Annecy, France – June 24, 2026: Manga Productions, a subsidiary of Mohammed bin Salman Foundation “Misk,” participating in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2026, one of the world’s leading festivals dedicated to animation and creative content, takes place from June 23 to 26 in Annecy, France.
During its participation, the company is showcasing a selection of its creative projects and productions that reflect Saudi identity and culture, while further strengthening its international presence and building strategic relationships with global partners in the entertainment and content industry.
During the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Manga Productions announced its new animated short film project, Henna, in collaboration with the Chinese platform Bilibili. The film tells the story of a young deaf girl who embarks on a journey to discover her voice and express herself through the art of henna, representing the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in a story that reflects the company’s commitment to creating culturally rooted, inspiring human stories for global audiences.
Henna marks the first co-produced animation project between Bilibili and an Arab company, and is one of the first outcomes of the strategic partnership signed between Manga Productions and Bilibili in August 2025 to strengthen collaboration in content creation, production, and distribution. This step is part of Manga Productions’ efforts to expand the reach of Saudi content and Arab creativity in international markets, particularly in China, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing digital entertainment markets. Bilibili is one of China’s leading digital platforms, with more than 107 million daily active users, opening new opportunities for Saudi content to reach a broad global audience.
On this occasion, Dr. Essam Bukhary, CEO of Manga Productions, stated: “Our participation in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival reflects Manga Productions’ commitment to strengthening the global presence of Saudi creative content and building strategic partnerships that contribute to the growth of the animation industry and cultural sector in the Kingdom. We are also proud to announce our new animated short movie, Henna, in collaboration with the Chinese platform Bilibili. The project reflects our strategy of creating impactful human stories inspired by our local culture and presented through a global perspective, while showcasing the talent and creativity of the Saudi youth in whom we place great confidence and high expectations”.
Riyadh Dossary, Director of the short movie “Henna,” also commented: ‘Henna’ carries a human message that reflects the power of one’s inner voice and self-expression despite challenges. Through this project, we aim to deliver a visually engaging and emotionally authentic experience inspired by our local culture in a language that resonates with global audiences.”
Manga Productions also highlighted the global success of the Saudi-Japanese anime series Asateer2: Future’s Folktales, co-produced with Toei Animation and created with the participation of more than 50 Saudi artists, which achieved over 151 million views and 450+ media features across five continents. In conjunction with the Annecy Festival, Manga Productions also announced the global expansion of the series through multiple languages and platforms, including the Arabic version on Shahid, Japanese version on Lemino, and French version on Anime Digital Network, in addition to the English and Spanish versions.
The Annecy International Animation Film Festival is considered one of the most prominent global platforms bringing together leading animation studios, content creators, distributors, and investors from around the world, contributing to the exchange of expertise, the development of partnerships, and the exploration of the latest trends in the animation industry.
This participation aligns with Manga Productions’ strategy to expand its global impact and reinforce Saudi Arabia’s position as a growing hub for creative industries, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives to support the creative economy and strengthen the Kingdom’s cultural presence internationally.
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