Italian Co-Production "La Violinista" Wins Top Prize at Annecy Animation Festival 2026

Key facts

• "La Violinista" won the Cristal Award for Best Feature and the SACEM Prize for Best Original Score at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
• The film is directed by Ervin Han and Raúl García, a legendary Disney animator.
• It is a co-production between Italy's Altri Occhi, Singapore's Robot Playground, and Spain's TV On.
• The story is set in 1930s Singapore and follows Fei, an elderly violinist, and her love for Kai, a street orphan who joins the resistance against the Japanese invasion.
• The film will next screen at the Toronto International Film Festival.
• Production involved teams from Spain, Italy, Canada, Taiwan, and Singapore, with 3D scenes made in Italy and 2D animation in Singapore.
• Cristiano Bortone founded Altri Occhi and the non-profit Bridging Visions in 2014 to promote Europe-Asia dialogue.
• The directors met 7-8 years ago when García was a visiting professor at the Animation College of Singapore.