Mumbai to Host AniMela 2026 Showcasing Oscar-Nominated Films and Landmark LBVR Debuts

AniMela 2026, an international festival dedicated to animation, visual effects, gaming, comics, and extended reality (AVGC-XR), will be held in Mumbai from February 19 to 22, 2026, at Whistling Woods International. The festival will bring together Oscar-nominated animation, global creative leadership, and landmark experiences.

A key highlight of AniMela 2026 is the screening of Oscar®-nominated animated films, including feature films Arco and Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, along with animated shorts Forever Green and The Girl Who Cried Pearls. The festival will also debut Titanic LBVR and Colosseum LBVR in India for the first time.

Reflecting on the festival’s vision, Anne Doshi, Artistic Director and Co-founder, said, “At AniMela, we celebrate not just skill and polish, but curiosity, risk, chaos, courage and the need to create simply because you must.”

Chaitanya Chinchlikar, Vice President & Business Head, CTO & Head of Emerging Media, Whistling Woods International, said, 'The campus was pleased to host a festival that nurtures young voices, encourages experimentation, and places learning and community at its core". 

The 2026 edition is being shaped by an international advisory board drawn from Indian and global animation and immersive media communities. Advisory leadership includes Mickaël Marin of the Annecy Festival and MIFA, Munjal Shroff, Arjun Madhavan, executive producer Ashima AvasthiChaudhuri, Aneta Ozorek, and filmmaker Kiran Rao.