Ten Animators to Watch take the stage at SCAD AnimationFest

Ten animators behind some of the next big cartoon features took the stage in Atlanta to talk about where animation goes next.

The conversation closed the 10th annual SCAD AnimationFest, with Variety's 2026 class of 10 Animators to Watch joined by an Oscar-nominated director, Variety reported on 1 Oct. Variety moderated the panel in partnership with the SCAD Film Festival.

The class was profiled in Variety's New York issue. Each honouree drew a self-portrait for the issue. The group spans eight places of origin — Ireland, France, Belgium, Bulgaria, Singapore, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States — and works across hand-drawn, stop-motion and computer-generated animation.

The ten names are Louise Bagnall, Daniela Strijleva, Tilly Fiddler, Amol Sathe, Clarisse Chua, Chloë Aubert, Maarten Lemmens, Eric Bofa Nfon, Ryan Gaffney and Samm Lee.

Several already hold senior credits on studio features. Bagnall directs Cartoon Saloon's Julián. Strijleva is production designer, the person who sets the visual look, on Pixar's Gatto. Fiddler is a stop-motion animator on Laika's Wildwood.

Sathe is director of cinematography and lighting on Walt Disney Animation Studios' Hexed. Lemmens is lead animator on DreamWorks Animation's Forgotten Island. Nfon is animation director on the hand-drawn feature Tangles. Gaffney is head of story, the lead of the team that shapes the plot in drawings before animation begins, on Warner Bros. Pictures Animation's The Cat in the Hat. Lee is storyboard artist and animation director on Sony Pictures Animation's Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.

SCAD listed the session for Friday, 25 Sept at 12:30 p.m. on the Main Stage at SCADshow, 1470 Spring St. NW in Atlanta, SCAD said. The festival said the programme added the 10 Animators to Watch session and a New Shorts Competition alongside its screenings and panels.

Forgotten Island was the festival's closing-night film. It opened in theatres across the country the same day.

Variety chief awards editor Clayton Davis told the audience: "Animation is film, and we must treat it that way."

What makes this stand out for fans is the timing. These are working artists, not household names yet, attached to films that are still rolling out. Their next credits will reach screens over the coming seasons.