SCADFILM and SCAD kick off the fourth annual SCAD AnimationFest Lacoste in France this week.
School-run festivals are always a great opportunity for students to get in-depth knowledge from professionals in the same field related to their current studies. SCADFILM and the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) present their fourth annual SCAD AnimationFest Lacoste, running this week, April 4-5, 2025. The animation-focused festival will welcome industry professionals and honoured guests for screenings, presentations, portfolio reviews, and master classes.
All festival events will take place at SCAD’s historic Maison Basse, with films screened at Theatre du SCAD to play in their native language with French or English subtitles. This is where students, faculty and guests can check out the wonderful works of the past year, such as the SCAD Student Animation Showcase, a screening of Gints Zibalodis’ Flow, among many more events and presentations. This event runs as a sister event to Atlanta, Georgia’s SCAD AnimationFest, taking place later this year.
“With the animation industry booming in France, SCAD Lacoste is the perfect place to bring together our students with top creatives in the business,” said the executive director of SCAD Lacoste, Cédric Maros. “Animation is one of SCAD’s top degree programs, and this next generation of industry talent is ready to showcase best-in-class storytelling.”
The French animation industry continues to grow and evolve, especially when the world saw Fortiche Production’s work on Netflix and Riot Games’ series Arcane (based on the lore of League of Legends). Companies like Mikros Animation (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Orion and the Dark) and Illumination Studios Paris/Mac Guff (Despicable Me 4, The Super Mario Bros. Movie) are thriving with their big projects, from TV to feature films.
Here is the full schedule for SCAD AnimationFest Lacoste 2025:
Friday, April 4
4:30 p.m. | SCAD Student Animation Showcase
As the premier animation studio in higher education, SCAD Animation Studios proudly presents its annual showcase featuring the best of SCAD student work. More than 600 current students and recent alumni from SCAD’s top-ranked degree programs have contributed to this year’s slate of creative shorts.
Here is a breakdown of the film showcase: Skater Girl, Kitty, Dahlia, Birdland, Have You Eaten, Persimmon Red, MenHeim Clinic, Above the Clouds, Animus, Cliff & Fishes, For Such a Time, Harbor, Le Charade, Nainai’s Recipe, Overcast, Pretty Kitty, Teaser Trailer, ‘Chelita, Como me Duele Quererte,’ Time Flies
8 p.m. | Screening: Flow
A special screening of the Academy Award-winning film Flow will be held on the opening night of SCAD AnimationFest Lacoste 2025. Directed and co-written by Gints Zibalodis, the critically acclaimed Flow won Latvia’s first Oscar and Golden Globe Award in 2025. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Sacrebleu Productions distribution manager Luigi Loy.
Saturday, April 5
2:30 p.m. | Best of Annecy 2024
The Best of Annecy showcases the most outstanding and innovative short films from the renowned Annecy International Animation Film Festival. This curated collection of the festival’s 2024 films highlights the global diversity and creative excellence of the animation industry, bringing together a variety of styles, techniques, and storytelling approaches. These films capture the essence of some of the best-animated works of 2024, which explores so many themes and techniques.
Here is a breakdown of the film showcase: Afterparty, The Car That Came Back from the Sea, Carrotica, [S], Beautiful Men, Butterfly, Hurikán
4:30 p.m. | Presentation: The Wonderful World of Concept Design with Alfred Lee
An inspiring and insightful presentation by talented Disney Imagineer and SCAD alum Alfred Lee (B.F.A., illustration, 2014) will take the SCAD AnimationFest Lacoste 2025 audience behind the scenes. Lee will explain the creative process at one of the most iconic entertainment companies in the world. Lee continues to invigorate and re-invent the Walt Disney parks experience.
Lee has 11 years of experience creating immersive theme park environments, including Hong Kong Disneyland’s recent World of Frozen expansion. After initially studying law, he decided to pivot and pursue a degree in art and design. While a SCAD student, Lee won the Disney ImagiNations Competition, which provided a launchpad for him to join the company after graduation. He is currently based in France, where he is working on an expansion project at Disneyland Paris.
8 p.m. | Screening: Despicable Me 4
Capping off SCAD AnimationFest Lacoste 2025, a screening of the fourth installment of Illumination’s blockbuster Despicable Me franchise will take place. The screening is followed by a Q&A with Illumination Mac Guff CG supervisor Boris Jacq.
Tickets are on sale now on the official website!
