The Melbourne International Animation Festival (MIAF) returns from 17–24 May for its 26th year, bringing eight days of boundary-pushing animation to the city. Across 46 sessions and more than 200 films, the program spans everything from sharp local shorts to surreal international experiments—cementing its reputation as one of the country’s most distinctive film events.
MIAF has long championed animation that sits outside the mainstream, and this year’s lineup leans all the way in. You’ll get to witness abstract visual journeys, character-driven oddities and the gloriously strange Late Night Bizarre sessions—a cult favourite that continues to showcase the medium at its most unhinged.
Opening night sets the tone with a spotlight on homegrown talent. The Australian Student Showcase gives emerging animators a national stage, before the official Australian Showcase rolls out a curated selection of works that reflect the breadth and inventiveness of the local scene.
Global & Local Animators
Beyond the screen, the festival also invites audiences into the creative process. Its Meet the Filmmakers sessions offer rare access to the artists behind the work, unpacking how these intricate, often painstaking films come to life.
At the core of the program sits MIAF’s international competition, a daily rotation of themed screenings that highlight the best in global animation. Standouts include the Abstract Showcase, which dives into experimental form, and Character Studies, a program dedicated to singular, often eccentric figures that feel tailor-made for animation.
One of this year’s major drawcards brings acclaimed Polish claymation artist Izabela Plucińska to the festival for a special retrospective on 24 May. Spanning more than two decades, her career showcases tactile, emotionally rich storytelling—crafted through meticulous, hands-on techniques that push the boundaries of stop-motion..
In a festival first, MIAF will also host the Festivals Animation Network European Animation Survey. The program brings together selections from five partner festivals across Portugal, Cyprus, Greece, Spain and Italy, offering a rare snapshot of contemporary European animation in one place.
Now in its third decade, MIAF continues to prove that animation goes far beyond kids’ entertainment—it pushes boundaries, challenges conventions and redefines what the medium can be.
Event details
- What: Melbourne International Animation Festival (MIAF)
- When: 17–24 May 2026
- Where: Treasury Theatre & The Backlot Studios
- Tickets: On sale now via miaf.net
- Program: 46 sessions, 200+ films including international competition, showcases and special events
Tickets range from $20 for individual sessions to $145 for a full Festival Pass, with concession and student options available across the program.