The Animayo festival has arrived in Fuerteventura, thanks to the Department of New Technologies of the Cabildo, marking its twenty-first international edition and its second on the island. Animayo showcases the best in animation and visual effects in Fuerteventura
The event commenced today at the Insular Youth Centre (Puerto del Rosario), funded by the Canary Islands Development Fund (FDCAN). This reinforces the island corporation’s commitment to training, innovation, and the development of talent linked to creative and technological industries.
Carmen Alonso, the councillor for New Technologies, emphasised “the significant opportunity for Fuerteventura to host a new edition of this internationally recognised event, connecting us with rapidly growing sectors such as animation, which is already part of the island’s present and future.”
“We have professionals who have participated in major international productions, enabling young people to discover the new vocations and professional opportunities that these disciplines offer,” Alonso noted.
Damián Perea, the director and producer of the Animayo festival, explained that Animayo is the first and only animation festival in Spain recognised as a Qualifying Festival for the Oscars in the categories of Best Animated Short Film and Best Animated Short Film in Spanish. “Of the two thousand films we receive, sixty are selected, and around ten are winners. From these ten, two go directly to the Oscar pre-selection. To date, we have achieved seven shortlists, five nominations, and one Oscar win with In The Shadow of the Cypress.
Perea also highlighted the training scholarship programme valued at over 50,000 euros in Fuerteventura and 500,000 euros in the Canary Islands, aimed at facilitating access to prestigious international universities and schools. The scholarships cover specialisations such as 3D Animation, Video Game Design, Virtual Reality, Engineering, and Cybersecurity.
Programme
Today’s schedule featured a selection of the best award-winning short films from previous editions of the festival, including internationally acclaimed works. Among them is In the Shadow of the Cypress, the Oscar-winning short film, as well as Playing God, shortlisted for the Oscars, and Forevergreen, also nominated for the awards.
Tomorrow, Friday 12 June, will include masterclasses led by prominent industry professionals. Elena Velasco, a 2D animator and storyboard artist, will conduct a masterclass on how to adapt a drawing to different projects while maintaining its essence for the 2D industry, along with a character design workshop. Velasco has worked on productions such as Space Jam: A New Legacy, Klaus, and Central Park.
Meanwhile, Conor Schock, a digital compositing supervisor and visual effects specialist, will deliver a masterclass on compositing, titled ‘From VFX to Animation’. Shock brings experience from titles such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Game of Thrones, Black Panther, and Andor.
All information and registration details can be found at: https://www.animayo.com/?accion=fuerteventura_2026
Animayo showcases the best in animation and visual effects in Fuerteventura
