Celebrating animation and digital media from established and emerging animators from around the world, the first-ever Okanagan International Festival of Animation (OkIFA) will kick off on October 2, 2017 in Canada’s Kelowna, British Columbia.

Under the leadership of founder and executive director Anne Denman, the first edition of the five-day event will put a special emphasis on work and talent from Canada and the US.

Screenings will include everything from indie and big-budget productions, to commissioned and non-commissioned films, as well as student submissions.

Featuring a different artistic director every year, the role for 2017 has been accepted by acclaimed animator Danny Antonucci (feature film Lupo the Butcher, MTV’s The Brothers Grunt, Cartoon Network’s Ed, Edd n Eddy).

Additional events scheduled for the festival include opening and closing galas, an awards ceremony, a marketplace, a Nuit Blanche experience throughout Kelowna’s diverse cultural core, and a career day for aspiring animators.

Software maker Toon Boom and the Centre for Arts and Technology are the event’s Platinum Sponsors.

More information can be found here.