ASIFA WEEKLY - 53RD ANNIE AWARDS / HOPPERS / ANIMAID DESIGNER QUILT AUCTION / EXHIBIT AT WONDERCON 2026 & MORE

[Sara Martin]

This Week at ASIFA . . .  53RD ANNIE AWARDS / HOPPERS / ANIMAID DESIGNER QUILT AUCTION / EXHIBIT AT WONDERCON 2026 / BACKSTAGE MEMBERSHIP / SHORT FILM OF THE MONTH: BUTTERFLY KISS / UPCOMING EVENTS The 53rd Annie Awards™ is almost here! The 53rd Annie Awards™ is set for this Saturday, February 21st, 2026 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. Pre-reception and Red Carpet begin at 4:30 p.m., followed by the ceremony at 7 p.m., and after party immediately following the ceremony.   CAN’T ATTEND THE ANNIES IN PERSON?   Join us on the Annie Awards streaming site! We livestream the entire event at no cost. If you can’t be with us in person, this will be the very best way to see the Annies. The Livestream will also have a Closed Captioning Option, and you will be able to download a digital version of the official program during the original February 8th broadcast and on repeated visits to the site.   Join us virtually on Saturday, February 21st, 2026 at 7 pm PT   CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE DISNEY & PIXAR INVITES ASIFA HOLLYWOOD MEMBERS (+ 3 GUESTS) TO AN IN-PERSON SCREENING OF HOPPERS Rated PG, Runtime: 1hr 45 minutes Join us for Disney and Pixar’s all-new animated comedy adventure “Hoppers,” which introduces Mabel, an animal lover who seizes an opportunity to use a new technology to ‘hop’ her consciousness into a life-like robotic beaver and communicate directly with animals, uncovering mysteries beyond anything she could have imagined.   Saturday, March 7 at 7:00 pm PT Los Angeles,CA RSVP Deadline: March 6 at 7:00 pm PT To RSVP for this screening, please visit https://www.asifa-hollywood.org/membership to become a member and receive RSVP details. Please note that membership must be activated at least one week in order to receive the information. ANIMAID DESIGNER QUILT AUCTION CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE EXHIBIT AT WONDERCON 2026 Select ASIFA-Hollywood professional and patron members will have the opportunity to showcase or sell their work and network with the WonderCon community! If you are interested in exhibiting this year, we are offering dedicated time slots at ASIFA-Hollywood’s booth from Friday, March 27th to Sunday, March 29th! ASIFA-Hollywood's Convention Committee is inviting established professionals with experience in the animation industry, including film, games, and television, to apply. This committee will also evaluate how the opportunity will benefit or further the member’s career. The deadline to apply is Sunday, February 22nd. The selected professional and patron members will be informed by Friday, March 6th.   To apply for this opportunity, please visit https://www.asifa-hollywood.org/membership to become a member and receive details. Please note that membership must be activated at least one week in order to receive the information. Backstage invites ASIFA-Hollywood Members to Complimentary Backstage membership Exclusive Offer for ASIFA-Hollywood Members 🎬 Backstage is excited to support the animation community with a special offer just for ASIFA-Hollywood members! New subscribers can enjoy a complimentary one-year Backstage membership (available through March 15), giving you full access to casting calls, jobs and creative opportunities across film, TV, animation, voiceover and more. After your free year, continue your membership with 25% off your first paid year. Start your journey today and connect with the global entertainment industry. To receive the complimentary membership and/or discount, please visit https://www.asifa-hollywood.org/membership to become a member and receive details. Please note that membership must be activated at least one week in order to receive the information. SHORT FILM OF THE MONTH: BUTTERFLY KISS Rated NC-17   Butterfly Kiss is a film, born out of a personal fear of change and the uncertainty that can come with it. As a queer woman, I’ve experienced firsthand the fear and anxiety of being in a relationship and facing the prospect of taking it to the next level. These emotions inspired me to create a film that explores the theme of change, both in a personal and a broader sense. Finally, as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, it was important to me to create a story that celebrates queer love.   To view this screener, please visit https://www.asifa-hollywood.org/membership to become a member and receive screener details. Please note that membership must be activated at least one week in order to receive the screener information. UPCOMING EVENTS SUBMIT YOUR FILM TO THE SHORT FILM OF THE MONTH PROGRAM!   Please click the button below to submit your short or student film. If your film is selected, you will receive a one-year complimentary membership. Your film will also be featured on ASIFA-Hollywood's e-newsletter!   If you have any questions, please email in...@asifa-hollywood.org.   CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR FILM AMPLIFYING VOICES INITIATIVE Interested in being featured on an ASIFA-Hollywood's eblast and social media via the Amplifying Voices Initiative? To learn more, email membe...@asifa-hollywood.org. Corporate Members Disney Television Animation DreamWorks Animation LAIKA LLC LucasFilm Animation Netflix Nickelodeon Pixar Animation Studios Riot Games Skydance Animation Sony Pictures Animation Walt Disney Animation Studios Annie Award Sponsors Amazon MGM Animation Is Film Animation Magazine Backstage Bento Box Entertainment Disney Branded Television DreamWorks Animation GKIDS Lightbox Expo Motion Pictures Editors Guild Netflix Nickelodeon Animation Studios Ottawa International Animation Festival Paper Animation Pixar Animation Studios Skydance Animation Sony Pictures Animation The Hollywood Reporter Variety Walt Disney Animation Studios Warner Bros. Animation Warner Bros. Pictures Animation   ©ASIFA-Hollywood - 1050 W Alameda Ave, #289, Burbank, CA 91506