GLAS Animation Festival takes place in the historic city of Berkeley, California, just a quick ride away from San Francisco. We are introducing new ideas and expanding the scope of animation by bringing new voices, new talents, new themes, and a new generation of independent filmmakers and curators to the United States. We highlight fresh voices in independent animation while curating special programs of the most significant periods of animation history that serve as an inspiration for contemporary animators.At GLAS Animation Festival we have a complete competition program for best Narrative, Non-Narrative, Undergraduate, Graduate, and Commissioned short films.

GLAS Animation Festival

In March 2016 we launched the first annual GLAS Animation Festival in Berkeley, California. GLAS takes place over four days across Downtown Berkeley at various prestigious cultural institutions including theaters, galleries, media centers, and educational institutions.

GLAS exhibits films from local and international artists and filmmakers across the animation spectrum, creating a community and space for industry veterans, historians, animation enthusiasts, and emerging talent from diverse backgrounds to come together, share, learn, and appreciate the animated art form in a critical context. We started GLAS to showcase the most exciting animation being made around the world and expand the scope of how animation is understood as an artistic medium in the United States.

At the heart of the festival is the international competition, which showcases five curated programs of the most exceptional contemporary animated short films. These programs are the highlight of the festival as they demonstrate most fully the expressive abilities of animation as a medium. Created oftentimes by an individual artist or small team, these films push the boundaries of film itself through a singular vision not possible in any other medium.