Angoulême International Comics Festival (AICF)

The Angoulême International Comics Festival (AICF) is the largest festival dedicated to comics in the French-speaking world and one of the major international events in the 9th art. Founded in 1974, it is traditionally held every year at the end of January in Angoulême, France.

Highlights include:

• Exhibitions dedicated to specific authors, works, or guest countries.
• Signing sessions with hundreds of authors.
• Conferences, masterclasses, and professional networking events.
• Areas dedicated to manga, children’s books, independent publishers, and major publishing houses.
• Illustrated concerts, screenings, and events for audiences of all ages.

The festival is also famous for its awards, notably:

• the Grand Prix de la Ville d’Angoulême, which honors an author’s lifetime achievement;
• the Fauve d’Or, which honors the best graphic novel published the previous year.

Field: Books, literature
Date established: 1974
Usual start month: 01 (January)
Frequency: Annual