Fez — Casablanca is set to host the first edition of “Atlas Next Frame,” an international festival dedicated to student animation films, visual arts, and new image-making practices.
The festival will run from June 4 to 6 at the Casablanca Institut Français, bringing together emerging creators, Moroccan artists, schools, studios, and international professionals around animation and visual storytelling.
The event is three days built around competition, screenings, exhibitions, conferences, and masterclasses.
Organized by the Moroccan association Rasm’Art in co-production with the Casablanca Institut Français, the festival is placing its first edition under the theme “Crafting New Visions.” The phrase reflects the event’s focus on process, experimentation, and the creative labor behind animated images, not only the final films.
A platform for emerging animation voices
“Atlas Next Frame” aims to support a new generation of creators exploring fresh narratives, aesthetics, and production tools. Its official presentation says the festival wants to highlight “the moment of making,” including sketches, technical pipelines, creative errors, and the gestures that shape animated work.
The competition is open to student animation works produced within schools or universities. Eligible formats include 2D, 2.5D, 3D, stop-motion, motion design, mixed media, experimental works, and VR or interactive projects. Films must have been completed after January 1, 2024, and submissions are free.
The program is expected to include between 25 and 30 selected student films across three thematic sections. Screenings will take place at Théâtre 121 and other spaces inside the Institut Français de Casablanca (French Institute of Casablanca), while the festival’s “Visual Art Zone” will extend the program through installations, VR, and exhibitions.
Three awards for student creators
The first edition will present three official awards. The Grand Prix “L’Horizon” (The Horizon) will honor the best student film across all categories, while “Le Regard” (The Gaze) will recognize formal or narrative boldness. “La Fabrique” (The Workshop) will support a future short film project through development and post-production assistance from Artcoustic Studios.
The festival’s launch also fits into the wider spring cultural agenda of the Casablanca Institut Français du Maroc, which has listed Next Frame Festival among its upcoming cultural events alongside exhibitions, cinema programs, and public gatherings around young Moroccan and international talent.
