Animayo Festival Returns to Lanzarote for 20th Anniversary Celebrations
Following a successful tour in the United States, the Animayo festival returns to Lanzarote in the midst of its 20th-anniversary celebrations. With both in-person and online formats designed for the general public, students, and industry professionals, the Pancho Lasso School of Art will host the bulk of its programme this Thursday, 11 December, and Friday, 12 December. The festival will also reach the island’s educational centres through other platforms.
Consolidating Lanzarote’s Cultural and Audiovisual Profile
Animayo made a preliminary foray onto the island earlier this year with a touring version of the Animayo Gran Canaria Festival, in collaboration with Promotur of the Government of the Canary Islands, which included screenings in educational centres across all the islands. Now, thanks to the support of the Lanzarote Island Council—committed in 2025 to promoting Lanzarote and La Graciosa as sustainable islands and benchmarks for tourism, culture, and audiovisual production—Animayo Lanzarote is consolidating itself as an event with its own distinct identity. This return also re-establishes the continuity of the editions previously held on the island.
This comeback has been made possible through collaboration with the Pancho Lasso School of Art as the event’s official venue, alongside Skydance Animation, 3Doubles Producciones, and U-tad, University Centre for Digital Technology and Art.
Prestigious International Recognition
Animayo is the first and only animation festival in Spain that qualifies in two categories for the pre-selection of the Oscars by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Hollywood. This prestigious recognition covers both the animated short film category and the best Spanish-language animated work. In 2025, the Animayo Jury Prize achieved the highest international distinction when its winning work, ‘In the Shadow of the Cypress’, went on to win the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. Damián Perea, director and producer of Animayo, was present at the awards gala in Los Angeles, accompanying the film’s directors for this historic recognition.
Fostering Talent and Economic Diversification
Animayo Lanzarote introduces thousands of young people to emerging technologies and fosters STEAM competencies through master classes, workshops, and educational programmes. With up to €50,000 in talent scholarships, the festival guarantees real training opportunities at prestigious international universities and schools, attracting and nurturing new talent. Furthermore, it contributes to economic diversification and skilled employment by connecting local professionals with international production companies, generating recruitment programmes that strengthen a knowledge and innovation-based island economy. Animayo also reinforces its commitment to sustainability, gender equality, and social inclusion.
Animayo Lanzarote 2025 invites attendees to immerse themselves in the universe of animation, visual effects, artificial intelligence, video games, and new technologies. It projects the island of Lanzarote as a genuine cultural and technological epicentre, enhancing its tourist appeal and international positioning.
Star-Studded Programme of Events
The programme will feature four top-level speakers—directors, producers, animators, VFX supervisors, and character designers—who will deliver up to four master classes, a specialised workshop, portfolio reviews, and advice for new talents. Over two days, attendees will participate in a training scholarship programme and have the opportunity to explore the future of audiovisual media and access the best professional opportunities for creativity and talent, taking part in recruitment sessions and portfolio reviews. Additionally, each evening will feature two screenings of the Animayo Awards, showcasing the winning short films from the 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 editions.
Meet the Featured Speakers
SANDRA LASSO. Talent Acquisition Director. Skydance Animation. Madrid, Spain. Notable projects: Involved in productions such as ‘Mortadelo y Filemón contra Jimmy el Cachondo’ (2014), ‘Wonder Park’ (2019), ‘Blush’ (2021), ‘Luck’ (2022), and ‘Spellbound’ (2024). A key figure in consolidating Skydance Animation in Spain, she identifies and selects creative and technical profiles for some of the studio’s most relevant productions. With a degree in Psychology and a Master’s in Human Resources Management, she has built a career focused on talent management in the audiovisual sector.
HIDETAKA YOSUMI. Founder and CEO. Studio Nowake. Japan. Notable projects: ‘Love, Death & Robots: The Witness’ (2021), ‘Wish Dragon’ (2020), ‘Wonder Park’ (2019), ‘The Little Prince’ (2016), ‘Mune: Guardian of the Moon’ (2016), ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ (2012), ‘Tangled’ (2010), ‘Prep & Landing’ (2009), ‘Bolt’ (2008). With 26 years of experience, Hidetaka Yosumi has developed his career in character design and rigging, 3D modelling, and hair and cloth creation. Since 2022, his studio has been based in Tenerife.
RAÚL GARCÍA. Director, Producer and Animator. Has worked for Walt Disney Animation Studios / Kandor Moon / Netflix. Los Angeles, USA. Notable projects: ‘The Light of Aisha’ (2025), ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ (2023), ‘Extraordinary Tales’ (2015), ‘The Lady and the Reaper’ (2010), ‘The Lost Lynx’ (2009), ‘Fantasia 2000’ (1999), ‘Tarzan’ (1999), ‘Hercules’ (1997), ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ (1996), ‘The Lion King’ (1994), ‘Aladdin’ (1992), ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (1991), ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ (1988). Raúl García was the first Spaniard to work at Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is a member of the Hollywood Academy and an international teacher.
ROCÍO AYUSO. Producer and Journalist. Los Angeles, USA. Notable projects: Collaborations with El País; Audiovisual 451; Agencia EFE; Canal Plus TV; Hearst Publications. A Madrid-born journalist and producer with a solid international career, she has been a member of the Golden Globes organisation for over two decades. She promotes Spanish-language cinema in the USA and is the executive producer of the animated feature ‘Extraordinary Tales’.
Full Programme Schedule
Thursday, 11 December
10.00 – 10.15: Institutional presentation at the Pancho Lasso School of Art.
10.15 – 11.30: Masterclass: ‘What studios expect from your demo/portfolio, and what happens after the first filter’ by Sandra Lasso.
12.00 – 13.00: Portfolio review by Sandra Lasso.
12.00 – 13.30: Masterclass: ‘Tokyo to Tenerife through Los Angeles, Paris: 26 years of Journey in 3D animation, and to be continued’ by Hidetaka Yosumi.
16.30 – 17.00: Official inauguration of the ‘Raúl García. An Animated Genius’ exhibition.
17.00 – 19.30: Workshop: ‘Drawing in Three Dimensions’ by Raúl García (sponsored by 3Doubles Campus, limited places).
18.00 – 19.15: Special screening: ‘The Best of Animayo 2022’ (VOSE). General public (not recommended for under 16s).
19.30 – 20.50: Special screening: ‘The Best of Animayo 2023’ (VOSE). General public (not recommended for under 16s).
Friday, 12 December
10.15 – 11.30: Masterclass: ‘Promoting Animation’ by Rocío Ayuso.
12.00 – 13.30: Masterclass: ‘Animation as a Profession: Viability and Resources’ by Raúl García.
18.00 – 19.15: Special screening: ‘The Best of Animayo 2024’ (VOSE). General public (not recommended for under 16s).
19.30 – 20.50: Special screening: ‘The Best of Animayo 2025’ (VOSE). General public (not recommended for under 16s).
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