The Infinity Festival announced the initial lineup of speakers and programming for its ninth edition, taking place Nov. 12-15 at the Audrey Irmas Pavilion in Los Angeles.
This year’s lineup features the team behind the animated film “Tangles,” including producer and voice actor Seth Rogen, producer Lauren Miller Rogen, director, producer and co-screenwriter Leah Nelson, and co-writer Sarah Leavitt. Also joining the lineup are two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Brad Bird, Laika President and CEO Travis Knight, and DEVO co-founder and composer Mark Mothersbaugh.
The four-day festival brings together “leading filmmakers, artists, executives and innovators to explore the technologies and creative breakthroughs shaping the future of entertainment,” according to the official statement.
There will be a special screening of “Tangles,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year before making additional festival appearances, including at Annecy and Toronto. A Q&A with the film’s creative team will follow the screening, exploring “its development, creative process and journey to the screen.” (Just remember to bring tissues.)
Acclaimed filmmaker Brad Bird will receive Infinity Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award during the Monolith Awards ceremony, co-hosted by Paul Debevec and Tia Carrere. The award recognizes Bird’s “contributions to animation and filmmaking,” which, truthfully, are massive. Bird, who directed “The Incredibles,” “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” and “Tomorrowland,” will also attend a special screening of his upcoming sci-fi noir “Ray Gunn,” which is set to premiere on Netflix Dec. 18. Last year’s recipient, DEVO co-founder and composer Mark Mothersbaugh, will present Bird with the honor. Whip it!
Additionally, Travis Knight, president and CEO of LAIKA and director of the studio’s upcoming stop-motion animated feature “Wildwood,” will receive Infinity Festival’s Monolith Award for Visionary Storytelling, recognizing his “innovative approach to animation and filmmaking.” Knight will offer an inside look at the creative process behind “Wildwood,” including “the groundbreaking technologies developed specifically to bring the film to life.”
Additional programming includes a fireside chat with Mothersbaugh exploring the intersection of art, music, technology and animation, as well as a Visual Effects Society-hosted panel featuring visual effects industry veterans, including visual effects supervisor Rob Legato.
The 2026 Infinity Festival will also feature the inaugural ASIFA Animation Showcase, presented in partnership with ASIFA-Hollywood. The exclusive For Your Consideration (FYC) event will bring together studios and creative talent from across the animation industry. Highlights will include a presentation of Tierney Corp.’s animated short film “Addicted to It,” featuring Mel Brooks, singer Dixie D’Amelio and actor Andrew “King Bach” Bachelor.
Participating studios include Apple TV, Cartoon Saloon, Crunchyroll, Disney/Pixar, Disney Kids and Family, IFC Films, LAIKA, Marvel Animation, Netflix Animation, Paramount+, Sony Pictures Animation, “The Violinist,” Tierney Corp., Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Animation and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation. “Attendees can look forward to a unique opportunity to hear directly from the creative artists behind some of the year’s most exciting animated productions,” according to the release.
“One of the things that makes Infinity Festival special is the opportunity to hear from people who are shaping entertainment in very different ways, but whose work increasingly intersects,” said Mark Lieber, Founder and CEO of Infinity Festival, in an official statement. “From filmmakers and animators to musicians and technology leaders, we’re bringing together voices that reflect just how much these industries are influencing one another.”
Reflecting this year’s theme, “CONVERGENCE,” the festival will explore the intersection of Hollywood, Silicon Valley and emerging technologies through programming spanning film, television, gaming, animation, music, Pixels x Space and more, according to the official release.
For the first time, Infinity Festival will also feature dedicated sports technology programming with LA28, the organizing committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, alongside leaders from sports, media and technology. HP and NVIDIA will also play key roles in showcasing how emerging technologies are transforming storytelling.
Sponsors for IF26 include HP, NVIDIA and Intel, as well as Leica Geosystems, Digital Realty, Artlist, Cindee, MG and Hollywood Offices.
Additional speakers, sessions and programming will be announced in the coming weeks. Passes and further information are available at www.infinityfestival.com.
