French Embassy Road to Annecy 2025 for East African animation studios

Application Deadline: 19th May 2025

Applications are now open for the 2025 French Embassy Road to Annecy. Road to Annecy 2025 – East Africa edition is a flagship initiative supported by the French Embassy in Kenya and delivered in partnership with the Association of Animation Artists Kenya (A3K), Alliance Française Nairobi (AFN), and The Annecy International Animation Film Festival (MIFA Annecy).

The animation industry in East Africa is young and vibrant, yet the sector faces challenges such as limited distribution channels, fragmented networks, and a lack of market-readiness skills.

The programme aims to address those challenges by empowering studios with practical business skills and knowledge (pitching, distribution, etc), connecting them to global industry networks, and promoting collaboration across the region.

Programme Objectives

• Facilitate access to international markets & buyers via a participation to MIFA in June 2025
• Equip studios with pitching, marketing, and monetization skills & knowledge
• Equip selected animation studios with skills to build sustainable business strategies
• Promote regional collaborations across East Africa.

Eligibility

• Studios must be based or originate in one of the following East African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti, Sudan, South Sudan, Erythreea
• Applicants must be an active and formalized animation studio
• Applicants must commit to participate to all phases of the program (Annecy, Lab, Mentorship, Showcase).
• At least one team member must hold a valid passport and be able to travel to France between June 9th and June 14th, 2025. This person must also be in their country of residence from May 21st onward to facilitate the visa application process.
• Applicants must either have an original intellectual property (IP) currently in development or have previously completed an original IP.

Benefits

• Annecy Film Festival East-African Delegation (in person, Annecy, 8-14 June 2025): attend MIFA, world’s biggest market for animation professionals, together with fellow East-African animation studios founders and directors
• Distribution Lab (in person, Nairobi, September 2025): master pitching, marketing & business strategy
• 6-month mentorship & masterclasses with industry experts from Africa & France
• Showcases (Oct 2025): spotlights during World Animation Day in Nairobi & beyond

Obligations of selected participants

• Full participation in all program phases.
• Submission of a final narrative report after project completion, by the end of December 2025.
• Engagement in mentorship sessions and showcase events.
• Active participation in visibility activities (e.g. interviews, social media takeovers, etc.).

Application Timeline:

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the French Embassy Road to Annecy