"The Visegrad Animation Forum was initially created by associations of animators from the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia in order to create a response and competition to producers from Western Europe and showcase what our region has to offer," Anna Ozorek of Visegrad Animation Forum told FNE.

Initially created as industry section for the Anifilm Festival, the Forum expanded internationally to include Croatia and now Bulgaria.

"We've created a platform where young animators can meet producers and film professionals, form coproductions and develop their projects," Ozorek explained. "This year we've also started
organising meetings of representatives of regional film funds and public funds, so the representatives of film institutes and other funding sources from each country can come and present the
possibilities of getting funds in their region," she added.

The next meeting of regional film funds organised by the Visegrad Animation Forum is planned for the International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary.