Fourth Annual SCAD AnimationFest Lacoste Set for April 4–5, 2025
SCADFILM signature event to screen Annecy and Oscar winners
Festival to host panels with top industry professionals and celebrate student work
LACOSTE, France — March 27 2025 — SCADFILM and the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) are pleased to announce the fourth annual SCAD AnimationFest Lacoste will return April 4–5, 2025, at the university's location in France's majestic Provence region. SCAD AnimationFest Lacoste 2025 will welcome industry professionals and honored guests for screenings, presentations, portfolio reviews, and master classes. All festival events will take place at SCAD's historic Maison Basse, with films screened at Theatre du SCAD to play in their native language with French or English subtitles.
"With the animation industry booming in France, SCAD Lacoste is the perfect place to bring together our students with top creatives in the business," said Cédric Maros, executive director of SCAD Lacoste. "Animation is one of SCAD's top degree programs and this next generation of industry talent is ready to showcase best in class storytelling."
SCAD AnimationFest Lacoste is presented by SCADFILM, the university's leading programming department of events for students and professionals working in animation, film and television, game development, motion media design, immersive reality, and other digital media arts. Animation is the largest of SCAD's preeminent degree programs and has been named a top program in the U.S. year after year by Animation Career Review. For more information on the festival, visit the SCAD AnimationFest Lacoste 2025 website.
CURRENT SCHEDULE
Friday, April 4
4:30 p.m. | SCAD Student Animation Showcase
The world's only animation studio at a university, SCAD Animation Studios places students at the helm of short-film productions as they innovate within the medium, exploring inventive new techniques and developing creative problem-solving agility. As the premier animation studio in higher education, SCAD Animation Studios proudly presents its annual showcase featuring the best of SCAD student work. More than 600 current students and recent alumni from SCAD's top-ranked degree programs have contributed to this year's slate of creative shorts.
Films: Skater Girl, Kitty, Dahlia, Birdland, Have You Eaten, Persimmon Red, MenHeim Clinic, Above the Clouds, Animus, Cliff & Fishes, For Such a Time, Harbor, Le Charade, Nainai's Recipe, Overcast, Pretty Kitty, Teaser Trailer, 'Chelita, Como me Duele Quererte,' Time Flies
8 p.m. | Screening: Flow
A wondrous journey through realms natural and mystical, the Academy Award-winning Flow follows a courageous cat after his home is devastated by a great flood. Teaming with a capybara, a lemur, a bird, and a dog to navigate a boat in search of dry land, the cat and his companions must rely on trust, courage, and wits to survive the perils of a newly aquatic planet. Directed and co-written by Gints Zibalodis, the critically acclaimed Flow won Latvia's first Oscar and Golden Globe Award in 2025.
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Sacrebleu Productions distribution manager Luigi Loy.
Saturday, April 5
2:30 p.m. | Best of Annecy 2024
The Best of Annecy showcases the most outstanding and innovative short films from the renowned Annecy International Animation Film Festival. This curated collection of the festival's 2024 films highlights the global diversity and creative excellence of the animation industry, bringing together a variety of styles, techniques, and storytelling approaches. These films explore complex themes, provoke thought, and deliver powerful emotional experiences all within the rich and vibrant medium of animation. Whether through traditional hand-drawn techniques, cutting-edge 3D animation, or experimental styles, the Best of Annecy offers a captivating glimpse into the future of animation, celebrating both emerging talents and established visionaries.
Films: Afterparty, The Car That Came Back from the Sea, Carrotica, [S], Beautiful Men, Butterfly, Hurikán
4:30 p.m. | Presentation: The Wonderful World of Concept Design with Alfred Lee
Join us for an inspiring and insightful presentation by talented Disney Imagineer and SCAD alum Alfred Lee (B.F.A., illustration, 2014) who will take you behind the scenes of the creative process at one of the most iconic entertainment companies in the world. As a seasoned concept designer, Lee has worked on some of Disney's most beloved attractions and experiences, helping to bring imaginative worlds to life.
In this session, you'll get a glimpse into the incredible world of concept design, where art, storytelling, and innovation come together. Lee will share his unique perspective on what it means to craft immersive environments, characters, and experiences that captivate audiences and transport them into magical realms. From the initial sketches to the final design, attendees will learn about the collaboration, vision, and technical skills that go into designing some of the most recognizable Disney landmarks and stories.
A senior concept designer with Walt Disney Imagineering, Lee has 11 years of experience creating immersive theme park environments, including Hong Kong Disneyland's recent World of Frozen expansion. After initially studying law, Lee decided to pivot and pursue a degree in art and design. While a SCAD student, he won the Disney ImagiNations Competition, which provided a launchpad for him to join the company after graduation. Lee is currently based in France, where he is working on an expansion project at Disneyland Paris.
8 p.m. | Screening: Despicable Me 4
In the fourth installment of Illumination's blockbuster Despicable Me franchise, Gru, Lucy, Margo, Edith, and Agnes welcome a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. When Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal and his girlfriend Valentina, the family is forced to go on the run.
The screening is followed by a Q&A with Illumination Mac Guff CG supervisor Boris Jacq.
SCADFILM
SCADFILM produces premier events for students and professionals working in film, television, animation, gaming, AR/VR, performing arts, and video production. Audiences experience year-round programming that includes screenings, master classes, and behind-the-scenes presentations from industry luminaries. SCADFILM's events calendar includes SCAD AnimationFest, SCAD TVfest, SCADFILM In Focus, and the Storytelling Series.
The preeminent authority in film and television education, SCAD is the only university with professionally run casting offices, located in Atlanta and Savannah. With more than 8,100 SCAD students and alumni working in animation, entertainment, film, media production, writing, editing, broadcast media, and performing arts — with over 2,800 in Georgia alone — SCAD helps drive the multibillion-dollar film and television industry in Georgia — Business Facilities Magazine's No. 1 region for film production — from its locations in Atlanta and Savannah, two of MovieMaker magazine's best cities for filmmaking. Additionally, SCAD students, alumni, and faculty have won Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, Golden Reels, Tonys, Annies, and more.
SCAD LACOSTE
SCAD Lacoste is a residential study abroad location in France offering immersion in the history and culture of Provence. Course offerings each quarter are varied to apply to all SCAD areas of study and are taught by SCAD professors. Lacoste is a beautifully preserved medieval village and historic destination for artists, known for its extraordinary light and exquisite pastoral setting. SCAD Lacoste structures dating from the ninth to the 19th centuries feature cutting-edge contemporary amenities. SCAD Lacoste resources include a library, a gallery, a dining hall, and housing, as well as teaching studios dedicated to painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and digital imaging. Students interact with visiting artists, take field trips to museums and historic sites in the area, and have the opportunity to exhibit their work at a local vernissage.
Celebrated artists and designers visit with SCAD Lacoste students throughout the year. Notable guests have included directors Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Sam Taylor-Johnson; actors Jeremy Irons, Miranda Richardson, John Malkovich, and Lesley Manville; costume designers Janty Yates and Marylin Fitoussi; producer Alison Owen; director, producer, and animation executive Julien Chheng; artists Ruben Toledo and Hugo Dalton; and designers Bibhu Mohapatra; Ilse Crawford, Shane Gabier, and Christopher Peters, among others.
SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
SCAD is a private, nonprofit, accredited university, offering more than 100 graduate and undergraduate degree programs across locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online via SCADnow. SCAD enrolls more than 18,500 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 110 countries. The future-minded SCAD curriculum engages professional-level technology and myriad advanced learning resources, affording students opportunities for internships, professional certifications, and real-world assignments with corporate partners through SCADpro, the university's renowned research lab and prototype generator. SCAD has earned top rankings for degree programs in interior design, architecture, film, fashion, digital media, and more. Career success is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate. A 2024 study found that 99% of recent SCAD graduates were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 12 months of graduation. SCAD provides students and alumni with ongoing career support through personal coaching, alumni programs, a professional presentation studio, and more.
Media Contacts:
Cédric Maros
Executive Director, SCAD Lacoste
cmaros@scad.edu
Wendy Gardner
Sr. Director, Public Relations
wgardner@scad.edu