Annecy International Animation Film Festival is the most time-honored and the largest animated film festival. Its establishment could be traced back to 1960 due to the initiative of ASIFA. It has become the most outstanding festival of its kind and is celebrated as the “Oscars of the Animation Industry” or “Cannes of the Animation Industry”.

Sessions of ASIFA were held in London in 1969, attempting to find a place for a longstanding international animated film festival. It is during this time that Animafest Zagreb emerged, supporting and promoting animation art, especially independent animations.

The inaugural Xiamen International Animation Festival was organized in 2008 under the support and guidance of ASIFA-CHINA. It has developed into an annual event of profound influence over the past 15 years, offering in-depth exchange opportunities for animators on a global scale.