WAVES 2025 Welcomes International entries from London to Bali

WAVES 2025 will spotlight exceptional global animation talent, as 78 creators advance to the second round of the Animation Filmmakers Competition (AFC). The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB), in collaboration with Dancing Atoms, organized the competition, which is a key component of the Create in India Challenge Season-1. It covers five categories: animation, AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), Virtual Production, and Visual Effects.

An esteemed jury panel of global industry leaders evaluated the film projects based on originality, narrative strength, entertainment value, market appeal, audience engagement, and technical execution. Jury Panel Members include: Jan Nagel, Entertainment Marketing Professional; Dan Sarto, Chief Editor & Founder of Animation World Network; Director, Producer, Writer Gianmarco Serra; acclaimed writer Indu Ramchandani,; and award-winning filmmaker, Vaibhav Piwlatkar.

The selected creators represent a diverse mix of students, amateurs, professionals, and studios. Additionally, the competition features international entries from London, Bali, and Canada, providing a global perspective on storytelling. Notably, three special mention film projects have earned recognition for their compelling narratives on health and family education. Final submissions of the refined pitch decks from the selected entries will be completed by 20^th March 2025, followed by a jury review by a newly appointed panel of industry experts.

The top three winning projects will receive a cash prize of up to ₹5 Lakh (total). As part of this initiative, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting will invite the top creators on an exclusive trip to Mumbai, where they will present their projects to producers, OTT platforms, distributors, and investors from across the globe.  The finalists will be announced on or before 10^th April 2025.

For further details, email [email protected] or visit https://waves.dancingatoms.com/wafc

Also all creators are invited to submit their projects on WAVES Bazaar, a global e-marketplace designed to connect talented creators with global buyers. Industry professionals and buyers are also encouraged to participate in building a dynamic and global B2B animation ecosystem and engage with the most promising creative minds.

About WAVES

The first World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), a milestone event for the Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector, will be hosted by the Government of India in Mumbai, Maharashtra, from May 1 to 4, 2025.

Whether you’re an industry professional, investor, creator, or innovator, the Summit offers the ultimate global platform to connect, collaborate, innovate and contribute to the M&E landscape.

WAVES is set to magnify India’s creative strength, amplifying its position as a hub for content creation, intellectual property, and technological innovation. Industries and sectors in focus include Broadcasting, Print Media, Television, Radio, Films, Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, Sound and Music, Advertising, Digital Media, Social Media Platforms, Generative AI, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Extended Reality (XR).