124 - PIAFF is coming !
- Clément Martin
- Jan 14
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
The 18th edition of the 2025 festival is just around the corner ! This animated short film festival will take place at the legendary Studio des Ursulines from January 15 to 18.
This year’s poster is more mysterious than ever, with the shadow of the Piaff looming over the world of animation...
The Piaff Team
The passionate and dedicated Piaff team has once again curated a program of animated shorts that is as diverse as it is surprising.
An Exceptional Lineup
Alexis Hunot and Marie-Pauline Mollaret had to make tough choices to select the films in competition, given the sheer number of outstanding submissions. As the first festival of the year, Piaff offers a stunning overview of global animation cinema, featuring previously unseen films across six categories:
Short Films,
Studies,
Music,
Experimental,
Youth,
Horizons.
The program promises a captivating journey through the world of animation, showcasing its diverse graphics, arts, cultures, music, and the sheer joy these "synthetic" creations bring.
Highlights include :
The Émile Reynaud Prize 2025, awarded to "Fille de l'eau" by Sandra Desmazières, where you can admire "animated Gauguins" (1).
The fluid animation style of Siying Yu’s "Inlé", featured in the Music competition, offers a visual experience that only the art of watercolor can deliver.
You can bring your children on Sunday, January 18 at 4:00 PM for the Youth competition, where they can discover :
the tender and beautifully crafted mystery of "J’ai trouvé une boîte" by Éric Montchaud—a delightful and freely superb experience.
Or "Une guitare à la mer" by Sophie Roze.
In the Studies competition, don’t miss the stunning "La voie de l'écuyère", Sarah Renault’s graduation film from the Institut Sainte Geneviève. The film is so beautifully crafted that you won’t know whether your emotions are stirred by its exceptional visuals or its remarkable animation—it’s simply breathtaking.
The Experimental Competition promises a wealth of discoveries, with films that we rarely get the chance to see, which offers formal and sensory delights that are sure to captivate.
You can download the full program at: piaff.net/catalogue-2025. (Note: Despite the "2025" in the URL, this is indeed the correct and current catalog ! :-))
A Centenary Hiding Another!
In January 2026, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the legendary Studio des Ursulines, France’s first "Art et Essai" cinema, where the Piaff Festival has been held since 2021. A historic milestone not to be missed!
Watch out for a second century
While celebrating this milestone, let’s not forget another significant centenary: the birth of André Martin, a dynamic and visionary figure in the world of animation. A true champion of the art form, Martin coined the term "film d’Animation" in 1952, elevating these works beyond the limited label of "dessins animés", a technique among others, and recognizing animation as a distinct and powerful cinematic language (2).
A Centenary Film for Centenary Celebrations !
What better way to honor these milestones than with a film that’s 100 years old ? Kicking off the opening night, and the first screening of the Short Film competition, will be "Le Rat de ville et le Rat des champs" (1926) by Ladislas Starewitch, a Russian filmmaker who settled in France in 1919. This rare opportunity allows us to experience the work of a pioneer in puppet animation, screened in the stunning setting of the Studio des Ursulines, a true jewel of cinematographics arts.
Don’t miss it!
PIAFF: A Serious Contender
If you need one reason to visit the Studio des Ursulines from January 15 to 18, it’s the chance to meet and connect with animators, graphic designers, musicians, directors, critics, and creators at a festival that would surely win the title of "Most Welcoming Animation Festival in the World", if such a contest existed !
See you Thursday, PIAFF is coming!
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