veronika Trokšiarová and Zlata Golecová (NOACHO production)

The Raven – Kaťa Geffertová

The block concluded with a special presentation in English about cross-border collaboration between the Ukrainian studio Karandash and the Slovak studio Fool Moon, who are taking is part of the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme. Presenter and exchange programme participant Nataliia El-Baba introduced local professionals not only to the potential of co-productions with Ukraine, but also to the Erasmus programme itself, which is open to both individuals and organisations.

Creative AI Workflows and Discussion

In the second block of the programme, we opened a timely and pressing topic: the impact of artificial intelligence on the animation industry and its production processes. Designer and AI expert Lenka Hámošová presented the concept of post-prompt thinking and shared examples from creative practice, including approaches to working with various forms of AI.

In the following panel discussion, hosteed by Valentína Hučková, we delved deeper into local practices involving AI tools in development, production, communication with clients, and teaching. The discussion also touched on topics such as ethics, copyright, and the regulation of generative AI tools within the creative industries.

Expert speakers from Slovak studios – Tomáš Danay (Blue Faces), Tomáš Kopták (MOODIVE), Pavol Ďurák (Ekran), and presenter Lenka Hámošová – explored practical examples and shared with the Slovak Industry Day audience how AI is affecting production processes and teamwork.

Thanks to additional insights from guest speaker Silvia Šiveňová, Head of the Animation Department at the School of Applied Arts in Trenčín, and from Tomáš Danay, an internal PhD candidate at the Department of Animation at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, we also presented perspectives on the impact of AI on animation education and student viewpoints.

The informal networking lunch offered a relaxed space for sharing contacts and sparking new ideas.

Presentation and Panel Discussion: Environmentally Responsible Animation?

An English-led panel discussion and presentations of initiatives from around the world on greening animation and the animation industry took place at the New Synagogue venue. Speaker Valentína Hučková outlined the current state of ecological efforts in the animation industry both in Slovakia and globally, emphasizing the successes already achieved in film and television production. Since the animation industry has lagged behind in these efforts, interesting initiatives and policies are now being developed.

An important milestone is the publication of the international handbook “Green Animation Guide,” which was launched this year in English at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Festival in France. The handbook, which included contributions to its internationally localized version by Valentína Hučková (presenter and moderator), was introduced via video presentation by Adrien Roche, the international project manager of the Ecoprod association. The guide is freely available for download online.

Following this handbook, which primarily covers 2D and 3D animation workflows, Paulina Zacharek from the Polish studio MOMAKIN presented their work. MOMAKIN organizes the world’s largest market and educational forum dedicated to stop-motion puppet animation – the Animarkt Stop Motion Forum in Łódź, Poland. In 2023, MOMAKIN, in collaboration with sustainability experts Birgit Heidsiek and Anika Kruse from Germany, published the “Stop Motion Green Guide by StopMoLab,” covering basic principles of more sustainable puppet animation production with the aim of developing unified European ecological standards for puppet animation. The guide is freely available for download online.

In neighbouring Czechia, the Platform for Sustainable Audiovisual Media (PUAV) was established, bringing together representatives from the Audiovisual Producers’ Association (APA), the Association of Czech Film Directors, Screenwriters and Script Editors (ARAS), Czech Television, the Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU), and the Prima and TV Nova groups. They signed a memorandum representing a joint commitment to actively collaborate on improving environmental standards. Its manager, Miroslav Vlček, introduced PUAV’s activities and goals, as well as sustainable best practices in audiovisual production in the Czech Republic through a video presentation.

The audience thus gained a multinational perspective on international activities related to the sustainable transition of the animation and the broader audiovisual industry.

In the subsequent panel discussion, hosted by Valentína Hučková, the growing importance of environmental aspects in securing European funding and setting sustainable production standards was reflected upon. The guest speakers were Paulina Zacharek, producer from the Polish studio MOMAKIN (PL), and Verona Dubišová, production coordinator of the animation studio Fool Moon (SK). The discussion highlighted the increasing awareness of sustainability in the animation industry and the need for education about sustainable options, especially in stop-motion animation, which largely depends on physical materials.

Although challenges such as material waste and energy consumption persist, participants agreed that ecological practices are possible without sacrificing quality. In Central Europe, interest in green production is growing, particularly among younger creators, although implementation varies. Suggestions included developing ecological standards, integrating sustainability into education, and promoting knowledge sharing. With better access to resources and institutional support, the animation industry can move towards environmentally responsible practices without compromising artistic value.

Slovak Industry Day 2025 provided an important platform for exchanging know-how and reflection. In the context of AI, education, and environmental sustainability, it demonstrated that Slovak animation is ready to grow, with local talents actively engaging in these topics.

Fest Anča also has its own sustainability strategy. Read about it in the section About Fest Anča – Green Manifesto

The responsible person in the team is Valentína Hučková.

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