AWARD PLACEMENTS REVEALED AT 2025 STUDENT ACADEMY AWARDS: Tobias Eckerlin & Team win Gold for „A Sparrow´s Song“, Filmakademie Ludwigsburg/Animationsinstitut

STUDENT ACADEMY AWARDS CEREMONY HELD IN NEW YORK CITY
WITH THE SUPPORT OF LONGTIME ACADEMY PARTNER ROLEX
ALL WINNING FILMS NOW ELIGIBLE FOR 98TH OSCARS®

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tonight honored its student winners from colleges and universities around the world at the 52nd Student Academy Awards® ceremony. Gold, Silver and Bronze placements were announced and trophies presented during a ceremony held at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City, in partnership with Rolex. This year, the Student Academy Awards competition received 3,127 entries from 988 colleges and universities worldwide. With remarks by Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor, the night’s category presenters included Academy Actors Branch Governor Lou Diamond Phillips and filmmakers Craig Brewer, Jon M. Chu and Alex Woo.

(The ANIMATION Segment starts around 25:20 – Tobias receiving the Gold Student Academy Award happens around 37:10)

The 2025 Student Academy Award placements are:

Alternative/Experimental
Gold: Xindi Zhang, “The Song of Drifters,” University of Southern California
Silver: Vega Moltke-Leth, “Without Perfection,” University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Bronze: Mati Granica, “flower_gan,” London College of Communication, United Kingdom

Animation

Gold: Tobias Eckerlin, “A Sparrow’s Song,” Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Silver: Lucas Ansel, “The 12 Inch Pianist,” Rhode Island School of Design 

Bronze: Sofiia Chuikovska, Loïck du Plessis D’Argentré & Maud Le Bras, “The Shyness of Trees,” Gobelins, France

CREDITS CREW:

Regie, Producer: Tobias Eckerlin

Lead Technical Director: Vincent Maurer

Lead Character Artist: Elias Weber

Lead Animation: Lilli-Luisa Heckmann, Marius Magracia

Groom & Feather Lead Animation: Rebecca Liebelt

Film Music: Dominik Girod

Sounddesign: Marc Uhlherr

Production Company Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH

 

Documentary
Gold: Tatiana McCabe, “Tides of Life,” University of the West of England Bristol, United Kingdom
Silver: Rebeka Bizubová, “Confession,” Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Slovakia
Bronze: Jane Deng, “I Remember,” New York University

Narrative
Gold: Jan Saczek, “Dad’s Not Home,” Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, Poland
Silver: Meyer Levinson-Blount, “Butcher’s Stain,” Tel Aviv University, Israel
Bronze: ZEFAN, “Kubrick, Like I Love You,” Columbia University

First-time honors go to the University of Copenhagen, Gobelins, Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, London College of Communication and University of the West of England Bristol.

All Student Academy Award-winning films are eligible to compete for the 98th Oscars® in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film or Documentary Short Film category. The 2025 winners join the ranks of such past Student Academy Award® winners as Patricia Cardoso, Pete Docter, Spike Lee, Patricia Riggen and Robert Zemeckis. Past winners have gone on to receive 69 Oscar® nominations and have won or shared 15 awards.

The Student Academy Awards were established in 1972 to provide a platform for emerging global talent by creating opportunities within the industry to showcase their work.

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ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s premier film organization and is home to a global membership of more than 11,000 of the most accomplished film industry artists and leaders. The Academy connects global audiences – its members, the film industry, and film fans – through their shared passion for making and watching films. The Academy does this by recognizing and celebrating the arts and sciences of moviemaking through renowned awards for cinematic achievement, including the Oscars®, the Governors Awards, and the Scientific and Technical Awards. The Academy’s affiliated charitable organization, the Academy Foundation, serves a public benefit through its robust educational, preservation and cultural activities. This includes the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the world’s largest global film museum, the Academy Collection, the largest film-related collection in the world, and talent development programs for emerging artists. Year-round, the Academy creates opportunities for all communities to engage with the film world.

Student Academy Award: Gold: Tobias Eckerlin, “A Sparrow’s Song,” Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, Germany

The Twits | Official Trailer | Netflix | Deutscher Titel: „Die Trottels“

When the meanest, nastiest villains pull a trick to take over their town, two brave children team up with a family of magical animals to bring them down.

Once upon a time, there were two terrible Twits… But now, they’ve met their match. The Twits.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twits_(film)

A brand new story inspired by Roald Dahl’s iconic characters.

On Netflix October 17.

Buckle up for a thrilling adventure because we’re heading to Twitlandia. On Oct. 17, Netflix will release the animated film The Twits — written, directed, and produced by Academy Award nominee Phil Johnston (Ralph Breaks the Internet) and animated by Jellyfish Pictures (The Boss BabyThe Bad Guys). Rounding out the filmmaking team are co-directors Katie Shanahan and Todd Demong, producer Maggie Malone, producer Daisy West, and writer Meg Favreau. The Twits marks the first screen adaptation based on the Roald Dahl book of the same name, which has been translated into 41 languages and sold 16 million copies worldwide.

This story follows Mr. and Mrs. Twit — who are the miserable owners of a dangerous amusement park — and their meteoric rise to power in their town. The Twits’ takeover leads to an ongoing conflict between them, two children, and a community of magical animals who are determined to stop them.

Johnston was excited to take on the project, as The Twits was his favorite book growing up. “I’ve always been attracted to reprehensible characters. I don’t know what this says about me, and I really don’t want to look into it,” he told Netflix earlier this year. “I love the Twits and their terrible tricks. I love that they lack self-awareness and personal hygiene and any inkling of human decency. And I love this movie because it reminds us that twits like the Twits, whose default emotions are anger and vengeance, can’t be allowed to win in our world.”

Whether you’re already a fan of Dahl’s tale or discovering a new soon-to-be obsession, here’s everything you need to know about The Twits.

Kölner Film Festival: Masterclass Animation: ALLES VOLLER MONSTER

David Nasser (animation director) will join Steve Hudson (director, screenplay) and Sonja Ewers (production) in this masterclass to discuss their collaborative work on STITCH HEAD (2025).

The masterclass will be moderated by Friedrich Schäper, co-founder of the animation studio Studio Huckepack and lecturer at the ifs International Film School Cologne.

Admission is free, but only with a ticket!

David Nasser (Animation Director) wird zusammen mit Steve Hudson (Regie, Drehbuch) und Sonja Ewers (Produktion) in dieser Masterclass über die gemeinsame Arbeit an ALLES VOLLER MONSTER (2025) sprechen.

Die Masterclass moderiert Friedrich Schäper, Mitgründer des Animationsstudios Studio Huckepack und Lehrender an der ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln.

Eintritt frei, aber nur mit Ticket!

https://filmfestival.cologne/veranstaltung/masterclass-animation

Sonntag, 12. Okt. 2025, 11:00 Uhr – Filmpalast • Kino 5

Berlin/Potsdam: Filmuniversity Konrad Wolf seeks apllicants for W2 Professorship „ AI in Cinematic Image Design / VFX “ – Application deadline November 2nd, 2025

german version further below

W2 Professorship „ AI in Cinematic Image Design / VFX “

The Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF is a lively centre of art, research, and education. Renowned experts from the worlds of film and academia provide students with intensive and individual support at Germany’s only film university. Conducting innovative research with, in, and on film and other audio visual media, the university is a cosmopolitan and non-discriminatory space for cultural and social debate.

The Film University is seeking applications for a grade W 2 artistic professorship for the field of “AI in Cinematic Image Design / VFX”, starting as soon as possible.

The professorship is initially limited to five years in accordance with § 45 Hochschulgesetz des Landes Brandenburg (BbgHG); following a positive tenure evaluation, the position will be converted to a W2 tenured professorship. The professorship is funded by the Federal-State Program for the Promotion of Young Scientists (tenure- track program). Further details can be found in the Film University’s tenure-track statutes. Individuals with proven scientific and artistic achievements in the early stages of their careers are particularly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

We are looking for a renowned personality who can teach the artistic use of AI-supported application tools and processes, critically reflect on them, and further develop them for the field of film art and visual design at the Film University. The focus is on artistic processes for the design of moving images and digital worlds created through the use of generative processes, neural networks, and prompt-to- image workflows. There is a particular emphasis on the artistic disciplines of VFX, e.g., compositing, look development, concept art, and scenic design using AI-supported processes.
The Film University intends to use the professorship to advance the university-wide discourse on artificial intelligence, also in cooperation with the Institute for Artistic Research. The professorship therefore plays a central role in the development of the university’s AI strategy. The development of own artistic research projects within the framework of teaching and research is expressly desired.
The professorship will be based in the BA Visual Effects & Virtual Productions program and will serve as
an interface with other programs at the Film University in order to support film artistry with AI.

The tasks of the professorship “AI in Cinematic Image Design / VFX” will include in particular:

• ¾ of teaching duties are in the field of artistic VFX, also in English, including teaching the fundamentals
• ¼ of teaching duties are to be designed as transdisciplinary teaching
• Supervision of student projects, theses, presentations, exams
• Active further development of one’s own field of expertise and the degree program
• Networking and establishing collaborations within and outside the university
• Research and development
• Collaboration on third-party funding applications and projects

The profile of the professorship includes participation and presence in academic self-administration and
in contributing to the continuous development of the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs, and
requires active communication internally and externally for networking and further development of
interdisciplinary collaboration.

Particular emphasis is placed on actively promoting and supporting the artistic qualification projects of
academic staff.

Recruitment requirements

The legal requirements for hiring are derived from § 43, paragraph 1, numbers 1 to 4a and paragraph 4 BbgHG as follows:

• Completed university degree, ideally at the interface between art and technology, e.g., in the field of media art, media design, game design, computer graphics, or a comparable degree
• Pedagogical aptitude demonstrated through relevant teaching experience, ideally at a university/film school/academy
• Special aptitude for scientific work, generally demonstrated through the quality of a doctorate or comparable scientific achievements
• Special aptitude for artistic work demonstrated through relevant artistic and/or artistic-technical works and projects
• Additional achievements, demonstrated in particular by artistic works and projects in the field of cinematic image design using new technologies; for example, through internationally visible, independent artistic and artistic-technical achievements in the fields of VFX, virtual production, CGI, and 3D games

Expected to provide evidence through relevant projects, or similar:

• Expertise in the artistic use of new technologies, especially AI-supported tools
• Creative and managerial experience in the field of visual effects, for example in VFX supervision, compositing, art direction, concept art, look development, or similar
• Special knowledge of software applications relevant to motion image generation and visual effects
• Experience in working with real-time rendering/3D game engines, ideally in connection with virtual productions
• Professional experience in cross-departmental collaboration on set
• Excellent contacts in the national and international film and VFX industry
• Communication, coordination, and organizational skills, leadership skills
• Ability to support students‘ artistic development process and reflect on it with them. An open-minded and empathetic attitude is required.
• Good written and spoken English skills and willingness to teach courses in English or online

Also desirable, to be evidenced by relevant projects, or similar:

• Experience in promoting young artists and in artistic research
• Artistic authorship of own projects
• Proven expertise in acquiring third-party funding
Teaching responsibilities
Teaching comprises 12 LVS (weekly contact hours per semester) according to the teaching obligation
regulation of the state of Brandenburg. Three-quarters of the teaching is in the field of artistic VFX and
one-quarter is transdisciplinary teaching.

Other Notes

The Film University values the diversity of its members and pursues the goals of equal opportunity regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion/belief, disability, age, and sexual orientation and identity. In accordance with §7(4) BbgHG, women and severely disabled persons are given preferential consideration in the case of equal suitability. Applications from abroad, from persons with a non-German background and applicants with family care responsibilities are explicitly welcome.
The Film University aims to increase the proportion of women in research and teaching and therefore strongly encourages qualified female applicants to apply. Please indicate any severe disability in your application, if applicable.
The Film University asks applicants to submit a written teaching concept. In addition, we ask the applicants to formulate their ideas on how equality and diversity can be integrated into teaching and research and supported in university life. This should also include how latent and explicit forms of discrimination can be countered. These aspects will be considered in the selection decision.
Furthermore, the Film University is committed to strengthening sustainability in the university context and promotes the examination of ecological, social and economic dimensions of sustainability in teaching, art and research. With this in mind, we ask applicants to establish links between their own work and the field of sustainability.

Application documents

Please send in your application containing
• description of your artistic and pedagogical career
• curriculum vitae
• certificates
• teaching concept
• Presentation on equality and diversity in teaching and research
• Presentation on sustainability in relation to teaching and research of the advertised professorship
• proof of activities
• examples of work – through a corresponding link on a streaming platform
• list of publications

until 02.11.2025 exclusively via our online application portal.

DEUTSCHE FASSUNG:

Die Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF ist ein lebendiger Ort der Kunst, der Forschung und der Lehre. Renommierte Fachleute aus Filmpraxis und Wissenschaft betreuen die Studierenden intensiv und individuell. An der einzigen deutschen Filmuniversität wird innovative Forschung mit, im und zu Film und anderen audiovisuellen Medien vorangetrieben. Die Hochschule ist ein weltoffener und diskriminierungsfreier Raum für kulturelle und gesellschaftliche Auseinandersetzung.

An der Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF ist zum nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt eine wissenschaftlich- künstlerische Tenure-Track Professur der Besoldungsgruppe W2 für das Fachgebiet „KI in der filmischen Bildgestaltung / VFX“ als volle Stelle zu besetzen.

Die Professur wird entsprechend § 45 Brandenburgisches Hochschulgesetz (BbgHG) zunächst 5 Jahre befristet; im Anschluss an eine positive Tenure- Evaluation erfolgt die Übernahme auf eine W2-Lebenszeitprofessur.

Die Professur wird gefördert durch das Bund-Länder-Programm zur Förderung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses (Tenure-Track-Programm). Näheres ist der Tenure-Track-Satzung der Filmuniversität zu entnehmen.

Wissenschaftlich-künstlerisch ausgewiesene Personen in einer frühen Karrierephase sind im Besonderen zur Bewerbung aufgefordert.

Aufgabengebiet:

Gesucht wird eine renommierte Persönlichkeit, die den künstlerischen Einsatz von KI- gestützten Anwendungswerkzeugen und Verfahren vermittelt, diesen kritisch reflektiert und für das filmkünstlerische und bildgestalterische Feld an der Filmuniversität weiterentwickelt. Im Zentrum stehen künstlerische Prozesse für die Gestaltung von Bewegtbildern und digitalen Welten, die durch den Einsatz generativer Verfahren, neuronaler Netze und Prompt-to-Image-Workflows erschaffen werden. Dabei liegt der besondere Schwerpunkt auf dem Bereich der künstlerischen Disziplinen des VFX: z.B. Compositing, Look Development, Concept Art und szenische durch KI- gestützte Verfahren.

Die Filmuniversität beabsichtigt, durch die zu besetzende Professur den hochschulweiten Diskurs über künstliche Intelligenz – auch in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Institut für künstlerische Forschung – voranzutreiben. Die Professur nimmt daher eine zentrale Rolle bei der Entwicklung der KI Strategie der Hochschule ein. Die Entwicklung eigener künstlerisch-forschender Projekte im Rahmen von Lehre und Forschung ist ausdrücklich gewünscht.

Die Professur wird im Studiengang BA Visual Effects & Virtual Productions angesiedelt und ist Schnittstelle zu weiteren Studiengängen der Filmuniversität, um die filmkünstlerische Arbeit mit KI zu unterstützen.

Die Aufgaben der Professur „KI in der filmischen Bildgestaltung / VFX“ werden im Besonderen umfassen:

  • ¾ der Lehrverpflichtung liegt im Bereich der künstlerischen VFX, auch in englischer Sprache, einschließlich Grundlagenvermittlung
  • ¼ der Lehrverpflichtung ist als transdisziplinäre Lehre auszugestalten
  • Betreuung von studentischen Projekten, Abschlussarbeiten, Präsentationen, Prüfungen
  • Aktive Weiterentwicklung des eigenen Fachgebiets und des Studiengangs
  • Vernetzung und Aufbau von Kooperationen innerhalb und außerhalb der Hochschule
  • Forschung und Entwicklung
  • Mitarbeit bei Drittmittelanträgen und -projekten

Das Profil der Professur schließt die Mitwirkung und Präsenz bei der akademischen Selbstverwaltung und bei der Mitarbeit an der kontinuierlichen Weiterentwicklung der Bachelor- und Master-Studienprogramme ein und erfordert die aktive Kommunikation nach innen und nach außen zur Vernetzung und Weiterentwicklung der interdisziplinären Zusammenarbeit. Besonderer Wert wird auf die aktive Förderung und Betreuung der künstlerischen Qualifizierungsprojekte der akademischen Mitarbeiter*innen gelegt

Einstellungsvoraussetzungen:

Die gesetzlichen Einstellungsvoraussetzungen ergeben sich aus § 43 Absatz 1 Nummer 1 bis 4 Buchst. a und Absatz 4 BbgHG. Folgende Einstellungsvoraussetzungen sind nachzuweisen:

  • abgeschlossenes Hochschulstudium, idealerweise an der Schnittstelle zwischen Kunst und Technik, z.B. im Bereich Medienkunst, Mediengestaltung, Game Design, Computergrafik oder ein vergleichbarer Abschluss
  • Pädagogische und didaktische Eignung, nachzuweisen durch entsprechende Lehrtätigkeit idealerweise an einer Hochschule / Filmhochschule / Akademie
  • besondere Befähigung zu wissenschaftlicher Arbeit in der Regel nachzuweisen durch die Qualität einer Promotion oder vergleichbare wissenschaftliche Leistungen
  • besondere Befähigung zu künstlerischer Arbeit nachzuweisen durch entsprechende künstlerische und/oder künstlerisch-technische Arbeiten und Projekte
  • zusätzliche Leistungen nachzuweisen insbesondere durch künstlerische Werke und Arbeiten im Bereich der filmischen Bildgestaltung mithilfe neuer Technologien; bspw. auch durch international sichtbare, eigenständige künstlerische, künstlerisch-technische Leistungen in den Bereichen VFX, Virtual Production, CGI, 3D-Games
Erwartet werden, nachzuweisen durch entsprechende Projekte o.ä.:
  • Expertise im künstlerischen Einsatz neuer Technologien, insbesondere KI- gestützter Werkzeuge
  • Gestalterische und leitende Praxis im Bereich Visual Effects, beispielsweise in VFX Supervision, Compositing, Art Direction, Concept Art, Look Development, o.ä.
  • Besondere Kenntnisse in für Bewegtbildgenerierung und visuelle Effekte relevanten Softwareanwendungen
  • Erfahrung im Umgang mit Realtime-Rendering/3D-Game-Engines, idealerweise im Zusammenhang mit virtuellen Produktionen
  • Berufliche Erfahrung in der Department-übergreifenden Zusammenarbeit am Set
  • sehr gute Kontakte in die nationale und internationale Film- und VFX-Branche
  • kommunikative, koordinierende und strukturierende Kompetenz, Leitungskompetenz
  • Fähigkeit, den künstlerischen Entwicklungsprozess der Studierenden zu unterstützen und mit ihnen zu reflektieren. Eine aufgeschlossene und empathische Grundhaltung wird vorausgesetzt.
  • gute Englischkenntnisse in Schrift und Sprache sowie die Bereitschaft Lehrveranstaltungen auch in Englisch oder Online durchzuführen

Wünschenswert sind darüber hinaus:

  • Erfahrungen im Gebiet der künstlerischen Nachwuchsförderung sowie im Gebiet der künstlerischen Forschung
  • Künstlerische Autor*innenenschaft an eigenen Projekten
  • ausgewiesenes Fachwissen in der Akquise von Drittmitteln

Lehrverpflichtung:

Die Lehre umfasst 12 SWS gemäß Lehrverpflichtungsverordnung des Landes Brandenburg.

Sonstige Hinweise:

Die Filmuniversität schätzt die Vielfalt ihrer Mitglieder und verfolgt die Ziele der Chancengleichheit unabhängig von Geschlecht, Nationalität, ethnischer und sozialer Herkunft, Religion/Weltanschauung, Behinderung, Alter sowie sexueller Orientierung und Identität. Unter der Voraussetzung des § 7 Absatz 4 BbgHG werden bei gleicher Eignung Frauen sowie schwerbehinderte Menschen bevorzugt berücksichtigt. Bewerbungen aus dem Ausland, von Personen mit Migrationshintergrund und Bewerber*innen mit familiären Betreuungsaufgaben sind ausdrücklich erwünscht.

Die Filmuniversität strebt eine Erhöhung des Anteils von Frauen in Forschung und Lehre an und fordert daher qualifizierte Bewerberinnen nachdrücklich auf, sich zu bewerben. Bitte weisen Sie auf eine Schwerbehinderung ggf. bereits in Ihrer Bewerbung hin.

Die Filmuniversität bittet die Bewerber*innen um ein schriftliches Lehrkonzept.
Zudem bitten wir die Bewerber*innen, ihre Vorstellungen darüber zu formulieren, wie Gleichstellung und Diversität in Lehre und Forschung integriert und im universitären Leben unterstützt werden können. Hierbei soll auch dargestellt werden, wie latenten und expliziten Formen von Diskriminierung begegnet werden kann.
Weiter setzt sich die Filmuniversität für eine Stärkung von Nachhaltigkeit im Hochschulkontext ein und fördert die Auseinandersetzung mit ökologischen, sozialen und ökonomischen Dimensionen von Nachhaltigkeit in Lehre, Kunst und Forschung. In diesem Sinn bitten wir Bewerber*innen, Bezüge zwischen ihrer eigenen Arbeit und dem Bereich Nachhaltigkeit herzustellen.
Ihre aussagefähigen Bewerbungsunterlagen:
  • Darstellung des künstlerischen und pädagogischen Werdegangs
  • Lebenslauf
  • Tätigkeitsnachweise
  • Zeugnisse (in englischer oder deutscher Übersetzung)
  • Lehrkonzept
  • Darstellung zu Gleichstellung und Diversität in Lehre und Forschung
  • Darstellung zu Nachhaltigkeit in Bezug auf Lehre und Forschung der ausgeschriebenen Professur
  • Arbeitsbeispiele – durch einen entsprechenden Link auf einer Streamingplattform
  • Publikationsverzeichnis

richten Sie bitte bis zum 02.11.2025 ausschließlich an unser Online-Bewerbungsportal

 

EA Announces Agreement to be Acquired by PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for $55 Billion

September 29, 2025

Accelerates EA’s Strategic Vision to Advance the Future of Entertainment

Stockholders to Receive $210 Per Share in Cash Representing 25% Premium to Unaffected Share Price

Transaction Represents Largest All-Cash Sponsor Take-Private Investment in History

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) (“EA” or the “Company”), a global leader in interactive entertainment, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by an investor consortium (“the Consortium”) comprised of PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners in an all-cash transaction that values EA at an enterprise value of approximately $55 billion. The transaction positions EA to accelerate innovation and growth to build the future of entertainment.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Consortium will acquire 100% of EA, with PIF rolling over its existing 9.9% stake in the Company. EA stockholders will receive $210 per share in cash. The per share purchase price represents a 25% premium to EA’s unaffected share price of $168.32 at market close on September 25, 2025, the last fully unaffected trading day, and a premium to EA’s unaffected all-time high of $179.01 at market close on August 14, 2025.

PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners bring deep sector experience, committed capital, and global portfolios with networks across gaming, entertainment, and sports that offer unique possibilities for EA to blend physical and digital experiences, enhance fan engagement, and create new growth opportunities. The transaction represents the largest all-cash sponsor take-private investment in history, with the Consortium partnering closely with EA to enable the Company to move faster and unlock new opportunities on a global stage.

“Our creative and passionate teams at EA have delivered extraordinary experiences for hundreds of millions of fans, built some of the world’s most iconic IP, and created significant value for our business. This moment is a powerful recognition of their remarkable work,” said Andrew Wilson, Chairman & CEO of Electronic Arts. “Looking ahead, we will continue to push the boundaries of entertainment, sports, and technology, unlocking new opportunities. Together with our partners, we will create transformative experiences to inspire generations to come. I am more energized than ever about the future we are building.”

“PIF is uniquely positioned in the global gaming and esports sectors, building and supporting ecosystems that connect fans, developers, and IP creators,” said Turqi Alnowaiser, Deputy Governor and Head of International Investments at PIF. “PIF has demonstrated a strong commitment to these sectors, and this partnership will help further drive EA’s long-term growth, while fueling innovation within the industry on a global scale.”

“This investment embodies Silver Lake’s mission to partner with exceptional management teams at the highest quality companies. EA is a special company: a global leader in interactive entertainment, anchored by its premier sports franchise, with accelerating revenue growth and strong and scaling free cash flow. We are honored to invest and partner with Andrew – an extraordinary CEO who has doubled revenue, nearly tripled EBITDA, and driven a fivefold increase in market cap during his tenure,” said Egon Durban, Co-CEO and Managing Partner of Silver Lake. “The future for EA is bright, we are going to invest heavily to grow the business and we are excited to support Andrew and the EA team as the company accelerates innovation, expands its reach worldwide, and continues to deliver incredible experiences to players and fans across generations.”

“Electronic Arts ​is ​an ​extraordinary ​company with a ​world-class ​management ​team and a bold vision ​for ​the ​future. ​I’ve admired their ​ability to create iconic, lasting experiences, ​and ​as ​someone ​who ​grew up playing their ​games ​- and now enjoys them with his ​kids – I couldn’t be ​more ​excited about ​what’s ​ahead,” said Jared Kushner, Chief Executive Officer of Affinity Partners.

“The Board carefully evaluated this opportunity and concluded it delivers compelling value for stockholders and is in the best interests of all stakeholders,” said Luis A. Ubiñas, Lead Independent Director of EA’s Board of Directors. “We are pleased that this transaction delivers immediate and certain cash value to our stockholders while strengthening EA’s ability to continue building the communities and experiences that define the future of entertainment.”

Transaction Details

The transaction was approved by EA’s Board of Directors, is expected to close in Q1 FY27 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals and approval by EA stockholders. Following the close of the transaction, EA’s common stock will no longer be listed on any public market.

The transaction will be funded by a combination of cash from each of PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners as well as roll-over of PIF’s existing stake in EA, constituting an equity investment of approximately $36 billion, and $20 billion of debt financing fully and solely committed by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., $18 billion of which is expected to be funded at close. Each of PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners plan to fund the equity component of the financing entirely from capital under their respective control.

Upon completion of the transaction, EA will remain headquartered in Redwood City, California and continue to be led by Andrew Wilson as CEO.

Advisors

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is serving as EA’s financial advisor and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is serving as EA’s legal advisor.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as legal counsel to the Consortium. Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as lead legal counsel for PIF with specialized counsel from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. Latham & Watkins LLP and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP are serving as Silver Lake’s legal counsel. Sidley Austin LLP is serving as Affinity Partners’ legal counsel.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is serving as financial advisor to the Consortium.

As a result of this announcement, for its Q2 FY26 earnings release scheduled for October 28, 2025, EA will release financial and operational results through a press release and will not hold a conference call or webcast.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers.

In fiscal year 2025, EA posted GAAP net revenue of approximately $7.5 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS FC™, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL, EA SPORTS™ College Football, Need for Speed™, Dragon Age™, Titanfall™, Plants vs. Zombies™ and EA SPORTS F1®. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS FC, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Apex Legends, The Sims, Dragon Age, Titanfall, and Plants vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. John Madden, NFL, FIFA and F1 are the property of their respective owners and used with permission.

About PIF

PIF is one of the world’s most impactful investors, enabling the creation of key sectors and opportunities that help shape the global economy, deliver returns and drive the economic transformation of Saudi Arabia. The gaming and esports industry is one of its priority sectors, contributing to the diversification of the local economy, while at the same time driving investment returns.

About Silver Lake

Silver Lake is a global technology investment firm, with more than $110 billion in combined assets under management and committed capital and a team of professionals based in North America, Europe and Asia. Silver Lake’s portfolio companies collectively generate approximately $260 billion of revenue annually and employ approximately 448,000 people globally.

About Affinity Partners

Affinity Partners is a Miami-based investment firm founded in 2021 by Jared Kushner. With over $5.4B under management and a team of 30+ professionals, Affinity focuses on growth equity, financial services, and technology investments at scale, with a flexible mandate across industries and geographies.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Some statements set forth in this release contain forward-looking statements that are subject to change. Statements including words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “plan,” “predict,” “seek,” “goal,” “will,” “may,” “likely,” “should,” “could” (and the negative of any of these terms), “future” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters may identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the benefits of and timeline for closing the transaction. These forward-looking statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, are not guarantees of future performance and reflect management’s current expectations. Our actual performance could differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Some of the factors which could cause the Company’s results to differ materially from its expectations include the following: the timing, receipt and terms and conditions of any required governmental and regulatory approvals of the proposed transaction that could delay the consummation of the proposed transaction or cause the parties to abandon the proposed transaction; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement entered into in connection with the proposed transaction; the possibility that the Company’s stockholders may not approve the proposed transaction; the risk that the parties to the merger agreement may not be able to satisfy the conditions to the proposed transaction in a timely manner or at all; risks related to disruption of the Company’s business resulting from the transaction, including disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction; risks relating to certain restrictions during the pendency of the proposed transaction that may impact the ability of the Company to pursue certain business opportunities or strategic transactions; the risk that any announcements relating to the proposed transaction could have adverse effects on the market price of the Company’s common stock, including if the proposed transaction is not consummated; the risk of any unexpected costs or expenses resulting from the proposed transaction; the risk of any litigation relating to the proposed transaction; the risk that the proposed transaction and its announcement could have an adverse effect on the ability of the Company to retain and hire key personnel and to maintain relationships with customers, vendors, partners, employees, stockholders and other business relationships and on its operating results and business generally; and the risks and uncertainties that will be described in the proxy statement available from sources indicated below. Further information on factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by the forward-looking statements is described in Part I, Item 1A of Electronic Arts’ latest Annual Report on Form 10-K under the heading “Risk Factors”, as well as in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other documents we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). These filings are available on the investor relations section of the Company’s website at https://ir.ea.com or on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov. The forward-looking statements made in this press release are current only as of the date hereof. Electronic Arts assumes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, except as required by law.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed transaction between the Investor Group and the Company, the Company will file with the SEC a preliminary Proxy Statement of the Company (the “Proxy Statement”). The Company plans to mail to its stockholders a definitive Proxy Statement in connection with the proposed transaction. THE COMPANY URGES YOU TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, THE INVESTOR GROUP, THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. You will be able to obtain a free copy of the Proxy Statement and other related documents (when available) filed by the Company with the SEC at the website maintained by the SEC at https://www.sec.gov. You also will be able to obtain a free copy of the Proxy Statement and other documents (when available) filed by the Company with the SEC by accessing the investor relations section of the Company’s website at https://ir.ea.com or by contacting the Company’s investor relations department at ir@ea.com or calling (650) 628-0406.

Participants in the Solicitation

The Company and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Company’s stockholders in connection with the merger.

Information regarding the directors and executive officers of the Company is set forth (i) in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for its 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, including under the headings “Proposal 1: Election of Directors,” “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” “Executive Compensation Tables,” “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” and “Related Persons Transactions,” which was filed with the SEC on June 24, 2025 and is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0000712515/000130817925000556/ea014143-def14a.htm, and (ii) to the extent holdings of the Company’s securities by its directors or executive officers have changed since the amounts set forth in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for its 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, such changes have been or will be reflected on Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership of Securities on Form 3, Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership on Form 4, or Annual Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership on Form 5 filed with the SEC, which are available at EDGAR Search Results https://www.sec.gov/edgar/browse/?CIK=712515&owner=only.

Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the Proxy Statement and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available. You may obtain free copies of these documents through the website maintained by the SEC at https://www.sec.gov.

Täglich einen Kurzen: „STORIES SARAH TELLS“ by Ann Marie Fleming | Full Documentaries | National Film Board of Canada

This whimsical, playful film tells the story of the kinds of stories fimmaker Sarah Polley tells. Using humorous, simple line animation, the film comments on the messiness of life and art.

Produced by the NFB in co-operation with the National Arts Centre and the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation on the occasion of the 2013 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards.

This short film pays tribute to director, screenwriter and actress Sarah Polley. Her latest film, Stories We Tell, a feature length documentary about her family history, premiered at the 2012 Venice Film Festival, then screened to unanimous acclaim at the Telluride Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the Sundance Film Festival. It was called “a brilliant film: an enthralling, exquisitely layered masterpiece” by Maclean’s film critic Brian D. Johnson. Here, a whimsical, playful film tells the story of the kinds of stories Polley tells. Using humorous, simple line animation, the film comments on the messiness of life and art. Produced by the NFB in co-operation with the National Arts Centre and the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation on the occasion of the 2013 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards. Directed by Ann Marie Fleming – 2013 | 5 min

Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires – Yohualli becomes THE BATMAN 🌖 | DC

In the new DC animated movie, Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires, Yohualli Coatl becomes the Dark Knight to take on an elseworld version of Two-Face. 

Subscribe to DC: https://bit.ly/3vDk4Ox

Welcome to DC, the official home of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash and the rest of The World’s Greatest Super Heroes!

Tron: Ares Clip – Ultimate Soldier

Meet Ares, the most sophisticated security program ever written… go ahead, shake his hand – he won’t bit… ! Some deadly light cycles and a harrowing new take on the Master Control and the future of AI and warefare are just over the horizon… and has there ever been a film with a cooler color scheme? Sci-fi gets its game on in the third film in the ‚Tron‘ franchise, following the iconic 1982 original and ‚Tron: Legacy‘ in 2010. ‚Tron: Ares‘ follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings. It stars Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, with Gillian Anderson, and Jeff Bridges. Joachim Rønning directs. Sean Bailey, Jeffrey Silver, Justin Springer, Leto, Emma Ludbrook and Steven Lisberger serve as producers, with Russell Allen serving as executive producer. David Seager serves as the production visual effects supervisor; VFX studios include Clear Angle Studios, Day for Nite, GMUNK, ILM, OPSIS, and Proof Inc. Grammy-award winning rock band Nine Inch Nails composed the score. Disney’s ‚TRON: Ares‘ hits U.S. theaters on October 10, 2025.

AI: ’60s AVENGERS – Teaser Trailer | Paul Newman, Robert Redford | Retro Concept

A classic era of heroes is brought to life through the lens of artificial intelligence. Audiences are given a unique glimpse into what a ’60s Avengers cinematic concept could have been. I have put together a cast and story to what it could’ve looked and felt like in that time period. I hope you all enjoy the 1960’s Marvel Avengers Concept created through fan art and A.I. A.I. used to create this video: Reve.art (CPP) PixVerse (CPP) Use Code: STRYDERDC for 10% off your PixVerse membership! Hailuo (CPP) Kling (CPP) referral code: 7BZEPFV5S8P4 Grok ImageFX Gemini Leonardo Elevenlabs Topaz Video Enhance Big thanks to „Ayhan Music“ for their fantastic scores that really made this video come to life, check out the music used in this video below:

Avengers Doomsday – TRAILER MUSIC (   • Avengers Doomsday – TRAILER MUSIC  ) Avengers Doomsday | Official Theme | EXTENDED VERSION (   • Avengers Doomsday | Official Theme | EXTEN…  ) Loki vs Doom | Avengers Doomsday – EPIC SOUNDTRACK (   • Loki vs Doom | Avengers Doomsday – EPIC SO…  ) FATE _ Epic Motivational Music _ Remastered (   • FATE | Epic Motivational Music | Remastered  )

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***The A.I. being used in this video is NOT a deepfake using real face sets of celebrities and other notable people out there, and is used to show in a parody/fun way through motion fan art different roles throughout movies, comics and more. **This is a Concept Trailer. This was NOT made to fool or scam anyone, it is simply for fans to take a glimpse into what the movie could be like. **Copyright Disclaimer: This video is protected under fair use, due to the fact that it demonstrates/conceptualizes a specific or non-existing film idea, and compiles clips from previously existing productions to create a creatively unique vision and give new meaning. The video displays visual commentary on how a film idea could look

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Deathwatch | Meeting Sam Fisher | Sneak Peek | Netflix

In this first-ever adaptation of the acclaimed stealth video game franchise Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell, legendary agent Sam Fisher is drawn back into the field when a wounded young operative seeks out his help. Produced by Ubisoft, in partnership with Derek Kolstad (John Wick), Sun Creature and Fost.

STARTMELDUNG: MEINE FREUNDIN CONNI – ABENTEUER MIT KRANICH KLAUS kommt am 14. Mai 2026 in die Kinos!

Regie: Dirk Hampel

Drehbuch: Oliver Huzly und Sven Severin

Nach den Conni-Büchern von Liane Schneider, erschienen im Carlsen-Verlag GmbH, Hamburg

Produzent: Henning Windelband (youngfilms)

Koproduzenten: Sonja Ewers (Senator Film Produktion), Reik Möller (Senator Film Produktion), Dirk Hampel (p.g.a.)

Kinostart: 14.05.2026 im Verleih von Wild Bunch Germany

Nach ihrem ersten Kinoerfolg MEINE FREUNDIN CONNI – GEHEIMNIS UM KATER MAU kommt die Kultfigur Conni mit einem neuen, spannenden Abenteuer zurück auf die große Leinwand! Freuen Sie sich auf eine fantasievolle Geschichte über Freundschaft und Zusammenhalt – großes Kino für Kinder und die ganze Familie!

Im Haus der Klawitters herrscht Aufbruchsstimmung. Conni ist aufgeregt. Ihre Eltern fahren mit ihrem Bruder zu Onkel Albert. Conni wäre nur zu gerne mitgefahren, aber dann würde sie Semires Geburtstagsparty verpassen. Natürlich bleiben Conni und Kater Mau nicht allein zu Hause, denn Opa Willi ist gekommen und Anna und Simon dürfen sogar bei ihr übernachten. Doch dann landet ein verletzter Kranich bei ihnen und braucht ihre Hilfe. Denn nicht nur die Verletzung macht Kranich Klaus zu schaffen, auch der spießige Nachbar Herr Oswald, der seinen astrein gepflegten Rosengarten in Gefahr sieht, ist hinter Klaus her. Gut, dass Conni und ihre Freunde Unterstützung von der Tierschützerin Renata und der Polizistin Selena bekommen. Zum großen Missfallen von Kater Mau und Anna dreht sich aber nun alles nur noch um den lustigen Vogel. Werden Conni und ihre Freunde es gemeinsam schaffen, dass Klaus rechtzeitig gesund wird, um mit den Zugvögeln nach Süden zu fliegen?

Für die Produktion verantwortlich zeichnen Henning Windelband (youngfilms) in Koproduktion mit Sonja Ewers (Senator Film Produktion), Reik Möller (Senator Film Produktion) und Dirk Hampel (p.g.a.). Regie führte Dirk Hampel („Pettersson und Findus“, KAYARA). Das Drehbuch stammt von Oliver Huzly und Sven Severin. Der Film wurde gefördert von der Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA), der MOIN Filmförderung, dem Deutschen Filmförderfonds (DFFF) und dem TAX Credit Tenerife.

Conni ist eine der beliebtesten Kindermarken im deutschsprachigen Raum. Seit 1992 das erste Conni-Buch im Carlsen Verlag erschien, wurden weit über 50 Millionen Exemplare verkauft. Mittlerweile gibt es über 100 Original-Conni-Geschichten (www.conni.de). Zum Kinostart des Animationsfilms erscheint bei Carlsen das Bilderbuch zum Film.

Tenerife, Media Solution: We are recruiting different roles for our animation studio in Tenerife!

At Media Solution , we’re looking for diverse profiles for our animation studio in Tenerife: Cut-Out animators and Layout artists with experience in Toon Boom, Production Assistant, Marketing, and IT.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-MsUwVnT3IW4AeQDTUIQ72wTs30-FsGIrxYRpINAd-YypMQ/viewform?pli=1

 

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Valencia: WEIRD MARKET ANNOUNCES ALL 32 SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION AND THE 9 PROJECTS TO BE PRESENTED IN VALENCIA

The Animation, Video Games and New Media Market reveals the core of its programming with current and future industry trends.

This year’s call for projects focuses on IPs, with 173 titles selected for the catalog.

Argentina’s Bárbara Cerro, France’s Sylvain Grain, and Armenia’s Vrej Kassourny will be the jury members at the WFest short film festival

Valencia, September, 2025. A total of 9 projects and 32 short films make up the catalog’s backbone for the 17th Weird Market and the Wfest festival, respectively. The selection of projects—which this year focuses on the value of IPs—features multiple co-productions that reflect the powerful international fabric making up the animation sector. The film competition features works from 22 countries, selected among the 1,734 entries received from a total of 104 territories. “The animation industry has been flexing its muscles for years. It is a network of professionals who are able to adapt to the times and have a great talent for developing original ideas,” says José Luis Farias, director of the event.

VALENCIA TO HOST PRESENTATIONS OF 9 ANIMATION PROJECTS

The upcoming edition of Weird Market will feature nine presentations of projects from the 173 selected for its official catalog. These include one feature film, three short films, two video games, and three web series from Portugal, Spain, and Germany, as well as co-productions from the latter two countries with others such as France, Thailand, the Netherlands, Denmark, the United States, and Brazil.

The feature film is Condenaditos, for which more details will be revealed. This is the opera prima of Matisse González, a Bolivian animator, illustrator, and director based in Germany who was nominated for an Annie Award in 2020 for her short film Gravedad.

https://www.matisse-gonzalez.com/condenaditos

The short film section will feature Mole and the Light, Die Captcha Krise, and The Homeless Wolf. The first is a work by renowned Spanish illustrator María Ramos, a project that will be coupled with a series and its own toys, while the second is a production by 3D/VR artist Eric Giessmann, a project that will also expand its format to include a video game and a virtual reality experience. The third production comes from Portuguese artist Ricardo Adrêgo.

Co-production will be the common factor among the web series. Koffe Kat by Arisa Veeravitayases and Thawatchai Chunhachai involves Spain and Thailand, while The Means of Destruction by Nabil Samandari, Nicolás Petelski, and Martijn Kreemers involves Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United States. Hurricanimals by Paulo Muppet and Luciana Eguti is a Brazilian-Spanish production.

Lastly, more details will be provided about two Spanish video games: Unboxing Mr. Coo by Nacho Rodríguez and Jordi & Oslo: The Lost Tail by Joveguille.

WFEST PRESENTS 32 SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION

Every year, Wfest, the short film competition that forms part of Weird Market, selects some of the best animated works in its two competitions. A total of 8 productions will be screened in the national competition, while the international competition will feature 24 shorts. These works represent countries as diverse as Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Jordan, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and the United States.

The national selection covers, through techniques such as stop-motion or traditional two-dimensional design, a broad spectrum of themes, ranging from issues such as the environmental crisis and historical memories to self-awareness, destiny, and women-related topics that are rarely depicted on screen, such as menstruation. Prominent names in the industry will participate, such as Izibene Oñederra, Goya nominees Alicia Núñez Puerto and Valle Comba, as well as the Gaudí Award-winning duo Marc Riba and Anna Solanas. They will be joined by local talent from the Valencian Community, such as Alex Rey and Félix Bollain, plus eclectic and versatile authors like Jaime Penalva and David Rosel.

The international competition will offer a broad snapshot of animation worldwide. A wide range of techniques, themes, and cinematography will be featured in the sessions scheduled at both the Filmoteca and La Mutant (a venue that is joining the program this year to bring the works closer to producers, distributors, and creators). The selection features award-winning creations from festivals such as Annecy, Venice, Sundance, and the BAFTAs. Renowned filmmakers such as Oscar nominee Bruno Caetano and Annie Award winner José Prats are mixed in with emerging talent. “The selection showcases animation’s ability to transcend genre barriers and pre-established clichés. There are some more traditional projects, others that are experimental, as well as fiction, documentary, or reflections of the current geopolitical landscape, such as the war in Ukraine,” says Farias.

PROMOTING NEW TALENT

Weird Market aims to be a launch pad for emerging talent, as demonstrated by the competitive section within Wfest: Talent. A selection of thirteen national and European works from schools or directors making their first or second film. The selection is divided into two parts: “TALENTO WEIRD,” consisting of eight Spanish shorts, and “WEIRD TALENT: European shorts,” which includes five more works from various European Union countries. Both can be seen at La Mutant and universities, schools, or studios such as La Salle at Ramón Llull University, the Master’s Degree in Animation at the University of the Basque Country, UDIT, the University Centers for Technology and Digital Art (U-TAD) and Art and Design in Barcelona (BAU), and Barreira Arte y Diseño S.L.U. support the selected proposals.

ARGENTINA, FRANCE, AND ARMENIA ON THE JURY

This year, the short film competition will feature an exceptional jury made up of three professionals from Argentina, France, and Armenia. Bárbara Cerro, from Buenos Aires, is an audiovisual producer whose work has won awards at such prestigious festivals as the Berlinale, Annecy, Mar del Plata, Sitges, FICX Gijón, and the Ottawa International Animation Festival. She is also the founder and director of the BITBANG International Animation Festival (an Oscar® qualifying festival).

From France comes Sylvain Grain, a producer and consultant with a 20+ years career in the entertainment industry. He is part of the team at the Annecy International Animation Film Market (Mifa) and is a key player in nurturing talent in animation and building bridges between creative industries.

The jury is completed by Vrej Kassourny, an Armenian filmmaker, animator, and painter, founder and director of the ReA Festival (ReAnimania International Film and Comics Festival in Yerevan). Vrej is a multidisciplinary talent and a leading figure in his country, with more than 25 years at the helm of his animation studio (ReAct Production) and as the driving force behind ReAComics, a publishing house that aims to translate and publish international comics in his native language, while helping to generate a new wave of comic artists in Armenia.

The jury and the audience at the competition will determine the winners of five awards: the jury will grant the distinctions for “Best International Short Film,” “Best European Short Film,” “Best National Short Film,” and “International Talent Jury Award for a debut film or international school short film,” while the audience vote will decide the “Audience Award for Best National Short Film.”

The 17th edition of Weird Market is primarily sponsored by Creative Europe MEDIA, the Valencia City Council, Valencia Innovation Capital, the Ministry of Culture (through the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, funded by the European Union–NextGenerationEU), and the participation of Acción Cultural Española through the Program for the Internationalization of Spanish Culture (PICE). It is also supported by RTVE, Movistar Plus+, Valencia Game City, Tangram Solutions, the Valencian Institute of Culture attached to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Universities and Employment, BCN Game Fest, DIBOOS, AVEPA, Animat, and the Annecy Festival.

 

Links of interest:

See the full program HERE.

Projects selected in the catalog:

https://weirdmarket.es/proyectos-catalogo/

Projects presented at Weird Market:

https://weirdmarket.es/en/presentacion-de-proyectos-2025/

WFest selection:

https://weirdmarket.es/en/wfest-selection-2025/

Short film market selection:

https://weirdmarket.es/en/market-selection-2025/

 

https://weirdmarket.es/

 

 

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