The 9th edition of Animation Is Film kicks off October 16 in Los Angeles with something it’s never done before: opening with a series instead of a feature.

Dana Terrace’s Knights of Guinevere, produced by Glitch Productions, gets its first theatrical screening at the festival. The move is a big deal for Terrace, creator of The Owl House, one of the most beloved animated series of the past few years.

The festival runs through October 19 at TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, with nine features competing. The lineup includes Louis Clichy’s Iron Boy, which swept Cannes and Annecy with jury and audience wins, plus selections from Toronto and New York film fests.

Canada’s Tangles, based on Sarah Leavitt’s graphic memoir and starring Abbi Jacobson and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, makes its LA premiere. So does Ireland’s Julián from Cartoon Saloon, the studio behind Wolfwalkers and The Secret of Kells.

Other highlights: the North American premiere of Shingo Natsume’s Ghost – End of Night, Brazil’s hand-drawn O Filho Da Puta (Son of a Bitch), and The Violinist, winner of the 2026 Annecy Cristal.

Beyond competition, the fest includes a rare big-screen showing of Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlast, work-in-progress looks at Disney’s Hexed and Matt Braly’s independently funded Clara and the Below, and a 25th anniversary celebration of Cartoon Saloon.

Five short programs round out the slate, with curated blocks spotlighting student work, emerging voices, and selections from Annecy.

Tickets are available now at AnimationIsFilm.com.