Animation in Austria
Austria’s animation industry is increasingly active internationally and steeped in an avant-garde artistic tradition, but growth is being hindered by limited funding opportunities.
Deep artistic roots
Austria has a strong reputation for experimental animation, dating back to the 1960s and 1980s. This tradition, anchored in fine art rather than commercial production, continues to inspire new generations talent.
Influential figures such as Maria Lassnig, who integrated animation into her fine art teaching; Hubert Sielecki, head of Lassnig’s animation department; and Zbigniew Rybczyński, the Oscar-winning Polish animator who taught in Austria after fleeing military rule, helped to establish a unique educational and artistic culture. Today, schools across Austria are producing a new wave of animators who are well-trained and increasingly ambitious.
This comes after animation education in Austria has expanded significantly since the 2010s. Institutions are fostering technically skilled, creatively daring artists. But while Austria’s production infrastructure is becoming stronger and more animated feature films are beginning to emerge, it still lags behind that of its neighbouring countries.
Many animators therefore seek work abroad due to the limited domestic opportunities, contributing to a distinctly cross-border network of creative exchange. Most Austrian animation studios survive through service or commercial work, or minority coproductions with international partners.
A major milestone came in 2022 with Rotzbub (Welcome to Siegheilkirchen), a biographical animated feature about an Austrian cartoonist. Produced primarily in Austria by Aichholzer Filmproduktion, it remains the country’s only major animated feature to date. That same studio is now preparing a second feature, with project development funding in place. This is a hopeful sign, but not yet indicative of an industry-wide shift.
Another production company that is active in animation, Amour Fou, also operates in Luxembourg and Germany and uses a multi-national model to dip into a variety of funding pools.
Austrian firms often act as minority coproducers on Germany projects, resulting in titles such as Peterchens Mondfahrt (2021), made by Coop99 Filmproduktion alongside Little Dream Entertainment and Brave New Work.
Arx anima has coproduced several feature length animated films for children, including Die Häschenschule Part 1 and 2 (2017, 2022) and Die Heinzels: Neue Mützen, Neue Mission (2024). A major Austrian feature length film is in production: Monster Mia, made with Spain and Germany.
Weak funding framework
The Austrian animation industry is creatively vibrant but faces structural and financial hurdles in realising its full potential on the global stage.
Unlike many of its neighbours, Austria does not have a dedicated animation fund. Animated projects must compete in the same pools as live action films and documentaries. While feature films and shorts can receive state support, animated series are not eligible. This has led to underfunding across the board. In 2021, animation support totalled just €61,500 for shorts and €109,000 for feature length films, a mere fraction of what many of Austria’s competitors receive.
Since then, animation funding has improved – up to just over €3m in 2023 – following the launch of the additional funding tool ÖFI+ by the Austrian Film Institute. However, uncertainty surrounds the future of this kind of funding as the country’s cultural sector faces budget cuts, which the sector is fighting to prevent long-term damage.
Meanwhile, funding programmes for short films tend to favour films without commercial appeal. Animated feature length films that are more accessible or market-driven, especially for young audiences, have been produced but are still not very widespread in Austria.
Broadcasters, too, have withdrawn from animation production. The national broadcaster ORF, once a commissioner of animated cultural programming, hardly supports new projects. Its last major investment was in Rotzbub, which marked a rare commitment unlikely to be repeated soon, especially amid ongoing government budget cuts post-pandemic.
Tech offers hope to resilient creative community
Austrian animators have shown enthusiasm for exploring AI in animation, both as a creative tool and a means of increasing production efficiency. At recent festivals like Anima and Annecy, Austrian artists have exhibited AI-assisted films, reflecting a willingness to embrace innovation to potentially level the playing field with larger markets.
Austria’s animation scene boasts a fertile artistic base, a growing educational sector, and talented creators eager to work on bigger scale productions. Yet without dedicated funding mechanisms or strong broadcaster involvement, much of this potential risks being exported rather than cultivated locally.
The industry hopes for the introduction of a dedicated animation fund and more robust incentives to stimulate series production. Until then, structural limitations — especially in funding and broadcasting — will continue to hinder the growth of Austria’s production sector.
Austria’s animation industry is increasingly active internationally and steeped in an avant-garde artistic tradition, but growth is being hindered by limited funding opportunities.
Deep artistic roots
Austria has a strong reputation for experimental animation, dating back to the 1960s and 1980s. This tradition, anchored in fine art rather than commercial production, continues to inspire new generations talent.
Influential figures such as Maria Lassnig, who integrated animation into her fine art teaching; Hubert Sielecki, head of Lassnig’s animation department; and Zbigniew Rybczyński, the Oscar-winning Polish animator who taught in Austria after fleeing military rule, helped to establish a unique educational and artistic culture. Today, schools across Austria are producing a new wave of animators who are well-trained and increasingly ambitious.
This comes after animation education in Austria has expanded significantly since the 2010s. Institutions are fostering technically skilled, creatively daring artists. But while Austria’s production infrastructure is becoming stronger and more animated feature films are beginning to emerge, it still lags behind that of its neighbouring countries.
Many animators therefore seek work abroad due to the limited domestic opportunities, contributing to a distinctly cross-border network of creative exchange. Most Austrian animation studios survive through service or commercial work, or minority coproductions with international partners.
A major milestone came in 2022 with Rotzbub (Welcome to Siegheilkirchen), a biographical animated feature about an Austrian cartoonist. Produced primarily in Austria by Aichholzer Filmproduktion, it remains the country’s only major animated feature to date. That same studio is now preparing a second feature, with project development funding in place. This is a hopeful sign, but not yet indicative of an industry-wide shift.
Another production company that is active in animation, Amour Fou, also operates in Luxembourg and Germany and uses a multi-national model to dip into a variety of funding pools.
Austrian firms often act as minority coproducers on Germany projects, resulting in titles such as Peterchens Mondfahrt (2021), made by Coop99 Filmproduktion alongside Little Dream Entertainment and Brave New Work.
Arx anima has coproduced several feature length animated films for children, including Die Häschenschule Part 1 and 2 (2017, 2022) and Die Heinzels: Neue Mützen, Neue Mission (2024). A major Austrian feature length film is in production: Monster Mia, made with Spain and Germany.
Weak funding framework
The Austrian animation industry is creatively vibrant but faces structural and financial hurdles in realising its full potential on the global stage.
Unlike many of its neighbours, Austria does not have a dedicated animation fund. Animated projects must compete in the same pools as live action films and documentaries. While feature films and shorts can receive state support, animated series are not eligible.
This has led to underfunding across the board. In 2021, animation support totalled just €61,500 for shorts and €109,000 for feature length films, a mere fraction of what many of Austria’s competitors receive.
Since then, animation funding has improved – up to just over €3m in 2023 – following the launch of the additional funding tool ÖFI+ by the Austrian Film Institute. However, uncertainty surrounds the future of this kind of funding as the country’s cultural sector faces budget cuts, which the sector is fighting to prevent long-term damage.
Meanwhile, funding programmes for short films tend to favour films without commercial appeal. Animated feature length films that are more accessible or market-driven, especially for young audiences, have been produced but are still not very widespread in Austria.
Broadcasters, too, have withdrawn from animation production. The national broadcaster ORF, once a commissioner of animated cultural programming, hardly supports new projects. Its last major investment was in Rotzbub, which marked a rare commitment unlikely to be repeated soon, especially amid ongoing government budget cuts post-pandemic.
Tech offers hope to resilient creative community
Austrian animators have shown enthusiasm for exploring AI in animation, both as a creative tool and a means of increasing production efficiency. At recent festivals like Anima and Annecy, Austrian artists have exhibited AI-assisted films, reflecting a willingness to embrace innovation to potentially level the playing field with larger markets.
Austria’s animation scene boasts a fertile artistic base, a growing educational sector, and talented creators eager to work on bigger scale productions. Yet without dedicated funding mechanisms or strong broadcaster involvement, much of this potential risks being exported rather than cultivated locally.
The industry hopes for the introduction of a dedicated animation fund and more robust incentives to stimulate series production. Until then, structural limitations — especially in funding and broadcasting — will continue to hinder the growth of Austria’s production sector.
ASIFA
ASIFA Austria is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the promotion, support and development of animation as an art form and cultural practice within Austria. It acts as a network for Austrian animation professionals, students, and institutions, connecting them with the international animation community. It also showcases Austrian animation at home and abroad through screenings, festivals and exhibitions, providing visibility and advocacy for Austrian animation artists and productions.