Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF)

Name: Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF)
Address: 2 Daly Avenue # 120, Ottawa, ON, K1N6E2, CA
Telephone: +16132328769
Price range: $

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Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF)

Mark your calendar for the 50th Ottawa International Animation Festival.

North America's longest-running animation event returns to Canada's capital from September 23 to September 27, 2026. Every September, more than 30,000 film buffs, art lovers, producers, and cartoon fans from around the world descend on the Nation’s capital for the world-renowned Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF).

09/12/2026

: Immerse yourself in the beauty of fall in Ottawa at the National Gallery of Canada 🍂🖼️

Explore new exhibitions, unleash your creativity with hands-on art sessions, embark on guided tours, and so much more! 🎨 🏛️

📸 National Gallery of Canada

09/11/2026

An odyssey through the backlands 🏜️

Ismael owns almost nothing—not even his own name. His only inheritance is the nickname, "son of a bitch," from his brothel-owning mother, and a copy of Moby-Dick from his absent father. Seeking more than the hell he calls home, Ismael sets out with his three-legged dog Bacalhau through the Brazilian backcountry on a journey for a parent, for the ocean, and for an identity.

With four co-directors–Érica Maradona, Otto Guerra, Tania Anaya, and Sávio Leite–and ten years of production, SON OF A BITCH is a 2D voyage for a home through an inhospitable landscape.

This Official Selection screens:

🎞️ September 23 at 9:00 p.m. at ByTowne Cinema
🎞️ September 25 at 7:00 p.m. at Ottawa Art Gallery - Galerie d'art d'Ottawa

Order your advance tickets
🎟️ https://ow.ly/A9bS50ZMxx1

🎥 SON OF A BITCH

09/10/2026

A coming-of-age story for the ages 👭

🌀 On their final night celebrating before separating for college, best friends Jo and Raissa stumble upon a magical portal that transports them headfirst onto the mystical island of Nakali. Home to a menagerie of mythological creatures from Filipino folklore, the island also holds a terrible secret: the longer you stay, the more you forget.

⏳ From the creators of PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH, FORGOTTEN ISLAND’s dynamic duo must team up with Nakali’s magical inhabitants, face their fears, and race against time before their memories are devoured.

Watch Jo and Raissa's friendship lore unfold on the big screen at ByTowne Cinema on Wednesday, September 23, at 4:45 p.m. (before the film's theatrical release!).

🎟 Order your advance tickets (and your $5 kids' tickets 👀) https://ow.ly/vj4350ZM2KG

This special screening is presented by DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures

🎥 FORGOTTEN ISLAND (dirs. Januel P. Mercado, Joel Crawford)

09/09/2026

The stuff of legends 🏝️✨

🌀 Step through the portal and visit the mystical new world of FORGOTTEN ISLAND with Writer/Director Januel P. Mercado, Head of Character Animation Sean Sexton, Production Designer Ryan Carlson, and Head of Cinematography, Layout Scott Cullen. Presented by DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures, explore how the team brought the film’s magic to life.

✍️ After the Artist Talk, join Januel, Sean, Ryan, and Scott for a free signing session at 1:15 p.m. in the Rossy Foyer at the National Arts Centre.

🐚 Enter the world of Filipino mythology and adventure on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at this Animation Exposé at the National Arts Centre / Centre national des Arts.

Order your advance tickets to secure your seat (you too, passholders 👀)
🎟️ https://ow.ly/H6Yx50ZL15Z

🎥 FORGOTTEN ISLAND (dirs. Januel P. Mercado, Joel Crawford)
📸 Ben Wu

09/07/2026

👩‍🚀 Seoul, 2050, the start of a cosmic long-distance relationship.

Presented by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), LOST IN STARLIGHT follows space scientist Nan-young and musician Jay as their romance is tested by 225 million kilometres when Nan-young is chosen to embark in her mother’s footsteps and journey to Mars.

🛰️ These star-crossed lovers must endure a voyage through space, the threat it poses to their relationship, and their own buried secrets about the past and future. Watch their story unfold at the National Gallery of Canada on Friday, September 25 at 9:00 p.m.

🎙️ A Q&A with Director Jiwon Han and Producer Seung Min Byun will follow the screening.

🎥 LOST IN STARLIGHT (dir. Jiwon Han)

09/06/2026

📺 History: on the screen and on the stage

📽 Join legendary filmmaker Donald McWilliams at for a screening focused on The War Years, 1939 to 1956.

Take a voyage through time and witness the early NFB animation that helped shape Canadian cinema.

Order your advance tickets for this special screening on September 23 in Arts Court/Cour des arts Theatre.
🎟️ https://ow.ly/yqC250ZJEng

09/05/2026

: Dive into Ottawa’s live music nightlife scene at these must-visit bars and venues 🎶✨

Whether you’re ready to dance all night or just kick back with live tunes and a bite to eat, these local hotspots bring the energy every time.

📍House of Targ
📍LIVE! On Elgin
📍Night Oat
📍Irene’s Pub
📍The Rainbow Bistro

📸 Heart and Crown

09/04/2026

Leaving a haunted house, finding an unlikely home 🏚️

🤖 Experimental in its design and heartwarming in its themes, GIRLFRIENDS OF FATHER follows a boy as he escapes his father’s web of violence and journeys into cosmic ruins. Hunted by robot pirates and hounded by spaceships, he finds solace with unlikely allies: his father’s former girlfriends.

A story of resilience and autonomy, GIRLFRIENDS OF FATHER is director Xi Chen’s fourth solo animated feature.

This Official Selection screens:

🎞️ September 24 at 4:45 p.m. at ByTowne Cinema (director in attendance)
🎞️ September 25 at 3:00 p.m. at ByTowne Cinema

Order your advance tickets
🎟️ https://ow.ly/zz7950ZIVGy

🎥 GIRLFRIENDS OF FATHER

09/02/2026

Hey, the future’s looking pretty bright 🤩

Presented by Netflix, take a glimpse into the retro-futuristic world of RAY GUNN. Join legendary Director Brad Bird, VFX Supervisor Adel Abada, Head of Character Animation Jason Ryan, and Costume Designer Neysa Bové as they explore the film’s creative journey. Dive into the city of Metropia and the craft, style, and story behind it.

✍️ After the Artist Talk, join Brad, Adel, Jason and Neysa for a free signing session at 11:15 a.m. in the Rossy at the National Arts Centre.

⏳ Step into the future on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at this Animation Exposé Artist Talk at the National Arts Centre / Centre national des Arts

Order your advance tickets to secure your seat (you too, passholders 👀)
👉 https://ow.ly/MzB550ZInT2

🎥 RAY GUNN (dir. Brad Bird)
📸 Ben Wu

09/01/2026

Legend has it he's still thinking about it to this day...⏳

📸 Daisy Thang

Address

2 Daly Avenue # 120
Ottawa, ON
K1N6E2

Telephone

+16132328769

Website

http://www.animationfestival.ca/

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