There are myths that all an animator needs to do after the last frame is finished is upload onto YouTube, sit back and wait for the audiences’ plaudits. There’s a reason why popstars have managers, and there’s a reason that animation distributors are effective. They may look after licensing, negotiations with streamers or festivals, and targeted marketing to all the right people, sometimes internationally. They reward the animators’ creativity with an audience. But how do you get into the dark arts of animation distribution? We ask some of the best distributors to explain the value of what they do and get them to tell us about stories of surprise hits, deals and negotiations, persuading a reticent public and finding new platforms and audiences. Hear what they have to say!
LIAF presents the 2026 UK Animation Industry Event – 7 panels giving insider access to some of the hottest topics of the year. We’ve gathered together some of the most passionate, honest and insightful experts from a wide range of different areas and backgrounds who are ready to cover all manner of vital topics to give you much food for thought.
Animation doesn’t stand still; and debates and discussions with animators and creative experts are the best way to get in touch with what’s happening. The panels will be chaired by Saint John Walker, Postgraduate Media Programme Leader, University of Hertfordshire and Julian Scott, animation consultant at Film London.
For anyone currently working in the film and animation industry, thinking of working in the industry or just plain curious, these 7 talks are indispensable. They are free to everyone and take place live and online on our streaming platform over the 2 days of Saturday December 5 and Sunday December 6.
HUGE SAVINGS WITH OUR ONLINE CURATOR AND VIP PASSES!
Our online CURATOR PASS grants you EIGHT tickets for just £39. You can browse them all here.
Our online VIP PASS grants you 1 ticket for all THIRTY online programmes for only £79!
Panellists
Moderator: Saint John Walker
Saint John Walker is the Programme Leader for postgraduate media at the UK’s University of Hertfordshire and a leading VFX educationalist with over 25 years of experience of teaching and training in the games, animation and VFX industries. Most recently Saint was Dean and Director of Industry Engagement at the UK’s Escape Studios and previous to that he designed, initiated and ran the VFX degree course at Norwich University of the Arts for four years. Saint is an active member of Access:VFX. Saint is also the convenor, designer and chair of the popular Industry panels at the London International Animation Festival each year. In 2024 he has chaired and taken part in panel discussions at the View conference in Turin, the Viborg Animation Festival and FMX, Stuttgart.
Ambre Abadie – MIYU
Ambre Anagnostides is in charge of the festival department at Miyu Distribution, where she works as an animation short film distributor. For two years, she has been working on the international circulation and visibility of films, supporting their selection and promotion at festivals worldwide.
Pierre Abadie – MIYU
Currently studying at Gobelins, Pierre Abadie is discovering the ins and outs of animation film distribution as part of the team at Miyu Distribution. Curious about what connects a drawing to its audience, he is as interested in the films themselves as in the journeys they take to reach their viewers.
Judith Lessard-Bérubé
Judith Lessard-Bérubé is a Senior Marketing Advisor for Animation at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), bringing two decades of experience in communications, cultural marketing, and large-scale project management. A specialist in the positioning and promotion of animated and documentary films, she has led the marketing campaigns for more than fifty productions and co-productions at the NFB. Since 2021, she has focused her expertise on international animation campaigns, contributing to three Academy Award nominations and to the success of The Girl Who Cried Pearls, winner of the 2026 Oscar for Best Animated Short Film.
Vanja Andrijević
Vanja Andrijević is the founder of Bonobostudio, a company focused on production, distribution, and promotion of short animated and experimental films. The films she represents have been screened at film festivals around the world and received more than 500 awards. She produced more than 30 short films, and organised and coordinated various events, screenings and workshops. She served as a jury member at several international film festivals, and was a member of selection committees, including Annecy and Animafest Zagreb.
Our Funding Partners
With Special Thanks to The Elf Factory, official sponsor of LIAF 2026.
With Special Thanks to the Arts Council England
Event supported by Film Hub London, managed by Film London. Proud to be a partner of the BFI Film Audience Network, funded by the National Lottery.
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