Weird Market opens the accreditation period for its 17th edition

Valencia will host from September 30 to October 5 the 17th edition of Weird Market, an international market dedicated to animation, video games and new media that has already opened its accreditation period and advanced some of the axes of its programming.

One of the main novelties of this 17th edition is linked to the cinematic part, and the projection venues are expanded, adding At Mutant to the Film Library. This new space, interconnected with Las Naves and which houses an important part of the event's professional activities, adds a new viewing window for professionals. The main objective is to bring the works and their creators closer to the industry.

He International Animation, Video Games and New Media Market which will be held in Valencia from October 2 to 4 will also once again be the focus of attention for the search for new talents. Leading international companies will meet on Thursday, September 2 to carry out around 500 job interviews. Candidates arriving from various parts of Spain may choose to complete the work teams of studios such as Admirable Films, ATLANTIS Animation Boutique, Aupa Studio, Hampa Studio, Skydance Animation, Studio Kimchi, Sultana Films, TV ON Producciones and Uniko.

Another spearhead is the showroom, which returns this year with the support again of BCN Game Fest (by IndieDevPlay). This showcase for the most recent trends in the animation, video game and new media sectors, open to both the professional and general public, will take place in Las Naves on Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Registration to have one of the stands is open until next September 8.

The accreditation process for the 2025 edition of Weird Market is open until September 23.

Preview of the programming of the 17th edition of Weird Market

Weird Market will celebrate its professional side on Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4, two days where conferences, presentations and project presentations will be distributed. Among them, prominent names such as those of the Americans have already been confirmed. Vera Verba and Dotti Sinnott, the Swede Arvid Tappert or the Spanish Carles Dalmau.

The first is the strategy director of Sesame Street, one of the milestones of children's animation that has achieved global relevance and has become an intergenerational icon. From the United States it will also arrive Sinnott, content director of Doodles, one of the most famous brands in the Web3 world; together with the animation studio Golden Wolf, has launched an innovative IP between digital art and entertainment of the future. Another of the confirmed names is that of the Swede Arvid Tappert, who will be in charge of explaining how AI can support the creative process without replacing the artist himself. The example of this is his animated comedy for adults with eccentric touches: The Odd Birds Show.

The illustrator Carles Dalmau will also be present to present the success story of Cult of the Lamb, Devolver Digital's best-selling intellectual property of all time (with revenues of nearly $90 million). Its development transcends the video game to extend to comics, animation and a very active fan community on social networks.

The event will feature other notable moments such as the delivery of the second Diboos Honor Award (after the one granted last year to Pablo Berger); the “bastard formats” session with transgressive, peculiar, experimental and different works; the “Beerworking” meeting, or the presentation of projects. It is in this area where a paradigm shift is confirmed to focus on the value of IPs as a defining element, something that was already reflected in the call and that will materialize during Weird Market. In addition, RTVE, Movistar Plus+ and the Annecy Festival continue as collaborators granting various recognitions.

Under this new look it will arrive in Valencia The body of Christ, the audiovisual adaptation of the graphic work of Bea Lema, awarded the National Comic Award in 2024. The project returns to WEIRD after winning the Movistar Plus+ Short Project Award in 2023.