Our History: 9 Years of Magic Under the Stars

The journey of the SFN Loutraki Animation Festival began back in 2013. It all started experimentally as a special cinematic evening dedicated exclusively to independent cinema and Greek filmmakers, under the title Short Film Night (SFN). From that very first moment, SFN was born and developed within the framework of festivArt, remaining an integral part of it ever since. That inaugural night gave the audience the opportunity to discover the charm of short films, to be moved, to laugh, and to vote for their favorite film.

The warm embrace of the public showed that this venture had a bright future. The same successful recipe continued with steady steps in 2014, 2015, and 2017, establishing the “short film night” as a highly anticipated cultural rendezvous for our city.

The year 2019 marked a major milestone for our identity today. SFN evolved and was officially renamed SFN Loutraki Animation Festival. A big decision was made: the festival shifted its focus exclusively to the art of animation and spread its wings to embrace a strong international character, attracting creators from every corner of the globe.

After 2019, the pandemic forced cinema projectors worldwide to fall silent for a while, but our love for animation remained fully alive. The SFN Loutraki Animation Festival made a dynamic comeback in 2023, continued in 2024 and 2025, reaching today, in 2026, its 9th edition.