International Comic Strip Festival

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From January 29 to February 2, 2025

The Angoulême International Comics Festival, more commonly known as FIBD, is the main French-speaking comics festival. It takes place every year in January (since 1974) and combines exhibitions, debates, meetings and signing sessions, with the main French-speaking authors being present.

Many prizes are awarded there, including the grand prize of the city of Angoulême, which rewards an author for all of his work, and the Fauve d'or, rewarding an album published the previous year.

The first edition of the international comic book fair took place from January 25 to 27, 1974 in the disused wing of part of the Angoulême museum. The organizing association is chaired by Francis Groux, Jean Mardikian is the general secretary, while the festival itself is directed by Pierre Pascal. Hugo Pratt signs the first poster and Burne Hogarth, Harvey Kurtzman, Maurice Tillieux, André Franquin, Claire Bretécher, Gotlib, Fred, Tibet, Peyo, Jean Roba, Jean Giraud are present. This first edition was an immediate success and welcomed ten thousand visitors. The following edition welcomes 15 people

In 1981, the festival passed the stage of amateurism. Angoulême is becoming a "permanent capital of the image in France", beyond just comics. Thus, a comic strip school-workshop and the Maison de la Bande Dessinée (documentation and research center) were opened in 1982. During the 1984 festival, Jack Lang announced the creation of a National Center for Comic Strips and the image, at the same time museum, media library and research center. Quickly, the long-term economic benefits are felt

In 1996, the International Comics Fair changed its name to become the International Comics Festival (FIBD).

In 2025, faithful to its original DNA, the Festival will look, more than ever, at comics as a form of literature in its own right linked to the realities of the world, with the stated ambition of offering a representation of its diversity opening up to so many invitations to read.