Weird proposes the 2023 edition with a “reboot” betting on innovative ideas and the detection of creators

He Weird Market, International Animation, Video Games and New Media Market, celebrates its 15 years as a talent incubator at a national and international level.

An edition defined by its organizers as a “reboot”, a rebirth after its move last year to Valencia and which will be held from September 26 to October 1.

The event that brings together hundreds of professionals from the sector has among its strengths the development of IPs and the detection of new creators and projects; "We seek to be the way and the tool to fully develop the capabilities of all those who are part of this industry, being a focus of attention to promote synergies, collaborations, co-productions in animation, video games, new media, comics and illustration. Weird is the place to find those traveling companions and where the important thing is the ideas" he states José Luis Farias, its director.

This year's official image is provided by Jossie Malis, a multi-award-winning illustrator, animator and filmmaker of Peruvian-Chilean origin. The colorful design organically combines references from the author's own work with visual axes of the event, such as cubic shapes. “This year we wanted to represent Weird as that machine that makes great ideas come to fruition,” highlights Farias.

Malis has an outstanding career that pivots between two continents (Europe and America). Based in Mallorca, his work has been recognized at festivals such as Annecy, Málaga, Alcine, Toulouse, Animac or Animamundo, among others; more than 40 recognitions for works such as the Bendito Machine series. Together with his wife (Julie Reier) he founded the Zumbakamera studio (Zoom-Back-Camera) and since 2006 they have produced short films, series, music videos, advertisements, documentary content, art direction, graphic design, musical composition and sound design. A wide-ranging initiative that was completed in 2017 with the creation of Flipboku, a publisher specialized in interactive flipbooks.

Registration deadline

The 15th edition of Weird Market also announces the opening of the accreditation process for the days of September 29 and 30 where the conferences and networking sessions will take place. The deadline will remain open until September 20 and the application can be completed through the event website.

Weird Market's professional accreditations also give access to a special app where you can consult the professionals attending the meetings and thus enhance connections and links at a professional level, one of the highlighted elements of the event.

Among the novelties of this 2023 (which can also be requested in the accreditation), is the creation of a space in the programming for B2B meetings programmed between animation and video game companies.

The La Beneficència Cultural Center will host these meetings on the afternoon of Thursday the 28th, which will last more than two hours; In this way, the organization takes another step towards sharing current or future projects, generating collaborations and synergies between studies or professionals from both sectors.

The rest of the programming and activities, such as WFest short film festival (at the Valencian Film Library), the “beerworking” (in Barreira, Art + Design) or the recruitment day (La Beneficència, on Thursday the 28th in the morning) will have various entries and records that will be confirmed as soon as all the details of each of these activities are announced.

The 15th edition of Weird Market is co-organized by the Valencian Institute of Culture, attached to the First Vice Presidency and Department of Culture and Sports of the Generalitat Valenciana. It also has the main sponsorship of the Valencia City Council and the Valencia Provincial Council; the participation of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the IVAM (Valencian Institute of Modern Art), À Punt, HP and Tenerife Film Commission, among other supports.