Spain’s foremost animation film festival, Animayo Gran Canaria, awarded Oscar-qualifying honors to animation shorts “Our Uniform” by Iran’s Yegane Moghaddam and “Amarradas” by Spain’s Carmen Córdoba as it reported a 29% jump in attendance, the biggest ever in its 18-year history.
Sixty animation shorts were in contention, selected out of 2,000 entries from more than 80 countries. Disney animation legend Andreas Deja, who presented the Spanish premiere of his 2D animation short, “Mushka,” presided over the international jury. He also held a Master Class on his 30 years at Disney, delivered a keynote address on the making of “Mushka” and led a three-hour drawing class on animated villains. “The students made me feel like a rock star,” he told Variety. “What better thing to hear than that the films I worked on still impact many people to this day,” he mused.
From the scores of animation shorts he watched as a juror,...
Sixty animation shorts were in contention, selected out of 2,000 entries from more than 80 countries. Disney animation legend Andreas Deja, who presented the Spanish premiere of his 2D animation short, “Mushka,” presided over the international jury. He also held a Master Class on his 30 years at Disney, delivered a keynote address on the making of “Mushka” and led a three-hour drawing class on animated villains. “The students made me feel like a rock star,” he told Variety. “What better thing to hear than that the films I worked on still impact many people to this day,” he mused.
From the scores of animation shorts he watched as a juror,...
- 5/16/2023
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
On the eve of Annecy’s MIFA market, Argentina’s National Film and Audiovisual Arts Institute (Incaa) has announced that it will launch three regional animation schools as it proclaims animation a strategic growth sector.
Forming part of Incaa’s Enerc federal film school system, currently headquartered in Buenos Aires, the new animation training facilities will be based in Mar del Plata, already home to Latin America’s only “A” grade film festival, as well as Santa Fe’s Rosario and Patagonia’s Comodoro Rivadavia. The film school’s will focus on 3D animation and new technologies.
In a first move, Argentina’s Incaa is setting up a new Animation and New Technologies division, headed by Silvina Cornillón, the driving force behind the explosive growth of Ventana Sur’s Animation! from its launch in 2016. In the space of five editions, organized in collaboration with Annecy’s MIFA market. Animation! has...
Forming part of Incaa’s Enerc federal film school system, currently headquartered in Buenos Aires, the new animation training facilities will be based in Mar del Plata, already home to Latin America’s only “A” grade film festival, as well as Santa Fe’s Rosario and Patagonia’s Comodoro Rivadavia. The film school’s will focus on 3D animation and new technologies.
In a first move, Argentina’s Incaa is setting up a new Animation and New Technologies division, headed by Silvina Cornillón, the driving force behind the explosive growth of Ventana Sur’s Animation! from its launch in 2016. In the space of five editions, organized in collaboration with Annecy’s MIFA market. Animation! has...
- 6/14/2021
- by John Hopewell and Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
On Friday evening, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival announced 13 special award winners in advance of Saturday night’s Official Awards ceremony. Both events will be streamed for free on the festival’s YouTube page at 5 p.m. Cest (8 a.m. Pst).
Annecy artistic director Marcel Jean was joined, via prerecorded video clips, by a clutch of the evening’s big winners, and screened brief clips from several after they were announced.
Junior Jury Awards, voted for by a special jury of for short and graduation films went to Taylor Meachum’s “To: Gerard,” from DreamWorks Animation and Tsz Wing Ho’s “Catgot,” backed by the School of Creative Media at City University of Hong Kong, respectively.
Among the most coveted of Annecy’s special prizes, the Fipresci Award for a short film went to Theodore Ushev’s “The Physics of Sorrow.” Already a hit at both Toronto and Clermont Ferrand,...
Annecy artistic director Marcel Jean was joined, via prerecorded video clips, by a clutch of the evening’s big winners, and screened brief clips from several after they were announced.
Junior Jury Awards, voted for by a special jury of for short and graduation films went to Taylor Meachum’s “To: Gerard,” from DreamWorks Animation and Tsz Wing Ho’s “Catgot,” backed by the School of Creative Media at City University of Hong Kong, respectively.
Among the most coveted of Annecy’s special prizes, the Fipresci Award for a short film went to Theodore Ushev’s “The Physics of Sorrow.” Already a hit at both Toronto and Clermont Ferrand,...
- 6/19/2020
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Pitched at Annecy, “Primeras” (Firsts) is a 2D TV project which underscores how the industry is driving ever more into issues of gender and inclusion.
Part of the La Liga Focus, and produced by Chile’s Typpo Creative Lab –co-developed along Bernardita Ojeda’s Pájaro Studio,– the 13-episode anthology series turns on Latin American and all-over-the-world women pioneers in fields of knowledge, sports and culture which had historically been reserved for men. Tatiana Calderón, the first woman tester in Formula One, Japan’s Junko Tabei, the first woman to top the Everest, Prudencia Ayala, a first female presidential candidate and Eloísa Díaz, Chile’s first female doctor, make the cut.
Also included are Gabriela Mistral – all Latin American Nobel Prize winners before her had been men,– Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Mexico’s ground-breaking 17th century female poet, South African Desiré Wilson, first and only woman to ever win a Formula One race,...
Part of the La Liga Focus, and produced by Chile’s Typpo Creative Lab –co-developed along Bernardita Ojeda’s Pájaro Studio,– the 13-episode anthology series turns on Latin American and all-over-the-world women pioneers in fields of knowledge, sports and culture which had historically been reserved for men. Tatiana Calderón, the first woman tester in Formula One, Japan’s Junko Tabei, the first woman to top the Everest, Prudencia Ayala, a first female presidential candidate and Eloísa Díaz, Chile’s first female doctor, make the cut.
Also included are Gabriela Mistral – all Latin American Nobel Prize winners before her had been men,– Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Mexico’s ground-breaking 17th century female poet, South African Desiré Wilson, first and only woman to ever win a Formula One race,...
- 6/18/2020
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
The Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival has announced the projects set to participate in this year’s digital Mifa Pitches, Territory Focus Pitching and brand-new Comics Mifa Pitches.
This year saw a record number of 631 project submissions, “But not at the expense of quality, which made the selection even more tricky!” Mifa head of projects Géraldine Baché told Variety. 38 were eventually selected to participate.
She added: “We felt the same about each of the categories: Creativity is definitely not lacking, and talents keep believing in their projects, doing their best to be different and innovative.”
Two recurrent themes among this year’s projects are women’s and environmental issues, often overlapping and helping define a very of-the-moment selection.
One of this year’s highest-profile titles is “Saba,” the next family feature from Maybe Movies, producers of 2009’s Oscar-nominated “Ernest & Celestine” and Annecy’s 2017 opening film “Zombillenium.” Maybe also participated...
This year saw a record number of 631 project submissions, “But not at the expense of quality, which made the selection even more tricky!” Mifa head of projects Géraldine Baché told Variety. 38 were eventually selected to participate.
She added: “We felt the same about each of the categories: Creativity is definitely not lacking, and talents keep believing in their projects, doing their best to be different and innovative.”
Two recurrent themes among this year’s projects are women’s and environmental issues, often overlapping and helping define a very of-the-moment selection.
One of this year’s highest-profile titles is “Saba,” the next family feature from Maybe Movies, producers of 2009’s Oscar-nominated “Ernest & Celestine” and Annecy’s 2017 opening film “Zombillenium.” Maybe also participated...
- 5/5/2020
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Buenos Aires — With Ventana Sur now firing on multiple cylinders, featuring pix-in post or project competitions for not only art films but also genre pics and animation – two sectors embraced by young creators in Latin America – “Karnawal,” “Restless,” “Summer White” and “Firsts” proved big winners among Ventana Sur’s arthouse and animation competitions, while “The Containment” and “Vurdulak Blood” topped genre movie mart Blood Window plaudits with two prices each.
Jérôme Paillard, Cannes Marché du Film and Ventana Sur director-founder, used the occasion to announce slightly later dates for Ventana Sur next year, Dec. 8-12.
Meanwhile, Colombia’s Oscar submission “Monos,” hailed by Variety as “astonishing” and a “major work of fever-dream art” did its International Feature Film Academy Award nomination chances no damage at all taking the Latin American Film of the Year, now granted by an expanded, global Intl. Federation of Fantastic Film Festivals.
It was two highly...
Jérôme Paillard, Cannes Marché du Film and Ventana Sur director-founder, used the occasion to announce slightly later dates for Ventana Sur next year, Dec. 8-12.
Meanwhile, Colombia’s Oscar submission “Monos,” hailed by Variety as “astonishing” and a “major work of fever-dream art” did its International Feature Film Academy Award nomination chances no damage at all taking the Latin American Film of the Year, now granted by an expanded, global Intl. Federation of Fantastic Film Festivals.
It was two highly...
- 12/7/2019
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Álvaro Ceppi of Chile’s award-winning animation studio Zumbastico has boarded “Coda,” a stop-motion animation feature project headed by Juan Pablo Zaramella at his own label, Buenos Aires-based JPZstudio, alongside Sol Rulloni. Variety has received exclusive access to “Coda’s” concept art and main character designs.
A major name in Latin American stop-motion, Zaramella was Oscar shortlisted for his 2011 short “Luminaris,” which won the Fipresci Prize and Audience Award at Annecy, the biggest animation festival in the world.
At the inaugural Quirino Ibero-American Animation Awards in 2017, Zaramella snagged a best series award with his stop-motion “Tiniest Man in the World,” a co-production between Les Films De L’Arlequin, Jpl Films and Can Can Club.
Zumbastico’s Ceppi was behind hit series “Paper Port,” selected for the 2016 Annecy Festival, produced using in-house stop-motion, and 2D animation mix techniques.
Budgeted at $8 million – a substantial figure compared to Latin American standards – “Coda’s” producers...
A major name in Latin American stop-motion, Zaramella was Oscar shortlisted for his 2011 short “Luminaris,” which won the Fipresci Prize and Audience Award at Annecy, the biggest animation festival in the world.
At the inaugural Quirino Ibero-American Animation Awards in 2017, Zaramella snagged a best series award with his stop-motion “Tiniest Man in the World,” a co-production between Les Films De L’Arlequin, Jpl Films and Can Can Club.
Zumbastico’s Ceppi was behind hit series “Paper Port,” selected for the 2016 Annecy Festival, produced using in-house stop-motion, and 2D animation mix techniques.
Budgeted at $8 million – a substantial figure compared to Latin American standards – “Coda’s” producers...
- 12/3/2019
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
The Cannes Festival and Film Market’s boldest international initiative outside France, as well as Latin America’s biggest movie mart-meet, Buenos Aires’ Ventana Sur runs Dec. 2-6. Co-organized by Argentina’s Incaa film-tv agency, it provides a telling window into Latin American market trends. Here are five takes for 2019:
1. Latin American Headwinds
For most of the past decade, Ventana Sur channeled the energies of the region’s expanding film industries. That era is now over. “Latin America is the world’s worst performing region in terms of economic output,” the Financial Times proclaimed in October. That downturn, and its sluggish growth, plays out throughout the region. Two of Latin America’s three biggest national film industries — Argentina and Brazil — have just hit rather hard walls: The plunging Argentine peso lost 37% of its value against the dollar in just 12 months; and in Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro has envisaged a...
1. Latin American Headwinds
For most of the past decade, Ventana Sur channeled the energies of the region’s expanding film industries. That era is now over. “Latin America is the world’s worst performing region in terms of economic output,” the Financial Times proclaimed in October. That downturn, and its sluggish growth, plays out throughout the region. Two of Latin America’s three biggest national film industries — Argentina and Brazil — have just hit rather hard walls: The plunging Argentine peso lost 37% of its value against the dollar in just 12 months; and in Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro has envisaged a...
- 11/28/2019
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Juan Pablo Zaramella’s “Coda,” Miguel Angel Uriegas’ “Beast,” Wesley Rodrigues’ “The Bird Kingdom,” Javier Lourenço and Álvaro Ortega Bianchi’s “John & Lorenzo,” and João Castro’s “My Dad Is a Pirate” feature in this year’s lineup of seven features and eight TV series projects that will participate at Animation!, the cartoon pitching showcase at Buenos Aires’ Ventana Sur market.
The 15 projects will pitch over Dec. 4-5 at the sidebar’s fourth edition.
Participating projects were selected in partnership with Annecy’s Intl. Animation Film Market (Mifa), the world’s highest-profile film and tv animation trade fair. Four of the Animation! projects will be chosen by an international jury to be showcased at Mifa next year.
Through his own studio, Argentine stop-motion master Juan Pablo Zaramella is teaming up with Chilean producer-director Álvaro Ceppi who will take on production responsabilities on Zaramella’s sci-fi family fable “Coda,” which follows...
The 15 projects will pitch over Dec. 4-5 at the sidebar’s fourth edition.
Participating projects were selected in partnership with Annecy’s Intl. Animation Film Market (Mifa), the world’s highest-profile film and tv animation trade fair. Four of the Animation! projects will be chosen by an international jury to be showcased at Mifa next year.
Through his own studio, Argentine stop-motion master Juan Pablo Zaramella is teaming up with Chilean producer-director Álvaro Ceppi who will take on production responsabilities on Zaramella’s sci-fi family fable “Coda,” which follows...
- 10/28/2019
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Nicolas Schmerkin’s Paris-based Autour de Minuit has boarded Alfredo Soderguit and Alejo Schettini’s “Two Little Birds” (“Dos pajaritos”), the first winner of La Liga contest, an award created by Argentina’s Animation!, Spain’s Quirino Awards and Mexico’s Pixelatl Festival, three major events in Ibero-American animation.
The project will be pitched at the upcoming Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival on June 13.
Autour de Minuit will co-produce the animated series. A non-dialogue slapstick about two bitter bird enemies, “Two Little Birds” is produced by Luciana Roude at Buenos Aires’ Can Can Club –a longtime associate of Argentine stop-motion master Juan Pablo Zaramella – director of “The Tiniest Man in the World” and 2011 Annecy winner and Oscar-shortlisted “Luminaris” – and Uruguay’s Palermo Estudio, ran by Alfredo Soderguit and Alejo Schettini, director and animation director/co-writer of the 2013 Bafici Audience Award winner “Anina.”
“With such a minimalist and universal non-dialogue concept,...
The project will be pitched at the upcoming Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival on June 13.
Autour de Minuit will co-produce the animated series. A non-dialogue slapstick about two bitter bird enemies, “Two Little Birds” is produced by Luciana Roude at Buenos Aires’ Can Can Club –a longtime associate of Argentine stop-motion master Juan Pablo Zaramella – director of “The Tiniest Man in the World” and 2011 Annecy winner and Oscar-shortlisted “Luminaris” – and Uruguay’s Palermo Estudio, ran by Alfredo Soderguit and Alejo Schettini, director and animation director/co-writer of the 2013 Bafici Audience Award winner “Anina.”
“With such a minimalist and universal non-dialogue concept,...
- 6/5/2019
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Buenos Aires — “The Good Intentions,” the first feature of Argentina’s Argentina’s Ana García Blaya, won two industry prizes, including the top European Vision Prize, at the 2018 10th Ventana Sur, which wraps Dec. 14 in Buenos Aires. It shared a third.
The award sweep, for a title in pix-in-pose section Primer Corte, was always on the cards. The father-daughter drama – in which a young girl, shunted between her divorced parents, has to choose between gong to live abroad with her mother or staying with her feckless father – played to applause and even, reportedly, some tears at an industry screening Thursday.
“It’s a portrait of a 2.0 family,” said Bruno Deloye, at France’s Cine + Club, which adjudicated the prize with Le Film Français’ Francois-Pier Pelinard-Lambert and Louise Ronzet from Udi, the latter two representing TitraFilms and Gomedia.
Deloye added: “The relationship between two parents and the three children is crazy,...
The award sweep, for a title in pix-in-pose section Primer Corte, was always on the cards. The father-daughter drama – in which a young girl, shunted between her divorced parents, has to choose between gong to live abroad with her mother or staying with her feckless father – played to applause and even, reportedly, some tears at an industry screening Thursday.
“It’s a portrait of a 2.0 family,” said Bruno Deloye, at France’s Cine + Club, which adjudicated the prize with Le Film Français’ Francois-Pier Pelinard-Lambert and Louise Ronzet from Udi, the latter two representing TitraFilms and Gomedia.
Deloye added: “The relationship between two parents and the three children is crazy,...
- 12/14/2018
- by John Hopewell and Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Spain’s Quirino Awards, Argentina’s Animation! and Mexico’s Pixelatl Festival, three key events in Ibero-American animation, will join forces to create La Liga (The League), as announced Wednesday at an Animation! round table hosted by the Quirino Awards, titled “Iberoamerican Alliance Models.”
Speakers included Quirino Awards promoter José Luis Farias, Mexico’s Pixelatl director José Iñesta, Gonzalo Azpiri at Argentina’s Animar Cluster, Milton Guerrero from Animation Peru, José Navarro from Chile’s national lobby Animach) and Liliana Rincón, of Colombia’s Gema animation trade assn.
The Liga’s logo (pictured) was designed by renowned Argentine animation auteur Juan Pablo Zaramella (“The Tiniest Man in the World”).
La Liga all see one of the selected projects at this year’s Animation! pitching sessions awarded a prize consisting of an invitation to attend Tenerife’s Quirino Awards and Cuernavaca’s Pixelatl, plus travel expenses, lodging and full accreditation to both.
Speakers included Quirino Awards promoter José Luis Farias, Mexico’s Pixelatl director José Iñesta, Gonzalo Azpiri at Argentina’s Animar Cluster, Milton Guerrero from Animation Peru, José Navarro from Chile’s national lobby Animach) and Liliana Rincón, of Colombia’s Gema animation trade assn.
The Liga’s logo (pictured) was designed by renowned Argentine animation auteur Juan Pablo Zaramella (“The Tiniest Man in the World”).
La Liga all see one of the selected projects at this year’s Animation! pitching sessions awarded a prize consisting of an invitation to attend Tenerife’s Quirino Awards and Cuernavaca’s Pixelatl, plus travel expenses, lodging and full accreditation to both.
- 12/12/2018
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
244 animated works coming from Ibero-American countries will compete at the 2nd edition of the Quirino Awards – as was announced Wednesday at Buenos Aires’ Ventana Sur, in an event hosted by Animation! and the Quirino Awards. The event will take place on April 5 and 6, in Tenerife, the capital of Spain’s Canary Islands. 60 productions come from Spain, 49 from Brazil, 34 from México, 27 from Argentina, 19 from Colombia and 14 from Chile and Portugal. Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Peru each have four; Ecuador and Uruguay three; El Salvador, Paraguay and Venezuela two; and Bolivia one. Portugal, Mexico and Brazil are the countries with a most significant increase in nominations over last year’s numbers. From that total, 18 are features, 96 short films, 42 student films, 39 commissioned films and 33 TV-series. The 2nd Quirino Awards will also the presentation of the first ever Ibero-American Animation White Paper – an encyclopedia and updated tool made with the aim of better...
- 12/12/2018
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Annecy, France — Argentine stop-motion creator Juan Pablo Zaramella has finished the first 26 much-awaited episodes of “The Way Things Are,” a stop-motion TV series produced at his studio, JPZtudio. Twenty six more episodes are scheduled to be finished by the end of the year.
Zaramella was Oscar-shortlisted for his 2011 short “Luminaris” which won the Fipresci Prize and Audience Award at Annecy. The French festival devoted a special program to Zaramella in 2010.
In March, Guinness organization stated the six-minute long “Luminaris” to be the most awarded short film in history, scoring a total of 324 kudos.
Currently, Zaramella is writing his feature debut, a futuristic tale kicking off in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. In the feature, “Some beings discover the limits of the world where they live. And so far the main character is a female. It’s all I can announce now,” Zaramella told Variety.
“Humor is going to be present again,...
Zaramella was Oscar-shortlisted for his 2011 short “Luminaris” which won the Fipresci Prize and Audience Award at Annecy. The French festival devoted a special program to Zaramella in 2010.
In March, Guinness organization stated the six-minute long “Luminaris” to be the most awarded short film in history, scoring a total of 324 kudos.
Currently, Zaramella is writing his feature debut, a futuristic tale kicking off in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. In the feature, “Some beings discover the limits of the world where they live. And so far the main character is a female. It’s all I can announce now,” Zaramella told Variety.
“Humor is going to be present again,...
- 6/16/2018
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Annecy, France—The Quirino Awards will draft a white paper for Ibero-American animation, the event’s promoter José Luis Farias announced in Annecy.
According to Farias, the idea is to update, consolidate and catalog vital statistics from the region’s animation industries, including information on ongoing animation projects. “There’s no exhaustive radiography of the Ibero-American animation industry so far. And this white paper could be a foundation stone to build many things around,” Farias told Variety.
Quirino is looking for backers for the project and is in talks with a number of government bodies, lobbies and institutes. The 2nd Quirino Awards will run April 5-6 on the Canary island of Tenerife.
Farias was accompanied by Tenerife Film Commission strategy consultant Zulay Rodríguez, who outlined the Canary Islands’ attractive 40% tax rebate for potential partners and investors, and José Iñesta, the director of Mexican animation confab Pixelatl, who announced that the event’s next edition,...
According to Farias, the idea is to update, consolidate and catalog vital statistics from the region’s animation industries, including information on ongoing animation projects. “There’s no exhaustive radiography of the Ibero-American animation industry so far. And this white paper could be a foundation stone to build many things around,” Farias told Variety.
Quirino is looking for backers for the project and is in talks with a number of government bodies, lobbies and institutes. The 2nd Quirino Awards will run April 5-6 on the Canary island of Tenerife.
Farias was accompanied by Tenerife Film Commission strategy consultant Zulay Rodríguez, who outlined the Canary Islands’ attractive 40% tax rebate for potential partners and investors, and José Iñesta, the director of Mexican animation confab Pixelatl, who announced that the event’s next edition,...
- 6/14/2018
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Saturday, April 7 marked the debut edition of the Quirino Awards ceremony. Held in the Canary Island city of Tenerife, the event was created to celebrate Ibero-American animation, and to create links within the industry across the Atlantic.
In addition to Saturday night’s awards ceremony, an Ibero-American co-production forum was held over the two days which included: Presentations of the state of the animation industry in different countries and regions; B2B coproduction meetings: and industry work tables.
Additionally, an international congress was held as a forum for debate and discussion on the rapid evolution of animation technologies and techniques, as well as the platforms which host that content.
Saturday’s awards ceremony was the culmination of the two-day event, named in honor of Argentina’s Quirino Cristiani who, in 1917, directed “El Apóstol,” the world’s first animated feature. Unfortunately, the film was destroyed in a fire.
The inaugural best...
In addition to Saturday night’s awards ceremony, an Ibero-American co-production forum was held over the two days which included: Presentations of the state of the animation industry in different countries and regions; B2B coproduction meetings: and industry work tables.
Additionally, an international congress was held as a forum for debate and discussion on the rapid evolution of animation technologies and techniques, as well as the platforms which host that content.
Saturday’s awards ceremony was the culmination of the two-day event, named in honor of Argentina’s Quirino Cristiani who, in 1917, directed “El Apóstol,” the world’s first animated feature. Unfortunately, the film was destroyed in a fire.
The inaugural best...
- 4/8/2018
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The 2nd annual South Texas Underground Film Festival, running Oct. 3-6 in Corpus Christi, Texas, is a massive celebration of international alternative cinema, including plenty from Texas filmmakers, of course.
The fest opened on the 3rd with the drop-dead hilarious comedy Pictures of Superheroes by Austin filmmaker Don Swaynos.
But, there’s still plenty more to see throughout the jam-packed weekend wherein films screen from morning until, well, early into the next morning.
The film that’s absolutely not to be missed is the screening on the 6th at 10:30 a.m. of Savage Witches, the amazing celebration of the art of filmmaking by British directors Daniel Fawcett & Clara Pais. A colorful spectacle of multiple filmmaking styles, Savage Witches is a real joy to experience.
Also to be on the lookout for are on the 5th at 11:00 a.m. is the new rockin’ documentary Mondo Fuzz: Twilight of the...
The fest opened on the 3rd with the drop-dead hilarious comedy Pictures of Superheroes by Austin filmmaker Don Swaynos.
But, there’s still plenty more to see throughout the jam-packed weekend wherein films screen from morning until, well, early into the next morning.
The film that’s absolutely not to be missed is the screening on the 6th at 10:30 a.m. of Savage Witches, the amazing celebration of the art of filmmaking by British directors Daniel Fawcett & Clara Pais. A colorful spectacle of multiple filmmaking styles, Savage Witches is a real joy to experience.
Also to be on the lookout for are on the 5th at 11:00 a.m. is the new rockin’ documentary Mondo Fuzz: Twilight of the...
- 10/4/2013
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
The fourth annual Strange Beauty Film Festival will screen on January 24-26 at the Manbites Dog Theater in Durham, North Carolina. The fest primarily screens avant-garde and experimental short films.
Special Events: On Jan. 25, Tom Whiteside’s Circle Spiral Slow, featuring films from Whiteside’s film collection accompanied by live music by local band Arrows Out. And on Jan. 26, give your eyes a rest and your ears a workout with the “Strange Beauty Aural Fixation” experimental audio program.
Bad Lit picks: Leslie Supnet’s The Animated Heavy Metal Parking Lot (Jan. 24), which is quite frankly one of the most charming animated films of all time; and Clint Enns’ psychosexual 8-bit adventure ♥++ (Jan. 24). Also be on the lookout for films by Aaron Zeghers, Kelly Sears, Bill Brown, Robert Todd and Roger Beebe.
For more info and to buy tickets, please visit the official Strange Beauty Film Festival website.
Full lineup below:
January 24
8:15 p.
Special Events: On Jan. 25, Tom Whiteside’s Circle Spiral Slow, featuring films from Whiteside’s film collection accompanied by live music by local band Arrows Out. And on Jan. 26, give your eyes a rest and your ears a workout with the “Strange Beauty Aural Fixation” experimental audio program.
Bad Lit picks: Leslie Supnet’s The Animated Heavy Metal Parking Lot (Jan. 24), which is quite frankly one of the most charming animated films of all time; and Clint Enns’ psychosexual 8-bit adventure ♥++ (Jan. 24). Also be on the lookout for films by Aaron Zeghers, Kelly Sears, Bill Brown, Robert Todd and Roger Beebe.
For more info and to buy tickets, please visit the official Strange Beauty Film Festival website.
Full lineup below:
January 24
8:15 p.
- 1/22/2013
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Short film Yardbird was named Best Australian Short Film at Flickerfest. The film was directed by Good Oil’s Michael Spiccia, written by Julius Avery and produced by Jessica Mitchell.
The film had previously been accepted into the Cannes International Film Festival.
The award is Academy accredited which means the film may be entered for consideration to the Oscars.
Avery has written and will soon direct his first feature film Son of a Gun, starring Ewan McGregor.
Meanwhile, Mirrah Foulkes won Best Direction of an Australian Short for her film Dumpy Goes to the Big Smoke. It was produced by David Michod and Michael Cody.
The full line-up of winners.
International Award Winners:
Renault Award for Best International Short Film (Academy® Accredited):
Tiger Boy (Italy)
Director/Producer: Gabriele Mainetti
Wri: Nicola Guaglianone
Yoram Gross Award for Best International Animation (Academy® Accredited):
Edmond Was A Donkey (France/Canada)
Wri...
The film had previously been accepted into the Cannes International Film Festival.
The award is Academy accredited which means the film may be entered for consideration to the Oscars.
Avery has written and will soon direct his first feature film Son of a Gun, starring Ewan McGregor.
Meanwhile, Mirrah Foulkes won Best Direction of an Australian Short for her film Dumpy Goes to the Big Smoke. It was produced by David Michod and Michael Cody.
The full line-up of winners.
International Award Winners:
Renault Award for Best International Short Film (Academy® Accredited):
Tiger Boy (Italy)
Director/Producer: Gabriele Mainetti
Wri: Nicola Guaglianone
Yoram Gross Award for Best International Animation (Academy® Accredited):
Edmond Was A Donkey (France/Canada)
Wri...
- 1/21/2013
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
Michael Spiccia's short film Yardbird has won the 2013 Flickerfest Award for Best Australian Short Film while Italian short Tiger Boy has been crowned Best International Short Film.
Yardbird follows a young girl who lives in a remote wrecking yard who takes on the local bullies when they travel out to torment her father. The 13-minute short had its world premiere at the 2012 Cannes International Film Festival (see Cannes interview below). It was produced by Jessica Mitchell and written by Julius Avery, who.is currently set to direct his.debut feature film, Son of a Gun, starring Ewan McGregor, in Western Australia.
Tiger Boy is set in a suburb of Rome where Matteo, a nine year-old boy, is abused by his school headmaster. Only through his relation to his hero,.Italian wrestler The Tiger, can he find the courage to rise against his enemy.
Festival director Bronwyn Kidd said: "We...
Yardbird follows a young girl who lives in a remote wrecking yard who takes on the local bullies when they travel out to torment her father. The 13-minute short had its world premiere at the 2012 Cannes International Film Festival (see Cannes interview below). It was produced by Jessica Mitchell and written by Julius Avery, who.is currently set to direct his.debut feature film, Son of a Gun, starring Ewan McGregor, in Western Australia.
Tiger Boy is set in a suburb of Rome where Matteo, a nine year-old boy, is abused by his school headmaster. Only through his relation to his hero,.Italian wrestler The Tiger, can he find the courage to rise against his enemy.
Festival director Bronwyn Kidd said: "We...
- 1/20/2013
- by Brendan Swift
- IF.com.au
The Stella Artois poured freely (because it was free) at the Contemporary Art Museum in downtown St. Louis last night. It was the closing-night party for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival where the slate of audience-choice and juried-competition winners were announced to an attentive crowd.
Audience Choice Awards
Best Narrative Feature: .The Sapphires,. directed by Wayne Blair
Best International Narrative Feature: .Quartet,. directed by Dustin Hoffman Leon Award for Best Documentary Feature: .The Entertainers,. directed by Michael Zimmer Juried Competition Awards New Filmmakers Forum Emerging Filmmaker Award (The Bobbie) Winner ($500 cash prize): .Faith, Love and Whiskey,. directed by Kristina Nikolova Special Jury Citation: .Sun Don.t Shine,. directed by Amy Seimetz St. Louis Film Critics. Joe Pollack Awards
Best Narrative Feature: .Barbara,. directed by Christian Petzold Special Jury Citation for Acting in Narrative Feature: Rachel Mwanza, lead actress of .War Witch. Best Documentary Feature: .Uprising,...
Audience Choice Awards
Best Narrative Feature: .The Sapphires,. directed by Wayne Blair
Best International Narrative Feature: .Quartet,. directed by Dustin Hoffman Leon Award for Best Documentary Feature: .The Entertainers,. directed by Michael Zimmer Juried Competition Awards New Filmmakers Forum Emerging Filmmaker Award (The Bobbie) Winner ($500 cash prize): .Faith, Love and Whiskey,. directed by Kristina Nikolova Special Jury Citation: .Sun Don.t Shine,. directed by Amy Seimetz St. Louis Film Critics. Joe Pollack Awards
Best Narrative Feature: .Barbara,. directed by Christian Petzold Special Jury Citation for Acting in Narrative Feature: Rachel Mwanza, lead actress of .War Witch. Best Documentary Feature: .Uprising,...
- 11/19/2012
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Last night was the kick-off with just one film, Silver Linings Playbook, but today the real meat of the fest is served with films screening all day and all evening. Sliff’s main venues are the the Hi-Pointe Theatre, Tivoli Theatre, Plaza Frontenac Cinema, Webster University’s Winifred Moore Auditorium, Washington University’s Brown Hall Auditorium and the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Il
The entire schedule for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival be found Here.
http://cinemastlouis.org/sliff-2012
Here is what will be screening at The 21st Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival today, Friday, November 9th
Chained plays 7:00pm at the Tivoli Theatre with director Jennifer Lynch in attendance (read the Wamg interview with Ms Lynch Here
At the end of an afternoon excursion, Sarah Fiddler and her young son step into a taxi to head home. They never get there. The cab...
The entire schedule for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival be found Here.
http://cinemastlouis.org/sliff-2012
Here is what will be screening at The 21st Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival today, Friday, November 9th
Chained plays 7:00pm at the Tivoli Theatre with director Jennifer Lynch in attendance (read the Wamg interview with Ms Lynch Here
At the end of an afternoon excursion, Sarah Fiddler and her young son step into a taxi to head home. They never get there. The cab...
- 11/9/2012
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Anima Buenos Aires is an animated anthology described as "the soul of Buenos Aires", and from what I can gather, concentrates on culture and change in Buenos Aires. It's 4 stories use hand drawn animation, collages, photomontages, and stencils to create what you will see below. One of the talents, Juan Pablo Zaramella, is behind the beautiful short Luminaris. You can read more at Filming in Argentina. [Continued ...]...
- 8/1/2012
- QuietEarth.us
Why Watch? This is absolutely breath-taking work featuring stop-motion mastery and an entrancing story. In Juan Pablo Zaramella‘s Luminaris, a young man who makes light bulbs just like he’d blow up bubblegum plots a plan he can’t execute by himself. It’s stunning work that puts smiles on faces like it was its job. With a whimsical score and a grounding creativity tied to a little light romance, it’s a must-see. What will it cost? Only 5 minutes. Skip Work. You’ve Got Time For More Short Films...
- 4/16/2012
- by Cole Abaius
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has named the 10 finalists for the Best Animated Short Film Oscar. You can see previews of several of them on YouTube via the links below. The 10 finalists are:
Dimanche/Sunday (Patrick Doyon)
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg)
I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat (Matthew O’Callaghan)
La Luna (Enrico Casarosa)
Luminaris (Juan Pablo Zaramella)
Magic Piano (Martin Clapp and Hugh Welchman)
A Morning Stroll (Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe)
Paths of Hate (Damian Nenow)
Specky Four-Eyes (Jean-Claude Rozec and Mathieu Courtois)
Wild Life...
Dimanche/Sunday (Patrick Doyon)
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg)
I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat (Matthew O’Callaghan)
La Luna (Enrico Casarosa)
Luminaris (Juan Pablo Zaramella)
Magic Piano (Martin Clapp and Hugh Welchman)
A Morning Stroll (Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe)
Paths of Hate (Damian Nenow)
Specky Four-Eyes (Jean-Claude Rozec and Mathieu Courtois)
Wild Life...
- 12/1/2011
- by Dave Karger
- EW - Inside Movies
Beverly Hills, CA . The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 10 animated short films will advance in the voting process for the 84th Academy Awards®. Forty-four pictures had originally qualified in the category.
The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production company:
“Dimanche/Sunday,” Patrick Doyon, director (National Film Board of Canada) “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,” William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg, directors (Moonbot Studios La, LLC) “I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat,” Matthew O’Callaghan, director and Sam Register, executive producer (Warner Bros. Animation Inc.) “La Luna,” Enrico Casarosa, director (Pixar Animation Studios) “Luminaris,” Juan Pablo Zaramella, director (JPZtudio) “Magic Piano,” Martin Clapp, director and Hugh Welchman, producer (BreakThru Films) “A Morning Stroll,” Grant Orchard, director and Sue Goffe, producer (Studio Aka) “Paths of Hate,” Damian Nenow, director (Platige Image) “Specky Four-Eyes,” Jean-Claude Rozec, director and Mathieu Courtois,...
The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production company:
“Dimanche/Sunday,” Patrick Doyon, director (National Film Board of Canada) “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,” William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg, directors (Moonbot Studios La, LLC) “I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat,” Matthew O’Callaghan, director and Sam Register, executive producer (Warner Bros. Animation Inc.) “La Luna,” Enrico Casarosa, director (Pixar Animation Studios) “Luminaris,” Juan Pablo Zaramella, director (JPZtudio) “Magic Piano,” Martin Clapp, director and Hugh Welchman, producer (BreakThru Films) “A Morning Stroll,” Grant Orchard, director and Sue Goffe, producer (Studio Aka) “Paths of Hate,” Damian Nenow, director (Platige Image) “Specky Four-Eyes,” Jean-Claude Rozec, director and Mathieu Courtois,...
- 12/1/2011
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences narrowed their list for the Animated Short Films category. Forty-four films originally qualified and now, we're down to 10.
The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production company:
"Dimanche/Sunday," Patrick Doyon, director (National Film Board of Canada)
"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg, directors (Moonbot Studios La, LLC)
"I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat," Matthew O'Callaghan, director and Sam Register, executive producer (Warner Bros. Animation Inc.)
"La Luna," Enrico Casarosa, director (Pixar Animation Studios)
"Luminaris," Juan Pablo Zaramella, director (JPZtudio)
"Magic Piano," Martin Clapp, director and Hugh Welchman, producer (BreakThru Films)
"A Morning Stroll," Grant Orchard, director and Sue Goffe, producer (Studio Aka)
"Paths of Hate," Damian Nenow, director (Platige Image)
"Specky Four-Eyes," Jean-Claude Rozec, director and Mathieu Courtois, producer (Vivement Lundi!)
"Wild Life," Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby,...
The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production company:
"Dimanche/Sunday," Patrick Doyon, director (National Film Board of Canada)
"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg, directors (Moonbot Studios La, LLC)
"I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat," Matthew O'Callaghan, director and Sam Register, executive producer (Warner Bros. Animation Inc.)
"La Luna," Enrico Casarosa, director (Pixar Animation Studios)
"Luminaris," Juan Pablo Zaramella, director (JPZtudio)
"Magic Piano," Martin Clapp, director and Hugh Welchman, producer (BreakThru Films)
"A Morning Stroll," Grant Orchard, director and Sue Goffe, producer (Studio Aka)
"Paths of Hate," Damian Nenow, director (Platige Image)
"Specky Four-Eyes," Jean-Claude Rozec, director and Mathieu Courtois, producer (Vivement Lundi!)
"Wild Life," Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby,...
- 12/1/2011
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
I previously detailed all 45 animated shorts in contention for Oscar's 2012 Best Animated Short Film category and today the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced the ten animated short films that will advance in the voting process for the 84th Academy Awards. Taking all of the information I compiled for the long list of 45 films I have listed the ten in contention for the Oscar with videos and additional information directly below The Short Films and Feature Animation Branch Reviewing Committee viewed all the eligible entries for the preliminary round of voting in screenings held in New York and Los Angeles. Short Films and Feature Animation Branch members will now select three to five nominees from among the ten titles on the shortlist. Branch screenings will be held in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in January 2012. Dimanche (Sunday) Patrick Doyon, director (National Film Board of Canada) On a gray afternoon,...
- 12/1/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Last year I previewed all 33 of the Oscar qualifying animated shorts that were up for consideration for the Academy Awards and this year I have 12 additional shorts to consider and I have found either the full short, a clip, a trailer or an image from all but two of the contending shorts and put them together in this one article. These shorts have all been screened for members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who will soon vote on the ultimate short list that will be in contention for an Oscar nomination. Last year ten films made the list. Take a look over the next eight pages and see which ones stand out to you. There are a few instances where you may have to click a link to watch a clip and, in one instance, to watch the entire film.
- 11/16/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
This is the list of 45 animated shorts that the Academy is considering in the Best Animated Shorts category (with links to official sites when I could find them). The Animated, Docs, and Shorts Oscar page is going to be updated piecemeal this week as I work on beating all this information into some form of pundited submission.
Until then, the list. Do you ever try to see the nominees in this category?
A Shadow Of Blue (Carlos Lascano)
A Morning Stroll by Grant Orchard (Studio Aka) A Shadow of Blue by Carlos Lascano Birdboy by Alberto Vasquez (Abrikim Studio) Chopin’s Drawings by Dorota Kobiela (BreakThru Films) Poland Correspondence by Zach Hyer (Pratt) Daisy Cutter by Enrique Garcia and Rubin Salazar (Silverspace) Dimanche / Sunday by Patrick Doyon (Nfb) El Salon Mexico by Paul Glickman and Tamarind King Enrique Wrecks the World by David Chai *Annie Nominee Last Year* Ente Tod...
Until then, the list. Do you ever try to see the nominees in this category?
A Shadow Of Blue (Carlos Lascano)
A Morning Stroll by Grant Orchard (Studio Aka) A Shadow of Blue by Carlos Lascano Birdboy by Alberto Vasquez (Abrikim Studio) Chopin’s Drawings by Dorota Kobiela (BreakThru Films) Poland Correspondence by Zach Hyer (Pratt) Daisy Cutter by Enrique Garcia and Rubin Salazar (Silverspace) Dimanche / Sunday by Patrick Doyon (Nfb) El Salon Mexico by Paul Glickman and Tamarind King Enrique Wrecks the World by David Chai *Annie Nominee Last Year* Ente Tod...
- 11/15/2011
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Paris -- The Annecy International Animation Film Festival will blow out its 50th birthday candles this year with a different toon thanks to a colorful slate of all-star guests, including Jeffrey Katzenberg, Matt Groening and Ari Folman, plus several international film premieres and professional conferences, organizers confirmed Monday. The fest kicked off Monday.
Folman will head the Feature Film Jury, which will vote on competition titles from across the globe -- this year with a particularly Asian flare. Titles include Wes Anderson's "Fantastic Mr. Fox," Tarik Saleh's "Metropia," Dominique Montery's "Kerity la maison des contes," Liu Jian's "Piercing 1," Mamoru Hosoda's "Summer Wars," Munehisa Sakai's "One Piece Film: Strong World" and Jean-Christophe Roger's "Allez raconte!"
This year's official selection will showcase 213 films in competition including features, short films, TV movies, educational programming, commercials, music videos and student films.
Organizers have gathered more than 50 animated personalities to...
Folman will head the Feature Film Jury, which will vote on competition titles from across the globe -- this year with a particularly Asian flare. Titles include Wes Anderson's "Fantastic Mr. Fox," Tarik Saleh's "Metropia," Dominique Montery's "Kerity la maison des contes," Liu Jian's "Piercing 1," Mamoru Hosoda's "Summer Wars," Munehisa Sakai's "One Piece Film: Strong World" and Jean-Christophe Roger's "Allez raconte!"
This year's official selection will showcase 213 films in competition including features, short films, TV movies, educational programming, commercials, music videos and student films.
Organizers have gathered more than 50 animated personalities to...
- 6/7/2010
- by By Rebecca Leffler
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
SYDNEY -- Kriv Stenders' unlikely suburban romance Blacktown proved the maxim that films don't need to big budgets to connect with audiences as the 52nd Sydney Film Festival came to a close Saturday night. The micro-budget Australian Blacktown took home the prize for best feature film from the Sidebar Program as part of the inaugural Urban Cinefile Audience Awards, while Danish director Susanne Bier's family drama Brothers was voted best feature from the Contemporary World Cinema program. Awards were handed out after a screening of the closing night film in its Australian premiere, Hayao Miyazake's Japanese animated hit Hauru no ugoku shiro (Howl's Moving Castle). Mad Hot Ballroom, a crowd pleaser about kids from different schools competing for a ballroom dancing prize and directed by Marylin Agrelo from the United States, won the award for best documentary across both sections. Chris Landreth's Ryan (Canada) won best short from the World Cinema selection and Juan Pablo Zaramella's Journey To Mars (Argentina) took home best short in the Sidebar program.
- 6/26/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
SYDNEY -- Kriv Stenders' unlikely suburban romance Blacktown proved the maxim that films don't need to big budgets to connect with audiences as the 52nd Sydney Film Festival came to a close Saturday night. The micro-budget Australian Blacktown took home the prize for best feature film from the Sidebar Program as part of the inaugural Urban Cinefile Audience Awards, while Danish director Susanne Bier's family drama Brothers was voted best feature from the Contemporary World Cinema program. Awards were handed out after a screening of the closing night film in its Australian premiere, Hayao Miyazake's Japanese animated hit Hauru no ugoku shiro (Howl's Moving Castle). Mad Hot Ballroom, a crowd pleaser about kids from different schools competing for a ballroom dancing prize and directed by Marylin Agrelo from the United States, won the award for best documentary across both sections. Chris Landreth's Ryan (Canada) won best short from the World Cinema selection and Juan Pablo Zaramella's Journey To Mars (Argentina) took home best short in the Sidebar program.
- 6/26/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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