GLAS Animation Festival 2026 Opens Submissions: A Celebration of Independent and Boundary-Pushing Animation
Submissions are now open for the 8th edition of the GLAS Animation Festival, which will take place December 6–7, 2025 in Los Angeles. Known for its dedication to independent voices and avant-garde approaches, GLAS has become one of the most vital platforms for artists seeking to redefine what animation can be.
A Mission to Expand the Language of Animation
Founded in 2014, GLAS Animation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a clear mission: to cultivate and promote the art and science of animation in the United States. Unlike festivals that spotlight only mainstream or studio productions, GLAS provides a platform for diverse and underrepresented voices, showcasing filmmakers who push visual, conceptual, and narrative boundaries.
GLAS is more than screenings. It creates a context for deeper understanding, bringing together industry veterans, historians, students, curators, and emerging talent to share and expand the critical dialogue around animation as an art form. Retrospectives, special curated programs, workshops, installations, and live performances enrich the festival experience, making it a hub for innovation and community.
The Heart of the Festival: International Competition
At the center of GLAS is its international competition, featuring five curated programs of the most daring and exceptional contemporary animated shorts. Often created by individual artists or small teams, these films showcase the expressive potential of animation in ways impossible to achieve in any other medium.
Awards include:
- Grand Prix
- High Risk Award (for bold experimentation)
- New Talent Award (emerging filmmakers)
- Audience Award
- Best U.S. Film
- Best Film for Family Audiences
Rules and Conditions for Submissions
- Open to all animation techniques.
- Films must be completed after January 1, 2023.
- Shorts may not exceed 45 minutes.
- Films available online are eligible.
- Submissions must contain at least 30% animation.
- Narrative, non-narrative, commissioned, and student films are accepted.
- Works in progress are not considered.
- Non-English films must include English subtitles.
GLAS accepts submissions via FilmFreeway. Only online links (Vimeo/YouTube) are accepted for preview, with screening copies required in Apple ProRes 422 HQ format if selected.
Submission Fees & Deadlines
- Free: August 1–15, 2025
- $25: August 16–31, 2025
- $45: September 1–30, 2025 (final deadline)
Selected films will be announced no later than November 1, 2025 on the GLAS website.
Why GLAS Matters
GLAS is widely celebrated for fostering a community-driven environment that gives space to voices often overlooked in the broader animation industry. Stop-motion in particular has flourished at the festival, with its tactile, handcrafted nature resonating strongly within GLAS’s ethos of experimentation and personal expression.
As a festival that sees animation not just as entertainment but as cinema and art, GLAS has played a critical role in expanding how audiences in the U.S. understand the medium. For animators eager to share their work in a space that values authenticity and creativity, GLAS represents an unparalleled opportunity.
Key Information
- Festival Dates: December 6–7, 2025
- Location: Los Angeles, California
- Final Submission Deadline: September 30, 2025
- Submission Platform: FilmFreeway – GLAS Animation Festival
- Contact: submissions@glasanimation.com
✨ Whether you’re a seasoned independent filmmaker or a student just beginning to explore the possibilities of animation, GLAS 2026 invites you to be part of a vibrant, international community of artists redefining the future of the medium.
