Open World Animation Festival 2026

Over 140 films from 30+ countries will be screening in competition at Open World Animation Festival 2026!

https://www.openworldanimation.com

The festival features a mix of programming from All Ages to R-rated insanity! There will also be VR headsets available to view VR animated films!

THE ROXY

Once again the historic Roxy Theatre is home of Open World Animation Fest! This 450-seat venue is one of only 600 surviving independent theaters in the Nation. The Roxy Theatre is equipped with DLP Cinema for a state of the art cinematic experience!

http://www.roxytheaternorthampton.com

The festival consists of different curated blocks over a 4-day period. We offer several options to come out enjoy the festival: ticket for an individual screening block, Day Pass to attend all film blocks on a given day, or an All Access Pass which allows entry into every block of programming during the 4-day festival.

PRICING

• $5 per screening (Tickets purchased at Box Office Only)
• Day Pass - $10 (Available in Advance or at the Box Office)
• All Access Pass* - $30 (Available in Advance or at the Box Office)

SCHEDULE

Thursday

7 PM - Opening Night Screening (90 Minutes)

Friday

7 PM - Animation Grab Bag #1 (90 minutes)

9 PM - Horror, Sci-fi & Beyond (90 minutes)

Saturday

11 AM - Saturday Morning Cartoons (90 minutes)

1 PM - Animation Grab Bag #2 (90 minutes)

3 PM - O!PLA Focus on Poland (90 minutes)

5 PM - Student Film Showcase (90 minutes)

7 PM - Animation Grab Bag #3 (90 minutes)

9 PM - Beyond the Beyond (90 minutes)

Sunday

Noon - Lazy Toons Sunday (90 minutes)

2 PM - Animation Grab Bag #4 (90 minutes)

4 PM - Iranian Independent Animation (90 Minutes)

6 PM - Best of OWAF 26 (60 minutes)

SCREENING BLOCKS

• 16bit Toons (PG) - Video game & retro inspired animations mixed with some fun surprises!
• Animation Grab Bag 1-3 (PG-13) - Blocks consisting of short films playing in competition.
• Best of OWAF 26 (PG-13) - The Winning Films from each category are announced and curated into a dedicated block.
• Beyond the Beyond (R) - The most bizarre and experimental films land here.
• Horror, Sci-Fi & Beyond (R) - Perfectly timed for Halloween is a block of twisted short films!
• O!PLA Focus on Poland (PG-13) - Featuring 12 films from the "Oh! People Love Animation Focus On Poland" Festival.
• Opening Night Screening (PG-13) - An overview of what to expect from Open World Animation Fest 2025. It contains a little bit of everything; shorts, music videos, etc.
• Saturday Morning Cartoons (PG) - Good old cartoons! A mix of short films playing in competition along with retro commercials and bumpers!

ABOUT

Open World Animation Festival encourages creators to explore the frontiers of animation through both traditional & emerging mediums. Its mission is to help general audiences understand the artistry in animation and its diversity of subject matter. It aims to showcase many voices, styles, & perspectives. Anyone is welcome to take part!

Open World also features animation retrospectives, Virtual Reality set-ups, GIF displays, a cereal bar & more!

The festival began in 2016 as a series of independent animation screenings from around the world, curated in a 4-day celebration of the medium. Open World is organized by the Alternative Gallery, a non-profit community art space, and is run 100% by volunteers.

The Alternative Gallery is located in Allentown, PA within the Cigar Factory Artist studios, featuring; exhibit & performance spaces, over 40 artist studios, a printshop, wood shop, darkroom, film archive, makerspace, classrooms & more. The organization & festival are both run 100% through the efforts of dedicated volunteers.

www.TheAlternativeGallery.com