For filmmaker Julia Morizawa, learning about her grandparents she’d only seen in a black and white photo meant coming face-to-face with the horrors of the single most destructive bombing raid in human history, and how asking questions and confronting the past is the only way to keep tragic events from being lost to history and possibly happening again.
A conversation between the director and National Film Board of Canada producer takes us inside their collaboration on the award-winning NFB/Folimage animated short that examines bereavement and coping with the loss of a parent through the imaginative eyes of a child.
Christopher Lennertz’s 3DCG heartfelt short about a grandfather’s journey to understand his grandson’s message of love and pride stars 2023 Tony Award winner Alex Newell, the first-ever non-binary actor to win a Tony, and multi-Grammy Award winner Philip Lawrence, with ‘Nimona’s ND Stevenson serving as executive producer.
Marta Magnuska’s hand-drawn, charcoal on paper short carefully studies the relationship between two characters sharing the same living space and the everyday routines that define the tension in their repetitive lives.
For studio founder William Gadea, what better way to promote Indiana 811’s need to dramatize the possible negative consequences of digging up your yard without first located any underground utility lines than with Holey Moley as a rockin’ and rollin’, jumpsuit-wearing mole sporting a giant hair wave and a crew of sequined squirrel back-up singers.
‘Moirai - Thread of Life’ takes Best in Show with Jury's Special Award going to ‘Hair Universe;’ winners among 38 films selected to screen at this year’s Electronic and Animation Theaters.
Oscar-winning ‘The Lost Thing’ director Andrew Ruhemann and producer David Park talk about their soulful animated short, in which a young boy finds an unusual way to win the heart of his crush.
Canadian filmmaker Ivan Li’s animated short, ‘Fruit,’ was permanently removed from the streaming platform – that positions itself as a champion of bold cinema and art - despite endorsements from staff curators, a successful 2-year festival run, and ARTE broadcast in France; the artist hopes his case serves as a warning sign to independent filmmakers.
Filmmaker Tal Kantor’s first solo short film uses live-action and hand-drawn animation to tackle the heavy and complex subject of a Holocaust survivor addressing a classroom full of students, sharing a letter he wrote to the pig who saved his life, and how reality, memory, and imagination blend together in one young schoolgirl’s reaction.
ASIFA-Hollywood’s annual celebration of excellence in animation is set for February 17, 2024 at UCLA’s Royce Hall; nomination announcements are coming January 11, 2024.
The first-generation Iranian-American filmmaker, who for years denied his heritage, fell in love with his culture again while on an NYU exchange program in Japan as he spent time in Tokyo graveyards and began developing the story of a displaced Iranian boy.
The latest survey of under-the-radar animated shorts currently travelling the festival circuit or new to online viewing.
Both ‘Chicken for Linda!’ and ‘Letter to a Pig’ push the medium’s artistic boundaries with constant motion, unrefined lines, and imprecise shading and coloring, proving more experimental, auteur-driven animation can be every bit as compelling and entertaining as mainstream films.
Event kicks off November 12, featuring hundreds of activities, with screenings, panels, workshops, masterclasses, and making of sessions; special events include ‘Magic Light Pictures at 20’ and ‘Festival Spotlight on Croatia.’
Helmed by director Mitra Shahidi and produced through Pixar’s co-op program, the Tribeca Film Fest Best Animated Short winner and 2024 Oscar contender, created by a global team of 70+ artists from 14 countries, tells the story of a mischievous star spirit that travels home to Istanbul to celebrate her birthday with family one last time.
For Disney’s Brendan Gottlieb, the showcase director and a program mentor, helping students push their artistic capabilities, especially since they’re focused on character performance typically without lighting, sound, or even clothes, means getting a team together to give each project the ‘feature treatment’ and bring its story to life.
The animated short’s creative team, part of the immersive career excel-erator program, along with Netflix and Women in Animation Vancouver, will present their film’s world premiere, including a Q&A and panel, at the festival, which runs November 13 – December 31.
Submissions now open for short films from creators in the U.S., Canada and U.K.; festival details still to be worked out, but awards will include project stipends, acquisitions, and development opportunities.
Seth Green and John Harvatine have teamed up with Macroverse and artist Patrick Williams on a new Halloween project, bringing their graphic novel direct to fans, kicking off with a stop-motion short - and tons of images - to introduce audiences to the world of some cute, talking eggs.
The 28th edition, set for April 23-26, poses the question: Is the Media & Entertainment community moving closer together? Magnopus Global Director of Innovation Salomon Rogers named program chair.
Over 2,100 students met the challenge, producing a 30-second animation in under 24 hours; teams from 90 colleges and 14 high schools participated, with winners receiving over $165k in prize packs and cash.
The 6th edition of Animation is Film announced winners for its 5-day festival that kicked off with Studio Ghibli’s just-released 'The Boy and The Heron,' directed by Hayao Miyazaki, and wrapped with director Sam Fell and Peter Lord presenting Aardman's upcoming film, ‘Chicken Run: Dawn of The Nugget.’
In animation, ‘Boom’ takes Gold, with ‘Diplomatie de l’Éclipse,’ and ‘Mum’s Spaghetti, earning Silver and Bronze respectively; winning films now eligible for 2023 Oscars.
The latest survey of under-the-radar animated shorts currently travelling the festival circuit or new to online viewing.
The film, featuring music and narration by Gavin Friday and artwork based on original illustrations by Bono, retells and transforms Prokofiev’s 1936 symphonic fairytale into a story about a 12-year-old boy coping with the pain of losing his mother; short debuts October 19 on Max.
