3 Content Interview The First Cut is the Deepest Animating A Classic...... 5-11 ...... 34-37

Uncharted Territory...... 12-14 News

We can’t live without Konstantin News from ASIFA National Groups Bronzit...... 15-18 ...... 38-45

Features Animation Awards...... 46-51

Moustrapha Alassane...... 19-22 Contact Information...... 53-55 Paranoia and Connectivity in Contemporary Animation ...... 23-27

When Live Action Falls Short...... 28-33

ASIFA Magazine Credits Editor: Vice President of Communications: Design: Chris Robinson Mohamed Ghazala Monica Bruenjes Kara Miller

Contributors: Keltie Duncan, Jeanette Bonds, KayCie Gravelle, Kelly Gallagher, Tsvika Oren, Crystal Chan, Mo- hamed Ghazala

© 2015 ASIFA - prior written approval must be obtainedt to duplicate any and all content. The copyrights and trademarks of images featured herein are the property of their respective owners. ASIFA acknowledges the creators and copyright holders of the materials mentioned herein, and does not seek to infringe on those rights. 4 Letter from the ASIFA President

With this new incarnation of the magazine, the team responsible is now producing the third installment. This one is a bit larger and ready for printing. Other than the writers, the team producing these editions is all volunteer. I find they’ve been doing a great job. If you are interested in having more of a say in your ASIFA Magazine, do reach out to your local chapter board representative.

But not just the Magazine. ASIFA always needs volunteers. We have a series of functions and jobs that are performed through the strength of our volunteers. Don’t be afraid to step – we’d love to have you. Again, your local chapter representative is your first line for making ASIFA a better organization. Of course, you can always reach out to any one of the board members, check out the Contact Us page on http://ASIFA.net or see the Contact Information pages in this magazine. ASIFA has long been and organization brought together by efforts of its members. We hope this tradition will continue.

In this edition, you will find some interesting articles as well as the latest on what some of our chapters are doing. I think you will find everything to be worth the read. Be sure to check outTsvika Oren’s long list of Animation Awards from the last couple of years as well.

This is a special year for ASIFA, as is every third year, as we plan for our General Assembly. It is extremely difficult to find a location to which all of our board members and other members can attend in order to hold this meeting. This meeting includes reports from the various functional departments of our organization. We don’t yet have a location identified and the year is closing soon.

This year also marks an election year for ASIFA. Everyone currently in the varied positions will soon be ending his or her term. Candidates for the positions will soon be sought in order to hold the elections. Be sure to keep your ears open if you are interested in getting into one of the positions. The magazine committee has been working hard to bring the latest news from ASIFA’s global chapters as well as articles that are fresh and new. Please enjoy this latest edition.

Stay Animated!

Ed Desroches President, ASIFA 5 Interview Animating A Classic: A Conversation with The Little Prince director, Mark Obsorne

By Keltie Duncan

Two full length live action adaptations - one in 1966 and one in 1974 - one animated short film by Will Vinton in 1979, and a 39-episode anime series in 1978 from Japan, based somewhat on the original story but that wandered far off into its own universe in the end. These are the most notable adaptations of the much celebrated, practically worshipped novella The Little Prince, written by French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Mark Obsorne Since its publication in 1943, to beautifully, clearly and media animator and long time The Little Prince has been simply identify the best and lover of stop motion, Osborne named as the most read worst of humanity in a frank graciously gave me a call during book in the world, having yet gentle way, it’s no wonder the height of a hectic run to the been translated into over 250 that something so beautifully premiere of The Little Prince languages and voted France’s complex and intimidatingly at the Cannes Film Festival to most important book of the 20th popular has been tackled for successfully prove why he is century. The cover image, by adaptation so infrequently. This the perfect man for the job. Prince illustrator Saint-Exupéry, material is no small task for just _____ is instantly recognizable, even if any mere mortal. one has not had the pleasure of KD: What was your cracking the cover and learning Enter Academy Award® experience with The Little more about that solitary little nominated Kung Fu Panda Prince before this project guy on that solitary little planet. director Mark Osborne, came along? whose celebrated short film The Little Prince’s popularity work includes many award- MO: Well it’s actually kinda is thanks in no small part to winning independent films interesting, there’s quite a story its being one of those rare and commissioned works, like there. I knew the book very, magical, charming stories that a Grammy-nominated video very well, but not because I appeals equally to kids and for Weird Al Yankovic’s song read it as a kid. I encountered those ever pesky grown ups. “Jurassic Park”. A CalArts it in high school French class, With a story that manages graduate, creative mixed- but I have no memory of it. I 6 Interview only really have a memory of it and realized that that quote, when I came up with the idea when it was given to me by my and the book, could maybe be of using two different mediums wife back when we were just the foundation for a larger story to represent the two different dating in college, more than that would be about how the aspects of the story. Those 25 years ago, and she gave book can affect you and how are some of the big ideas that me her copy of the book when the experience of the book can I realized were necessary we were going to be apart. I profoundly have an impact on in order for us to pay tribute changed schools when I started your life. So the movie is really properly to this very delicate pursuing animation, and we had a story about how the book can little poetic story. I knew that the a long distance relationship for affect you, and it includes the story wouldn’t be enough to fill a little while. It was difficult. She book but it’s not just the book. a whole feature; I knew that in signed her copy of the book order to take care of the book, over to me and that’s when the KD: At what point did I wanted to build something book really made an impression you enter the production around it to protect it so that we on me and made a huge process? Was this idea of a could keep the book safe. impact on our lives and our larger story the concept from Since then I’ve been 4.5 years relationship. I think looking back the start or did you bring that full time, first development then it was one of the significant to the table? pre-production that were a year moments for us. We’re now each, and then it’s been a little married with two kids and the MO: That was all my idea. over 2 years in full production. bizarre thing is that we ended When the producers first up eventually living in Paris approached me they said they KD: How did production work for two years as we made this wanted to make a big movie for you, supervising two movie, and sort of felt like some out of the book, but they hadn’t separate mediums? sort of magical thing to happen really figured out how it was after having had the book be a possible either. When they MO: We had to do it simultane- part of our lives. asked me if I had an idea of ously. We were in Paris for two how I could turn it into a movie, years for pre-production and The quote I used to build the it took a while for me to wrap story, and then we moved the whole movie is “It is only with my head around it. This was entire production to Montreal. the heart that one can see about five and a half years ago. We basically built our own stop rightly; what is essential is I spent about six months just motion facility and we set up invisible to the eye.” That was really mulling over the idea of our own CG pipeline, both with a favorite quote of [my wife’s] turning it into a movie and that’s the company I was partnered and she would use it in letters when I came up with the idea with and with a company in she wrote to me. When I was of a larger story. That’s also Montreal called Mikros. So for asked if I could make a about a year I was back movie out of the book I and forth across town immediately said ‘no’ at “It is only with the heart dealing with both the stop first, and just said ‘It’s motion production and impossible! It’s too spe- that one can see rightly; the CG production. It was cial, it’s too important, and kind of a crazy idea to people are too connected what is essential is have two different medi- to it when the book means ums and it necessitated something to them.’ Then invisible to the eye.” two different crews. There I thought of that quote was some cross over, like 7 Interview

the storyboards and the edito- how it works in the context of rial was all driven by the same how everything fits together, I KD: Are there any major [team], but the actual produc- think they’re really, really im- omissions, additions or tion was split in two. I knew this pressed with what we’re doing. alterations to the book that was going to be a very difficult fans should brace for? endeavor and I also knew that It was very much a big idea at the stop motion material had to the very beginning because I MO: That’s one of the greatest be very, very special, so that’s knew that the producers wanted challenges in pursuing this. The why I brought on Jamie Caliri to to make a CG movie, and I just book is so rich and there are head up the stop motion divi- said to them, ‘you know we so many ideas and themes and sion. He was the creative di- won’t be able to truly pay trib- elements. I spent a lot of time rector of the whole stop motion ute to the book if we do it all in during the first couple of years shoot. I think he’s 1000% why CG.’ For me, the illustrations studying the book and studying the stop motion looks as amaz- of the book needed some sort how the book affects people ing as it does. He’s a talented, of middle ground between our and what the book means to talented, amazing person, CG world and those drawings, different people. It was a very amazing collaborator and did and so stop motion became the collaborative process. Anybody a really fantastic job of really perfect [solution]. coming on the crew was a lover making that material special of the book, and it’s not hard to and true to the book. I mean I’m a stop motion nerd, find artists who love that book. 100%. All my early shorts I did Everybody was asked in the What’s really nice is people, of were stop motion, and I love it beginning to engage and talk course, go gaga over the stop and want to work in it as much about what the book means to motion, it’s so beautifully done, as possible. I love the idea of them, so ultimately everybody but I’m really, really excited that mixing mediums, so this is just was signing up for the mission people are giving just as much a really bold and experimental of protecting the book and pay- love to our CG, which is very way for us to be able to pay ing tribute to the book. unique. People, when they see tribute to the book. 8 Interview

My writer Irena Brignull did the ones that I really wanted to book. In the beginning we are first pass of culling [the original explore. creating a storybook world that story] down, then I did another is an extension of some of the pass during the story process I think it’s pretty evident in the aspects of the book that The with Bob Persichetti, my second trailer, the idea of remembering Aviator talks about. He talks writer. He was head of story, as and staying connected to your a lot about grown ups and the well. What we ended up doing childhood, the idea of learning grown up world, so we’re using was just narrowing it down so to see with the heart, the signifi- that. I just thought it was the that all the parts of the book cant themes of friendship, really best place to begin; to take this that we use are parts that really trying to latch onto all those little nine year old kid who’s support the larger story [of ideas that people hold so close actually not much of a kid, she’s The Little Girl]. So in the end to themselves. But really we practically a grown up, and we can’t include everything, gravitated toward all the themes setting the story in this very there are definitely some things about growing up, being a child, grown up world. You actually omitted, but my hope is that the grown up world, what it create this great contrast with when you experience the film means to be a grownup, what it the book. That was the start- you don’t notice, or you come means to be a child, and all the ing point for me. I said ‘what if away feeling like it’s a complete themes of love and friendship, the perfect person to hear this experience. The hope was to and also the themes of dealing story was a little grown up that pay tribute to the book in such a with loss, too. Those are so im- needed to be “fixed”?’ way that [the movie experience] portant to the book that we had is very consistent with the way to work with all those big ideas. KD: And it’s nice to see some people experience the book. ladies in The Little Prince I feel like everybody sees Everything that’s happening in universe! it differently - they gravitate The Little Girl’s life is a parallel toward different themes, they or is somehow connected to MO: Yeah, that was actually a gravitate toward different ideas the book, and at a certain point big, big thing for me early on - but the major ideas and the the book starts directly inspir- because I looked back to the key themes that everybody ing her and affecting her, so book, and there’s one female connects with, those are the her life becomes guided by the character, the rose. I was very, 9 Interview very inspired at the time by a study I had participated in after ....we could find a way to portray the Kung Fu Panda through the Geena Davis Institute on Gen- heart and soul of the book. der in Media, also associated that was a major flaw, where heart and soul of the book. That with USC, and basically it really they were presenting ‘The was a big inspiration. opened my eyes to the real Book’. I felt like you can’t do inequity [in media today]. that, everybody’s got their own The other biggest inspiration for version, so my sneaky way the structure - when I talk about As the father of a daughter, I around that was to say “I’m not ‘the larger story’ - that was in- had the experience of wanting going to show you ‘The Book’, spired by Spike Jonze’s Adap- to find strong female characters I’m going to show you the tation, written by Charlie Kauf- for her as she was growing up, book through [The Little Girl’s] man. It is basically about a book but you can only watch Mulan eyes.” This is the way she sees that is impossible to adapt, and so many times. We started the book, this is the way she Charlie Kaufman ended up watching all the Miyazaki films imagines it, and it really takes writing a screenplay about how because he always has such you through the book in a very impossible the book is to adapt great, strong female characters different way. and what happened to him as a and it was a real inspiration. writer trying to adapt it. I also took inspiration directly I would say that along the way from my daughter - if we could I was very inspired by Moebius, KD: Can you describe the tell this whole story through who did an amazing drawing voice recording process [The Little Girl’s] eyes, I felt it of The Little Prince that was a bit? How long ago was would really give balance to the quite an inspiration because it everyone recorded? Were male-dominated book. was clear to me that it was his you present for each own style, and yet it captured session? KD: Were you at all impacted the soul of the original Saint- by any previous adaptations? Exupéry drawings. I knew MO: What I try to do is record when I saw that that we could with the main characters MO: You know, it’s difficult actually endeavor to capture early on, go back to editorial, because I’d seen a couple the soul of the book without continue to shape things a and I hadn’t ever felt like just making the carbon copy of little bit and then we always do anybody had successfully the illustrations in the book, we follow up recordings to further done it, and that was part of could find a way to portray the develop what works. The first the reason why I felt like it was impossible. It was also a big part of the reason why I said I didn’t want to just adapt the material, I wanted to adapt the phenomenon of The Little Prince. I wanted to adapt the experience that people have when the book means something to them. So when I think of all the adaptations that have been done I felt that 10 Interview

session is a lot of trial and version so it was just impossible error, experimentation, playing KD: How did it work with the for me to get over to Paris to around, and then we go back French language dialogue? do all that. I did go to Paris to and work in editorial and boil it record with Marion Cotillard down to what works best. Then MO: What we did is we built the because she played The Rose we build from there. I really like entire movie in English. Visually in both French and English, so working with the actors, just we built the movie in French she was actually the last voice like I like really working with and English, so visually there we recorded. the animators. It’s an important will be a French version and an part of the authoring process for English version. The animators, me, letting the actors develop the whole crew, everybody KD: What is the best part the characters, so I was at worked on the version in about completing a project of every recording session. I want English, and so just in the last this magnitude? us to go somewhere that’s couple of months they’ve been unexpected. The most exciting recording and developing the MO: The best part is truly hav- thing that usually happens in French version. I’ve had a little ing the crew see the finished the studio is when the actors exposure to that, but I’ve just film. There are hundreds of discover something and I’m been so busy on the [English] artists who have labored over surprised that that’s what version that I haven’t been that this and put their hearts into we ended up doing, or that’s involved, process-wise. I would this and believed in this, and what it ended up sounding have loved to have been there this project is really a product like. It’s good to push outside at every single record, but it of that believing. I think there’s the boundaries of what you’re happened simultaneously with a real magic in the book and I hearing in your head as you’re all of our sound mixing and all think there’s a real magic that developing it. of our visual post for the English happens when hundreds of ...to see it for what it is and to know that it’s going to go on this journey out into the world, that’s the most exciting moment. 11 Interview artists combine their forces and because I’ve had the weight has. I just want people to feel their hearts and their minds on of this whole thing on me. safe in knowing that. I just don’t one thing and focus on it, so Everybody has. The book is want to hurt the book in any it’s really amazing that moment such a phenomenon, it’s such way. I think that’s the scariest where you finally all look at it. an important work of art, and thing of all: if anybody feels Most of the time when you’re so it’s quite crazy to think about we’ve done a disservice to the looking at it throughout produc- what we’re doing and what book then we’ll have failed. tion, all you’re talking about are we’ve done. You can’t adapt the things that are broken and something like this without the things that need fixing, so to taking risks. I’m very confident finally look back at it and to say about what I’ve chosen to do The Little Prince goes to wide ‘it’s done!’ and to see it for what and the path we’ve gone down release in France on July 29, it is and to know that it’s going and the way I’ve approached 2015. North American release to go on this journey out into the this, but you can’t control how dates TBA. world, that’s the most exciting people are going to react moment. If all those people feel *laughs* and so I just hope that Keltie Duncan is the Program- good about it, if all those people people are going to be willing ming and Technical Manager of say it’s what they hoped and to embrace what we’ve done the Ottawa International Anima- dreamed it would be, that is the and embrace the spirit of what tion Festival best kind of success you could we’ve done, which is really a ask for. loving tribute [to the book]. I just want people to know and KD: Is there anything you’re understand that this was made nervous about now that by hundreds of people who love things are drawing to a the book and none of us took close? it lightly. Just like The Aviator asks in the story, he says ‘I MO: I’m terrified! I’m terrified don’t want anyone to take my for people to see this movie story lightly’. Well, none of us 12 Interview Uncharted Territory: Piotr Dumala discusses his controversial film, Hipopopotamy by KayCie Gravelle doesn’t. As a filmmaker, role in your film? Was the Dumala typically tells stories goal to show how different Piotr Dumala’s Hipopotamy took that hold personal meaning humans are in comparison six grand prizes and countless to him and are created with or, perhaps how shockingly honorable mentions in 2014, it a focus on atmosphere and similar we can be? also sparked a fiery debate with beautiful imagery. The reviews viewers and critics alike. he gets are generally thoughtful Piotr Dumala: Yes, I watched and focused on his signature the documentary about “A few naked women and animation technique, and while hippos and I was shocked by children are bathing in a river” his films tend to be on the the monstrous logic of their darker-side both thematically behaviour. I was thinking, ‘are The synopsis for Piotr Dumala’s and visually, Hipopotamy took we from the same planet? Can 2014 animated film Hipopotamy on a spectrum of social, moral people do the same when there is unassuming and almost and hot button issues and is no control and restriction?’. humble. A simple scene is set, took Dumala into unchartered It’s obvious that people can be but when viewers went from the territory. more cruel than most animals, pages of the festival programme all of human history shows this. to the actual screening of the So, it was my first impulse—to film the scene changed in a big KayCie Gravelle: It’s been replace animals with humans (and according to some reviews mentioned that the inspira- and see what would happen— bad & scary) way. tion for Hipopotamy came like a psychological experiment. from a documentary you It was also an experiment on With rave and rage reviews watched on Hippopotamuses myself because I was really pouring in post-screenings, that left you disgusted with against showing such cruel acts Dumala will be the first to some of their habits. Why against children. I am a father tell you he both gets it and substitute humans into their and my daughter was six years- old when I was working on the 14,000 drawings. It was a big challenge for me to cope with this work. I read a fascinating essay by Susan Sontag about the pleasure humans derive from the suffering of others and it gave me some distance from what I was doing. It was a strong subject to work on for me and when the film was ready, I didn’t like it at all and wanted to forget it. 13 Interview

KG: Hipopotamy has received women as whores; others controversial/uncomfortable a large amount of praise said I was brave to touch subject matter in the mass and recognition as well as on the important problem of market? a fair amount of criticism violence against women and and debate; were you at there was a man who was PD: Hipopotamy is the first film all surprised by the anger/ offended that I portrayed bad of mine to evoke such a strong backlash it received? Did men from a woman’s point of discussion. Before that I made you anticipate the mixed view. Anyway, this film is the very personal stories based reaction? most successful—accolade- on atmosphere and beauty of wise—of my career, which to image. I can’t say if filmmakers PD: No, I didn’t think it would me means that people need to should make films about inspire such passionate be presented with more difficult uncomfortable subjects but I reactions. The film was of material and to be shocked discovered that I, personally course controversial and I more than they need to be want to make films like that. Not did have to confront viewers presented with artistic beauty. to shock people but to cross reactions and questions. There taboo subjects and expand the were catholic viewers who KG: In 1992 you were quoted spectrum of our view. told me the film was about saying, “The truth is that baptism and that the two animation does not copy KG: One review of Hipoptamy survivors at the end are Jesus the ‘real cinema’. It is the called it, “Voyeurism at and Mary; another viewer ‘real cinema’”, do you think it’s most disturbing”. believes it tells the story of bad animators and filmmakers What do you think of that karma. Some women were who work in this medium assessment? offended that I presented the should strive to cover more “Hipopotamy is the first film of mine to evoke such a strong discussion.” 14 Interview

PD: It is an interesting opinion, PD: I didn’t expect anything. I and perhaps the woman and I thought my film was a bit am not a politician, I was under her son are representative of pornographic and I’m sure that the impression of my idea and spectator’s eyes. voyeurism makes bad things just made the film submerged more exciting. in my own emotions. Surely now, however, I have to take KayCie Gravelle is a freelance KG: The two sides of the responsibility for this work. I photojournalist and huge nerd Hipopotamy debate seem believe that art should be made for all things Ottawa. As the to be that the film is either a for something important and Programming Assistant for stunning social commentary should evoke strong emotions OIAF in 2014 she fell head over in a social, economic and and opinions. Not just by heels for animated film & festi- political climate where equal shocking people, that is too val production. rights, domestic & sexual simple and can be the ultimate violence, and feminism are weapon sometimes. My film hot button issues; or, the film was more than just shocking is considered barbaric and a because it provoked these way to remove accountability different reactions, not just from human beings in outrage. regards to these issues by comparing them to the KG: Can you talk about the brutish hippo. Did you set out one woman and child who for it to mean either of those survive but do not return to things? Were you hoping to the pack? spark this debate or is this just the kind of conversation PD: I think these survivors art should generate? are people who left the circle 15 Interview We Can’t live Without Konstantin Bronzit

By Jeanette Bonds

unstoppable force and stand that resonates in the hearts In We Can’t Live Without out amongst their peers. and minds of viewers. The Cosmos, two cosmonauts train sincerity of the film, and thus together in the hope that they I first sawWe Can’t Live the filmmaker, becomes will be the team selected to go Without Cosmos at Ottawa contagious, causing audiences on a mission to outer space. International Animation Festival to emotionally connect with the Their friendship is profoundly in 2014 and was fortunate film sincerely. The characters’ powerful and in many ways enough to meet director friendship and playfulness seems to be the key to their Konstantin Bronzit in person becomes contagious as well success. While they both at Holland Animation Film as we experience both their share the same dream of Festival. While the film itself is joy and their sorrow. Bronzit’s going into outer space, their commendable, the audience decision to narratively juxtapose unique camaraderie and playful reception itself is worth noting. playfully humorous elements demeanor heightens their Touted as being the (and I adjacent to a stark and chilling abilities. While their competitors hesitate to use this word) best elements demonstrates a great focus on the task at hand, animated ‘bromance’ of our mastery of the classic narrative they feed off of each other’s time, this film about friendship cinematic form. enthusiasm, making them an and loss strikes a deep chord 16 Interview

I asked Bronzit a series of questions to which he provided a set of sincere and humble answers:

Jeanette Bonds: What inspired you to make this film?

Konstantin Bronzit: It came to me in a dream. To be more precise, what I dreamt was just one shot in particular. The shot exists in the middle of the film. the moment it happened to KB: As it turned out the main (Don’t ask me which shot it was. me. And I remember that exact problem was to find a structural I don’t tell anybody because moment. I was at home. The composition. When I showed in a way it has become my scene came to me in a dream my short script to one of my own personal secret). I never just some minutes before teachers he found that the really believed in the kind of awakening. When I awoke I structure of the film was so stories that come from different didn’t want to open my eyes sophisticated that he tried to directors or scriptwriters. I because I was afraid I was convince me to make it simpler. always believed they were going to frighten the image But at that moment everything simply entertaining tales just away. At this time I started to seemed so clear to me that I for the audience and for press. really think about this dream didn’t entirely understand what I didn’t believe in them until and five minutes later that one he meant. Only one year later particular scene unravelled into did I realize what he was talking a complete story. I then jumped about. The structure of the film, “I’m quite sure that up and went into the kitchen I found out, was so incredibly where my wife was preparing complicated that I struggled if people would breakfast and said to her: with it for three years. “Darling, I have a film”. I was look up at the night really excited. There were some JB: Does the book Cosmos new extremely human notes play a special meaning in sky more often we in the story which have never your own life? appeared in any of my previous wouldn’t do a lot of films. KB: Ha-ha! To tell you the truth this story has nothing to do foolish things which JB: What challenges did you with my own life. I have never face during the making this read books about cosmos or we do today.” film? something like that. And I have never dreamt of flying. What’s 17 Interview more is that I’m afraid of flying. say every cloud has a silver JB: Was humor always an But I like stars. I’m quite sure lining. As I mentioned before important aspect of this film that if people would look up the film turned out to be more or were you trying to find a at the night sky more often difficult to make than I could balance between humor and we wouldn’t do a lot of foolish imagine. In total it took about something more serious? things which we do today. four years of production which is an incredibly long time for KB: I like humor and irony - they JB: How was your film fifteen minutes! And since they help me not to fall into extreme funded and how long did it didn’t give me money I didn’t fervour. And from the very take to make? just spend time in vain. For beginning I knew for myself that three years I worked on the the film must start with some KB: It was state funded. All of animatic, trying to figure out gags and humorous accidents. the films in Russia are made the best structure of the film. And then step by step it had to thanks to state money. As a I was making it by myself, but become more “silent” and hard. rule, the Ministry of Culture of course the film was not the of Russian Federation gives only work I had to do. That’s JB: Do you have any specific money to filmmakers. But that why it took such a long time to philosophies for comedic or doesn’t mean it’s simple to finish. The moment the money dramatic timing? receive funds. My producers was finally given to us, the made three unsuccessful animatic was ready, and all KB: Nothing like that. Although I attempts at requesting funding that was left to make all of the just had a good school and trust from the state for my project. It production - animation, coloring, in my intuition. Maybe that is my wasn’t until the fourth time did backgrounds, composing... philosophy? we received money. But as we 18 Interview

JB: What films or directors for the moment. With every have inspired you most as a new film I find it more and filmmaker? more difficult to make than the previous one. But I don’t see KB: The fact that I fell in love any other motivation or interest with an art of animation was than when your own task is affected by short films by Walt becoming harder and harder Disney. Then what influenced with every new project. I was me to be a professional totally exhausted at the end filmmaker were great masters of this last film and don’t want like Yury Northstain, Fjodor to make something new at all. Khitruk, Eduard Nazarov, Animation is a very ungrateful Alexander Tatarsky, Paul business - sometimes you Driessen, Mark Baker and spent so much energy for Michael Dudok de Wit and all nothing. But it’s the only way their films. to work - the art must speak “- the art must speak about the most important stuff...”

about the most important stuff, JB: How has your film been toss aside a shallow one and received thus far? not react to a fuss... Of course never say never. And if one day KB: Badly. More than I could I am ready to make another film even expect. Every second it must be totally different. And festival doesn’t accept my it seems to me that the right film; not even in competition! way would be to make one very Obviously while I was making simply, very cheap and very films for four years something quickly:))) And I would like to do had changed in the world of it incognito, under a pen-name. animation and I missed that. It would be very interesting Today the world probably for me to start “from the very doesn’t need stories narrated beginning”. so straight-forward and in such an old-fashioned way. But I can’t do films with other way. Jeanette Bonds is Co-Founder and Director of GLAS Animation JB: What are you working on next?

KB: You know, I want to stop making films really. At least 19 Features Moustapha Alassane, the father of African Animation 1942-2015

By Mohamed Ghazala

I used to hear about him whenever I searched on African animation, or even the history of cinema on the Black Continent. It took more than 6 years since I read about him for the first time until I met him in person in Stuttgart, where both of us were members of the jury in the international animation festival in 2011.

Actually, I repeatedly tried to meet him before that time, Moustapha Alassane but due to different conditions we just reached each other The trip with him took me his own animation in an artistic on different levels, different around the world, when I had to way. However, I could be closer atmospheres. introduce him in all my lectures to him in 3 places, Ghana, about African animation as the Germany, and Egypt. first African who started doing Firstly, I nominated him for an ASIFA Prize in 2009, to be the first African ever to receive the prestigious ASIFA award, which was drawn for him by his favorite artist Micheal Ocelot, who was considered the director of the first animated film in the Black Africa in 1965. Moreover, later I had to handle the trophy to his assistant in Accra, Ghana, during Animafrik animation festival.

Later we spend a quality time in Stuttgart with a great group of animators from around the 20 Features

and assistant. Then he voyage, Sim”, the inflatable left for Canada where he frogs which look like pompous trained in animation under and useless human heads of the direction of Norman state. McLaren. His first film “Aouré” (Wedding), a Fifteen years later, Sim the short about marriage toad featured again in “Kokoa”, traditions in a village of another ironic tale in which the Niger, won awards in people are cordially invited to 1963. come and watch a wrestling world, while we were the first match between the chameleon, Africans to be in the jury of the In 1965, he made famous animation festival since his first animated its launching in early 1980s. film, “La mort de Moustapha Alassane (Niger), Gandji”, an allegory the pioneer of African that draws on a animation, died on Tuesday, legend about a March 17, at the Hospital in toad king and his Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso courtiers. With where he was treated. Sim the toad, who Alassane was born in 1942 in becomes king N’Dougou in Niger, brought of the toads and up as an autodidact and had president of the a passion for mechanics. Toad Republic, who He learned the techniques goes on a diplomatic mission the frog, the bird and the gecko. of filmmaking thanks to a in a neighboring republic, Sim the toad could have been providential encounter with the he painted the amusing and one of La Fontaine’s creations: French, Jean Rouch, Niger uncompromising portrait of the he masters the art of telling lover, who became his friend early African republics of the tales to perfection. sixties in the amazing “Bon It surprises even more that in 1966, the average film parody “Le retour d’un aventurier” (The Return of an adventurer), became the first African “western” film.

His first feature film was created in 1972, and is a satire of manners, tellingly “F.V.V.A: Femme, Voiture, Villa, Argent”(Woman, Car, Villa, Silver), a denouncing of the ‘nouveaux riches’ ruthless ambition and thirst for power in Africa. This film marked all 21 Features

than sculpture and painting, traditional His commitment to cinema and popular arts continued when he became which have existed for director of the Cinema millennia”. department at the University of Niamey, and he occupied Until his death, he this position for fifteen years. produced more than Insatiable, he also turned to thirty films, including distribution. With a minibus and animated cartoons, a few film projectors, he toured generations of young Africans. fiction films and Niger, sharing his passion In 1977, his remarkable mixture documentaries that reproduce with his compatriots even in of puppets and sketched and social situations of his country the most remote areas of his painted sets revealed its true and continent with power in his film “Samba le an ironic and satirical grand”, an ancient legend about eye. Through his the always-tricky relations of prolific creation and his love and power. perpetual commitment, he contributed in the Bendazzi states in his deep sixties and seventies research on the African to making Niger a animation, “Alassane has never great filmmaking studied animation. He has country along with invented it. He has not adopted Oumar Ouganda, the conventions of timing, Moustapha Diop and filming, script writing and editing Djingarey Maïga. established by Californian or Parisian professionals. He sticks to his own rules, which makes him an original animation director. Multi- cinema viewers, addicted to fast food, might not appreciate him. However, his compatriots appreciate his films (by his own account)”.

Bendazzi also mentions, “Moustapha Alassane presents us with his vision of Africa, expressed through very simple and cheap technical means, such as animated puppets, direct drawing on the film, and a few others; they are scarcely less simple or more expensive 22 Features country. Alassane a Knight of the Legion he was so touched to come Alassane told once: “For me, of Honor during the 2007 for first – and last- time to the cinema can and should be Cannes Festival, for his efforts land of Pharaohs, and to be a used to change the mentality as a pioneer in African cinema. monitor for 20 African animators of the masses. Each of my He used to live in Tahoua who attended ASIFA Egypt films coming to politics, not in the north of Niger, in his workshop during the festival. least because it creates an hotel where he turned a few All of them owe him so much interest among the masses and rooms into shooting and respect because he was the is likely to make him aware of editing studios. From home, liveliest and alert of all: a his culture. I think that for now, he continued ploughing his “fantastic young imp hidden in the cinema has not sufficiently furrow… He was pursuing his the skin of an old monkey”, as proved to the world that Africa work by learning computer one of his biographers said. has its own culture. It will graphics and virtual editing, a awaken the conscience of the good way, according to him, Alassane will be honored again audience on specific African of working without leaving his this June by showing one of problems and guide Africa into Tahoua, which he liked so his films as a part of The Big a more sustainable direction”. much. Because he is aware of Sleep, one of the Special Alassane’s films have been the importance of transmission Programs dedicated to tribute viewed and awarded prizes at and heritage, he has conveyed the filmmakers who have left us various festivals all over the his enthusiasm to his sons and over the past year. world; he himself has traveled neighbors who manipulated a lot and was elected as a puppets for his animated member of jury at prestigious films, which remained his true festivals (Annecy 2007, passion. Mohamed Ghazala Zagreb 2008, and Clermont - Director of ASIFA Egypt Ferrand, Stuttgart 2011, Luxor When we met for last time in African film Festival 2013). Egypt, during his tribute in The president of France made Luxor African Film Festival, 23 Features Paranoia and Connectivity in Contemporary Animation By Jeanette Bonds

In an age where it appears we are perpetually connected through various technologies and social media outlets, it is only logical that there are an increasing number of films critiquing such connectivity. In recent years, we have seen a rise in animated short films directly addressing and critiquing connectivity and corresponding technologies. We have selected four films from recent years that perfectly Avoidance from Erica Rotberg on Vimeo. illustrate the rise of films dedicated to this critique of it, constant connectivity in available for viewing. technology and connectivity. everyday life. These films, while wholly Avoidance, by Erica Rotberg, distinct from each other, share Before we delve into an follows the lives of two a thematic similarity and desire analysis and questioning of individuals. The film primarily to critique, or at the very least their critique, we will briefly focuses on a woman who is call attention to, this aspect describe the narrative of each bombarded with text messages, of modern technology and of the four films. Each of these emails, phone calls, and our, as these filmmakers see films are currently online and chats, while at work. Rotberg chooses to convey this bombardment of messages by completely occupying the character’s screen as well as the viewer’s. Upon her return home, the character and her partner text while watching tv. When going to bed they lie in opposite directions, texting each other to sleep as opposed to physically or verbally communicating with one another. 24 Features

screens, and entirely unaware of the destruction and turmoil happening around him. In some ways the character both willfully and yet unknowingly steps into the after-life because of their addiction to technology.

I Will Miss You, a tragic and comedic short by Moth Collective’s Dave Prosser, follows a man obsessed with social media and his reasoning for real time published suicide. After he is humiliated in his Post Personal from Eamonn O’Neill on Vimeo. workplace for having become a meme of him puking after being In Post Personal by Eammon essentially steals the soul of hit in the stomach by a soccer O’Neill, the digitally animated our main character, an avid ball he drives off a bridge while main character types away technophile, transforming him making certain to take a photo at the keyboard, and with into digital version of himself. and upload it to his social each press of the keys a part The character switches media prior to the crash. The of the character disappears. from one device to the next, man’s obsession with numeric The constant connectivity completely fixated on the validation in the form of social

Post Personal from Eamonn O’Neill on Vimeo. 25 Features

in harms way for the sake of sharing an experience with their connected sphere on social media.

Perhaps it is too simple to identify these criticisms distinctly as a paranoia of technology and connectivity. Perhaps these films act as a warning call and an artistic reminder of what not to become. It is as though these films aim to say “This is what we have become” or “This I Will Miss You (2013) from Moth on Vimeo. is what we are becoming” or perhaps even more so “This media ‘likes’ and his need to have to decide whether or not is what they have become.” consistently document the to unplug one of their cherished Naturally when we critique world around him becomes the devices to save themselves. we tend to discount ourselves source of his demise. as part of the problem or part What these films share at of the source of the problem. In Cycle, by Kel San, a battery the core of their narrative is Naturally we couldn’t possibly operated couple engage the main character’s blatant be contributing to the problem in active consumerism and disregard of their own life and ourselves, could we? conspicuous consumption, body as well as their loved buying every electronic ones. But what they have most But this begs to question, how gadget imaginable. As the film in common, whether it be a legitimate is this paranoia? Are progresses, and the couple light hearted commentary or a we turning into our devices? Are replaces their gadgets with nuanced critique, is a distinct we choosing our cell phones newer versions, their obsession paranoia of technology and over our partners? How does becomes dangerous. They connectivity. Perhaps these this criticism differ from the begin to neglect one another, films are not overarching criticisms of films during the taking greater care of their criticisms of technology itself advent of cinema? In the past objects than each other. Rather but rather how we often see factions argued film would than hold hands and engage in people, and in this case, demoralize and stupefy the a physically intimate encounter, consumers, becoming so public. From cinema, those they stick their noses in their increasingly attached to the critical energies transferred onto tablets, cell phones, and connectivity that they forget television, blaming television as television. Eventually they run about the ‘real world’ and the source of the public’s moral out of batteries and outlets and thus willing to put themselves degradation. From television “Perhaps these films are not overarching criticisms of technology itself but rather how we often see people...” 26 Features

Cycle from Kel San on Vimeo this transferred onto video images might certainly cause interesting to see a collection games, then onto the internet, one to laugh, how truthful are of filmmakers and their work with each medium criticizing they really? These depictions critiquing what is probably its whichever followed as being and assumptions are bleak greatest ally in terms of mass responsible for turning the exaggerations of a reality that distribution. masses, or the consumer, into has marginal truth. zombies or robots. How many Sometimes we see people memes depict people staring at And how preposterous is it who refuse to use cell phones cell phones at the dinner table really that those previously or be connected to any social or groups of people staring at persecuted mediums that have media platform and we might their screens while walking or unabashedly antagonized even go so far as to consider people at coffee shops working other mediums have benefitted their rebellion futile. But this on their computers with some greatly from this connectivity. assumption of those who log-line that blatantly criticizes This isn’t to say that one can’t aren’t connected as being the zombification, loss of benefit from something while disconnected with the world, identity, and sheep mentality criticizing it; certainly we can. reality, and the future is a bit of modern life. While these That being said, it is certainly absurd. Of course they/we can exist without a cell phone and participate as a member, “This isn’t to say that one can’t benefit perhaps even a productive one, of society. Likewise, we often from something while criticizing it” hear from people who reject cell phones complain about 27 Features not wanting to be controlled by international discourse. But it’s may be, is make us reexamine devices and not wanting to turn also difficult to deny that this our own places within this into ‘one of those robots.’ On connectivity, despite the overall technological/connective the other hand, this assumes improvements it brings, can paradigm. That imperative those who live connected lack be a bit burdensome and all alone is worthwhile and worth control over their own lives and consuming. To polarize social commending. are, in fact, controlled by their media and technology into devices. And this, frankly, is a being an evil robot-zombie- bit of an absurd assumption as creating menace versus a well. When it comes to these perfect tool to democratically Jeanette Bonds is Co-Founder critiques, whoever it is that is unite the world and make is and Director of GLAS Animation the conspicuous consumer, equally problematic. Perhaps the automaton, the overly there is a middle ground. connected individual detached We can easily criticize while from reality, whoever it is, there simultaneously appreciate the is one thing we can be for value connectivity. Just like certain: this criticism applies to the films that benefit from that them, not us. which they critique, we can certainly embrace the sense of It’s difficult to deny the adventure these technologies great ease connectivity has can bring us whilst criticizing brought upon us and what them. If there is one thing these it has done to encourage films do, however paranoid they

Cycle from Kel San on Vimeo 28 Features When Live-Action Falls Short: Animating Non-Fiction by Kelly Gallagher images bear evidence of a feminist and safe space for events that actually happened, women especially to share their What happens when realist by virtue of the indexical stories. imagery fails to illustrate our relation¬ship between image lived experiences? How can we and reality” (Roe 216). Non- Tackling serious subject set out to visualize the reality of fiction animation is a direct matter with animation is no mental illness, trauma, emotion, challenge to these notions easy task, especially with and other lived experiences that realist imagery is required common sweeping perceptions that live-action footage to explore the reality of our of animation as relegated to cannot capture? In her essay experiences. In fact, not only the world of child-like and on animated documentary, does animation challenge lighthearted fictional tales. Annabelle Honess Roe argues: these notions, it asserts that However for those willing to “Rather than questioning the push and pull and poke at viability of knowledge-through- “Tackling serious the possibilities of animation documentary, animated and its incredible capacity to documentaries offer us an subject matter with deeply go where live-action enhanced perspective on reality cannot, animation poses by presenting the world in a animation is no easy an explosive abundance breadth and depth that live- of possibilities. Non-fiction action alone cannot. Life is task...” animation rejects live-action rich and complicated in ways documentary’s problematic that are not always available attempts at objectivity and to observation...” (Roe 229). live-action cannot sufficiently representation. Animation, Animating non-fiction stories do the job of adequately through its very aesthetic, and experiences, physically exploring our experiences, calls attention to its artifice- shaping one’s own experiences especially and specifically our its construction. By calling to share with others, is a internal experiences. For the attention to its construction, political act. Walter Benjamin purposes of this essay, “non- animated imagery informs the would argue that to tactilely fiction animation” will refer viewer that it is not attempting and literally shape one’s own to any animation that is not to pretend that it is an story, infuses that story with fictional and is rooted in one’s unmediated representation of authenticity (Leslie 6). Animated real experience or emotion. reality. Animation calls attention non-fiction is a challenge to Non-fiction animation is to the fact that it is mediated classic understandings of political because it complicates and affected and created by authenticity in documentary and challenges questions of someone. We should only cinema, as Roe notes: “The representation, makes clear hope for more cinema that calls authenticity of a documentary and apparent its mediation attention to its construction, and the power of its claim to be by human hand, visualizes like animation does, because such a type of film are deeply the unseeable aspects of our in doing so animation linked to notions of realism and experiences, and through its challenges the common the idea that docu¬mentary production and process offers notion that mainstream media 29 Features

and documentary produce more honest, genuine, and meant to present an experience unmediated representations authentic. Collages, animations, or story, rather than live-action of reality. For example, in the and other imagery that relish in non-fiction’s (problematic winter of 2014, after protests in the fact they are “constructed,” and impossible) attempts at Ferguson took place following call attention to process and whole and true representation. the non-indictment of police imagery production. Viewers Animation presents us with officer Darren Wilson for the and audiences are able to view constructions of experiences. murder of Michael Brown, a such work far more critically Live-action attempts to photograph of a hug between and reflexively because the represent reality. Animation an officer and a young black artist makes their presence is open and honest about its child at a protest went viral. known. In Molly Crabapple’s mediation. Realist live-action The “hug seen around the 2014 animation, How Ferguson imagery often attempts to world” as media outlets called it, Showed us the Truth About present itself as unmediated depicted the young boy crying Police, she explicitly animates and objective. Through the aesthetic properties of animation, using imagery that is clearly constructed by an artist/ animator, such as animated drawings or computer graphic constructed images, or paper collage constructed animations- animation aggressively and politically challenges the notion that realist imagery best effectively visualizes our real experiences.

For film theorist André Bazin, cinema was a discovery that satisfied “once and for all and in Screenshot from Youtube streaming of Molly Crabapple’s How Ferguson its very essence, our obsession Showed us the Truth About Police (2014) with realism” (Bazin 7). Writing in his essay “The Ontology of the Photographic Image,” while being hugged by a white her process of painting frame Bazin believed cinema to be so police officer. Days after the by frame, including her hands powerful and important because photo began circulating widely, on screen throughout the of its ability to truly capture, reports that the photo was animation. Her voice shares more so than any previous art staged began to surface. While stories of police brutality while form, the real world around us. realist imagery feels easily we watch her paint the face of He argued that photography seductive, its ability to truly Michael Brown and images of was essentially objective in and wholly “represent” anyone protest. character and essence because or anything is impossible. We When watching animated non- for the first time in history it need aesthetics that make bare fiction, viewers are concretely was not an artist’s hand that their mediation by human hand aware that the images they was literally creating an image, because such images are far are watching are constructions but rather it was a machine 30 Features

(the camera), free of an artist’s social reality of skid row... create works that act as direct subjectivity (Bazin 7). But what [Rosler] questions whether presentations of emotions. does a photographed image liberal documentary’s attempt Describing Stan Brakhage’s of reality present us with? to mask anxiety about meaning, Self Song/Death Song, In her brilliant critique of the to soothe with an aesthetically Takahashi describes that in impossibility of the project of pleasing humanism, is the film, bright ambers try to representation through imagery, ethically questionable or even fight black color that continues Martha Rosler’s photo-text exploitative of oppressed to seep in, all an attempt at piece “The Bowery in two populations. Alienated and visualizing a body being eaten inadequate descriptive systems” stuck in Rosler’s muck of away by cancer. Experimental (Dec. 1974–Jan. 1975), Rosler representational techniques, and abstract animations that pairs photographs of the you can’t help but feel that the work to visualize emotion Bowery neighborhood in New Bowery is many miles away. directly onto film celluloid such York with descriptive text. In (Packard) as this, imply both a “distrust her review of the piece, Cassie of the indexical image and Packard writes: Rosler poses a strong and the written sign’s capacity scathing critique of the to translate adequately the The two representational false premise that realist natural world, human emotion, systems — visual and verbal photographic imagery and or individual experience” — run on parallel tracks, text can accurately do the (Takahashi 171). Here, non- sometimes crossing paths job of representation. Tying fiction animation challenges as the text adopts a visual this critique to the animation representation and traditional form and signage crops up world, in her writing on direct modes of communication while in several of the photos. animators who work on film offering a space to visualize Each system undermines the celluloid, Tess Takahashi the emotion, trauma, and other’s self consciously feeble describes how the goal of experience of illness in a way attempts at portraying the many of these animators is to that is impossible for live-action.

Martha Rosler’s “The Bowery in two inadequate descriptive systems” (Dec. 1974–Jan. 1975) 31 Features

“Some stories are told from a comfortable arm chair by a warm fireplace. But this story is quite different...” So begins the trailer for Signe Baumane’s 2014 animated feature film Rocks in my Pockets. From the film’s website: The film is based on true events involving five women of Signe Baumane’s family, including herself, and their battles with depression and suicide. It raises questions of how much family genetics determine who Still from Signe Baumane’s Rocks in my Pockets (2014) we are and if it is possible as a live-action documentary, I form offers such potential to to outsmart one’s own DNA. would have no understanding explore women’s issues in a The film is packed with visual of the way that her depression way that simply isn’t possible in metaphors, surreal images and affects her and has affected live-action filmmaking” (6). She a twisted sense of humor. It her family for decades, in the then goes into how the practice is an animated tale full of art, same way that I do as a result and process of animation itself women, of being able to see her literally is far more accessible, one strange daring stories, draw it out for me. can animate in her own home Latvian accents, history, with whatever materials are nature, adventure and more. available, the skills required to animate are varied and “animation as a form offers such open, and “most important of all, [animation] isn’t bound to potential to explore women’s issues in conventions of photographic or dramatic realism that dominate a way that simply isn’t possible in most live-action filmmaking” (6). One can experiment with new live-action filmmaking” (6) ideas while working individually on an animation, especially Not only is animation a when it comes to serious topics (Baumane) specifically important space or issues. Women can feel safe In the attached still frame from to document and share the to wildly imagine new animated the film, one of Baumane’s internal aspects of our lives, it possibilities and realms without family members is dancing with also is an especially safe and the pressures of working in and her depression. Animation’s imperative space for women around numerous people and ability to visualize the to share their experiences. needing to follow live-action unseeable aspects of our lives, Writing in the introduction for conventions. Pilling continues, is another imperative reason her compendium, “Women “Ideas, feelings, issues can to turn to animation when live- and Animation,” Jayne Pilling be presented not as linear action falls short. If Baumane argues that: “animation as a arguments- to be accepted had attempted to make this film 32 Features or rejected by the viewer- the story of Alexus Young’s animation and not traditional but imaginatively embodied, survival of a “starlight tour.” documentary, Young replied: enacted, literally played Alexus Young is a two-spirited “We chose that style because around with for the viewer to First Nations person who was ... I still never know if there is experience... serious issues picked up by Canadian police a vigilante policeman out there can be explored in ways that in Saskatoon and dropped who has a mandate to kill me” are unthinkable in feature or off outside city limits without (Ball Windspeaker). Young also documentary film” (6). By using shoes, to freeze to death. added that animation was able surrealist and unearthly imagery Starlight tours are a horrific and to convey a story far larger in Rocks in my Pockets, thanks racist practice in Saskatoon than her own. With the ability to the power of animation and where police pick up Canadian to compress many scenes and stories of starlight tours against the backdrop of her specific experience, animation was used as a means of bringing light to the larger issue of racism against First Nations people in Saskatoon and Canada at large.

Animation’s ability to challenge representation, offer the means to visualize the unseeable aspects of our experiences, and provide a safe space specifically for women (and trans people, and people of color) to experiment with the tactile shaping of their own stories, all demonstrate the Still from Young and MacCormack’s Where We Were Not Feeling Re- political power of animation served as an imperative means for illustrating non-fiction. incredibly powerful storytelling First Nations people and leave Animation offers the ability to and artistry, Baumane brings them outside the city limits in visualize some of the most us closer to her experience, freezing temperatures. Many important aspects of our lives history, emotions, and men and women have died as that realist live-action imagery perseverance than any realist a result of this practice, some will never be able to capture. imagery could ever attempt of whom are memorialized to do. In Alexus Young and in Young and MacCormack’s Jessica MacCormack’s co- animation. Young survived her Kelly Gallagher is an created 2011 film, Where We “starlight tour” and utilized the experimental animator and Were Not Feeling Reserved, power of animation to share her filmmaker whose research animation is employed harrowing experience. When explores the political potential alongside small fragments asked in an interview why she and radical aesthetics of of found footage to illustrate and MacCormack decided on animation. 33 Features

Works Cited

Ball Windspeaker, David P. “Alexus Young Showcases Healing from Starlight Tour Abuses at Imagi- NATIVE.” Alexus Young Showcases Healing from Starlight Tour Abuses at ImagiNATIVE. N.p., 2012. Web. 4 May 2015.

Baumane, Signe. “Rocks in My Pockets.” Rocks in My Pockets. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2015.

Bazin, Andre, and Hugh Gray. “The Ontology of the Photographic Image.” Film Quarterly 13.4 (1960): 4-9. Web.

Leslie, Esther. “Walter Benjamin: Traces of Craft.” Journal of Design History 11.1 (1998): 5-13. Web.

Packard, Cassie. “Martha Rosler Tackles the Problem of Representation.” Hyperallergic RSS. N.p., 16 Oct. 2014. Web. 4 May 2015.

Pilling, Jayne. Women and Animation: A Compendium. London: British Film Institute, Exhibition & Distribution Division, 1992. Print.

Roe, Annabelle H. “Absence, Excess and Epistemological Expansion: Towards a Framework for the Study of Animated Documentary.” Animation 6.3 (2011): 215-30. Web.

Takahashi, Tess. “Meticulously, Recklessly, Worked Upon: Direct Animation, The Auratic and the Index.” The Sharpest Point: Animation at the End of Cinema. Toronto, ON: YYZ /Ottawa International Animation Festival/Images Festival, 2005. N. pag. Print. 34 Features The First Cut is the Deepest: Dissecting Three New Films from the NFB By Crystal Chan And as a group, the three For all the talk of storytelling as narrate the arc of life: from start dissection, as a cracking open to death to rebirth. of oneself, who really does it? Cordell Barker, Theodore The First Cut is the Deepest Ushev, and Sheldon Cohen, that’s who. These veteran NFB For Cordell Barker, “grade animators will each release seven and twelve years old, short films in which they spill it’s where life begins. You’re guts and blood. Sometimes becoming an adult. And adults literally. seem like they are imbued with powers. Grownups seem After their hits, Barker’s The Cat like gods when you’re that Came Back (1988) and Cohen’s age.” The budding god in If I The Sweater (1980), neither Was God is Barker himself. Cordell Barker released many films, whereas A god who’s a loser. Preteen Ushev has churned out a lot Barker sits in science class and plasticine and papier-mâché. lately. (The NFB is holding the dreams of godlike powers as But the puppets were made one Ushev is wrapping up now he’s smacked in the head by by Laurent Canniccioni and for a 2016 release, because he projectile spitballs. The class Emily Bélanger, of Studio has too many on the docket.) bully’s eyes are on him, and Jako Lanterne. “It’s by far the So Barker’s If I Was God is an Barker’s eyes are on his crush biggest team I’ve worked with, anticipated return, as is Cohen’s Lily in the next row. and it took a lot of time to learn My Heart Attack. Ushev made all the stereoscopy.” The film Blood Manifesto for the NFB’s “I say that it was based on a is Barker’s most technically Naked Island Sessions, a series true story, but it’s all made up. ambitious. Here, his quirky and of experimental, issue-driven I mean, I was very quiet, but I colourful character designs truly microfilms. wasn’t bullied, I was happy. I pop. “My films were very flat. didn’t have a love of my life, this With Runaway, for example, Barker made a 3D stop motion Lily character.” That being said, or in all my films, it’s a very with puppets, Cohen drew on a this is Barker’s first film drawn horizontal action that just keeps computer, and Ushev animated from his life, a life still just going.” In If I Was God, things sketches made with his blood. around the corner. The school seem more real. More in our But similarities beat under in the film is still only a four- world – and that’s intentional. each film. Each film is their minute drive from his home, most intimate. Each features where he also works. In the film, Barker dissects a their first personal voiceover. frog and then electrically shocks Each looks back at a shocking In his home studio he drew the frog legs back to life with memory. Each jumpstarts a the designs and made the a probe. “Had I really brought career change. film’s cutouts and props out of that frog back? Had I done 35 Features

Back now – this guy and this cat, and it just keeps coming back, you can’t quite get rid of it – it really has no message. I don’t think it would be funded now. But I wouldn’t want to make it, anyway.” Instead, this change in direction has him entertaining new ideas. A twenty-four minute special, for example. Anything, as long as it means something.

Cuts to the Core

If I was a God In 2012, Theodore Ushev saw blood run down a young some trick that only a god could “I definitely see a connection woman’s face. It was on the do?” Barker wonders, “Who but between animating and having street during a student protest a god could toy with life and godlike powers. You know, you in Montreal, and police were death?” create this world – and then it beating protestors. “When you really happens. It’s especially see it on TV, your perception Barker’s true concern is our true for the 3D films, with the is you accept it as a ketchup real world. “We were all being puppets it’s actually out there, maybe. Even if it’s real. But systematically civilized to one this real object, as opposed to when you see real blood, it day take over the planet,” a 2D creation in your head that changes. It is shocking.” preteen Barker says. “I wasn’t you draw out.” Ushev was also politically active when he was younger, “I definately see a connection between in Bulgaria, where he lived until he moved to Montreal in 1999. animating and having godlike powers. But “I’ve become more cynical now. I was interested and I You know, you create this world - and passed by the protests from time to time. And I went also then it really happens.” to Bulgaria on vacation, and there were also some protests a god. I wasn’t even in grade there against the government. eight. I had seen our godlike Barker wants to use his godlike And I saw it again. And I was future though. A future where powers for good. Current events thinking: ‘okay, what? What is we can toy with life and death. are “bleak,” and he needs his this that works? To spill your Create new genetic monsters. films “to have a message, a blood for? Does it make sense And destroy the whole planet.” point.” to go and sacrifice yourself for something, for an idea, an ideal We’re all gods, animators, too. “If I was to pitch The Cat Came that is going to be cheated after, betrayed?’” 36 Features

put the blood in 50 milligram bottles, and then in his suitcase Next year, he starts his last for Montreal. “They didn’t know! animated film, a personal mix They didn’t catch me! I was of immigration stories. It will trafficking my own blood!” run twenty-three minutes long and be done with an ancient In the end, only 25 milligrams beeswax technique. After? He of blood was used to make may try live action, theatre, or the film. Ushev used paper something else. “And when I less than two inches wide, make the perfect film I’m going and bamboo brushes. They to stop making films.” maintain the blood for a long time, allowing him to draw two “I don’t want the people to frames without putting his brush remember me as an animation back into the blood-ink. artist, as someone who did animations.” The result is a manifesto on the futility of violent protest, but also The Heart of the Matter on the futility of filmmaking. You can suffer to make a film, Ushev It was August 2011, and says, and it has little effect, Sheldon Cohen thought he Blood Manifesto is a meditation or is forgotten, or is held up. would never make a film again. on these questions. “It was Ushev made Blood Manifesto in “The film came out of the blue, really a shout out from the heart February 2014, and was unsure just like my heart attack.” He because I did the film in two to when the NFB would release it. was at his desk writing his three weeks, just speaking out.” He wanted to narrate the film himself, although some people suggested he hire a voice actor because he speaks with an accent. And set to the rhythm of his poetry and the sound of a heartbeat are two minutes of sketches, drawn in blood. A pig, a hand, a man with a crown; all rendered in blood.

This was made possible with the help of Ushev’s sister, a lab technician who draws blood – the more conventional way – as part of her job. On a visit to Bulgaria he donated blood. He asked her to save him a vial. He 37 Features

kind of emotional feeling of “the story really just feeling broken. It wasn’t the physical pain. That’s why needed telling. It animation I think is the perfect medium to express it, because came from a deep you go beyond the words.” inner place in me Cohen never studied art therapy. But with this film, he’s which is different become an art therapist – for himself. “I started recording my from the other own voice. I always had in mind it would be an actor. But people films that I’ve just kept encouraging me, saying it’s so personal it has to Sheldon Cohen worked on.” be your voice.” memoir, eventually published Cohen continued to keep a “Now I want to develop a in 2012 as This Sweater is For journal in his “shaky hand” multimedia presentation and You! He planned to study art during his “spiritual rebirth,” show others who might be therapy at Concordia. To start a feeling for the first time that “the helped by it, go deeper into new career. story really needed telling. It things that didn’t fit into my film. came from a deep inner place I call it my heart attack tour.” Then, the phone. “Come to the in me which is different from the dog park,” his wife yelled. Their other films that I’ve worked on.” neighbour’s dog was having Crystal Chan is a writer and a heart attack. Cohen rushed It was Cohen’s first film without editor based in Montreal. there in time to see his wife a paper trail. Drawn on a Cintiq give the dog CPR. Then, as if tablet, Cohen transformed his they were contagious, he had a aesthetic with the help of art heart attack himself. director David Barlow-Krelina. For Cohen, the result is the first After the subsequent quintuple time his films have “the actual bypass, Cohen “woke up from feeling of the world, that has intensive care. When they light in it. Before, my artwork brought me to my room from totally had a flat feel, bright the open-heart surgery there colours just contoured with the was a sheet of paper for the line. I don’t think I’ll ever work TV channels. And it was blank other than this way again.” on the other side. And I asked them for a pen and I started Making My Heart Attack helped writing the story of my heart Cohen understand a baffling attack. I didn’t think it would be experience. “When they send an animated film, I just thought you home after this kind of it was something I needed to surgery you’re not prepared. write.” I’ve never experienced that 38 News from ASIFA National Groups Australian Animation Featured at VAFI 6th International Children and Youth Film Festival, Varazdin

for and by children and youth. It also presents various forms, types, styles, techniques of animation through partners. This year, the 6th VAFI partnered with Australia. Wanting to show why Australia Academy Award-winning short, is one of the most successful Harvie Krumpet, by Adam Australian Ambassador in countries in animation, VAFI Elliot, screened at the opening Zagreb, Ms. Susan Cox and brought together a program ceremony. ASIFA Secretary General, of seven award winning Vesna Dovnikovic. shorts (three of them Oscar member Jacqueline Cosgrove winners) and Adam Elliot’s and Elisabeth Tuilekutu; also in In its centenary year, Australian much acclaimed clay animated attendance from Australia was animation was the focus at VAFI feature film Mary and Max. Oliver Eklund, a young animator 6th International Children and with a film in competition. Youth Animation Film Festival Her Excellency, Ms. Susan held in Varaždin, Croatia from Cox, Ambassador of Australia The Australian animation 21–26 April, 2015. VAFI is in Croatia, gave patronage to program was curated with the organised annually by Creative VAFI, selecting it to be one help of Margit Antauer, who Film Studio VANIMA from of three projects supported has served as an advisor to Varaždin. The official program by the Embassy. Visiting on VAFI since its first edition. consists of two sections in behalf of Australia, from Bardic Staff of VAFI have praised competition – animated films Studios in Sydney, were jury her invaluable input to the

VAFI official guests wave Australian flags. VAFI Grand Opening, 2015. 39

and Academy Award-winning the optical toys workshop; short Harvie Krumpet (2003); Johnchill Lee, President of Indefinable Moods (2001) by ASIFA–China; and also guests Kathy Smith; Australia’s first from Hong Kong, Belgium, Oscar-winning animated short Ukraine, Armenia, Russia, film Leisure (1976) by Bruce Taiwan, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Petty; Looking For Horses Austria and many cities from (2001) by Anthony Lawrence; Croatia. Pleasure Domes (1987) by Australia’s first Oscar-winning Maggie Fooke; the Academy Besides the official screening animated short film Leisure Award-winning short The Lost of films in competition in two (1976) by Bruce Petty. Thing (2010) by Shaun Tan and festival sections, JUNIOR Andrew Ruhemann; and Dad’s (animated films from children Clock (2001) by Dik Jarman. and youth) and SENIOR partnership programs each (animated films for children and year, bringing to the festival a Official speeches during the youth), VAFI has workshops, deep knowledge of the medium, opening ceremony were given exhibition, lectures, roundtables its films and filmmakers on a by the Mayor of Varaždin, and presentations. This year’s world scale in order to present Goran Habuš, followed by exhibition was by Croatian the best selection of animation Ambassador of Australia in animation artist and ASIFA– possible. Also a great supporter Croatia, Ms Susan Cox; ASIFA Croatia member Krešimir of the festival and testimony to Secretary-General, Vesna Zimonić. VAFI had a record its success year after year is Dovnikovic; Mr. Raymond number of films submitted – 720 ASIFA–Croatia. Rojnik from European Capital in total from more than 60 world of Culture Varaždin 2020 countries. 96 of them were The review of the Australian Office; VAFI Program Director, competing in JUNIOR and 104 program was very positive. Sandra Malencia and Executive in SENIOR section for the VAFI People were overwhelmed Director, Hrvoje Selec (both statue. by the high standard of films ASIFA–Croatia and ASIFA selected, in particular those Workshop Group members). The next VAFI partner will be from Academy Award–winning held in Israel. animation director Adam Elliot. The 6th VAFI had more than It was a real breakthrough to 90 guests, including Wilson VAFI web page: www.vafi.hr/en show people that animation is Lazaretti from Brazil, who lead not just funny cartoons but an art form that can tell strong Trent Ellis and Sandra stories. The Melenica Australian program Trent Ellis is International Board included the Representative of ASIFA– following Australia. Sandra Malenica films: Adam is Program Director of VAFI, Elliot’s feature ASIFA–Croatia. Mary and The Lost Thing (2010) by Shaun Tan and Andrew Max (2009) Ruhemann. 40

Edited by Ray Kosarin ASIFA- ISRAEL

Veteran lecturer, animation director and producer Lea Yosha and veteran animator, lecturer and journalist Tsvika Oren were elected to the ASIFA–Israel 2015 board. Our main activity is The Animation Club, organized in cooperation with Minshar For Art, Tel Aviv, presenting monthly meetings dedicated to viewing Preliminary art for The Boy who Painted a Donkey Blue, feature and discussing animation. in development, Pitchi Poy Animation Productions, director: Noam Most meetings host top Meshulam. animation artists who share One of the most exciting their experiences and creative current developments in processes. Recent guests have Israeli animation is the fast included Yoav Bril (Ishihara, growing, very active Animation Hora), Yoni Arrousi (Happily Professions Union. Four years Ever After) and Or Bar–El after it was established, it has (Beat). hundreds of members sharing knowledge and supporting each other. The union has managed to increase institutional Preliminary art for The Sand financing of animation Castle, feature in development, productions, including an Pitchi Poy Animation annual feature development Productions, director Noam project in cooperation with the Meshulam. Script Writers’ Union.

Another exciting development is the center for animation Tsvika Oren production and training ASIFA–Israel developed with generous support of the Jerusalem ואנזור דעלג municipality. It now includes היצמינא תוקפה ייופ י’ציפ a branch of the veteran Jaffa 3 החולש -036836065ט PitchiPoy studio, directed -035183198פ Still from Baldy Heights, feature by Noam Meshulam. Three -0544973364ס in production, Pitchi Poy feature-length animated films Animation Productions, director, are now in various stages of www.pitchipoy.tv Noam Meshulam. production. 41

regulations and entry form ASIFA- JAPAN One of our main activities is will be ready this autumn. All to organize the International animation shorts completed Animation Festival in Japan, after April 2014 will be eligible As one of the largest national HIROSHIMA, held biennially for our competition. On behalf of branches of ASIFA, ASIFA– since 1985, under the ASIFA–Japan, I am very much Japan (http://asifa.jp/en/) has endorsement of ASIFA, co- looking forward to receiving always been making the effort organized by Hiroshima City your entries to HIROSHIMA voluntarily to promote and and ASIFA–Japan. Members 2016, and hope to welcome you develop the art and culture of ASIFA–Japan have always in Hiroshima with all our hearts of animation – a unique art been working hard voluntarily in August 2016! form giving life to the lifeless in the background. Last year, and able to transcend cultural at HIROSHIMA barriers, communicating as a 2014, together true international language. We with all of are now (as of May 2015) a you, we were group of 76 active professional pleased to members, including talented celebrate animation directors, filmmakers, the 30th creators, producers, editors, anniversary cinematographers, critics, since the scholars, professors, curators, establishment distributors, etc., representing of our Japanese animation art organizing and industry. ASIFA–Japan committee in was established in 1981 1984. Now, we by 22 founding members are heading for including prominent animation the 16th festival filmmakers such as Yoji HIROSHIMA Kuri, Taiji Yabushita, Osamu 2016, which Tezuka, Tadahito Mochinaga, will be held Kihachiro Kawamoto and from August Renzo Kinoshita. Together with 18 to 22, 2016, our founding members, ASIFA– and it will be Japan has been respecting and a new journey following the aim of ASIFA: to for us to pursue friendship and world reach another peace through cross-cultural milestone of 40 exchanges carried out by the years, 50 years development of animation art. and more! Today, we are most pleased to keep up to this philosophy, Please visit our official and to hand it over to the next website for HIROSHIMA 2016 Sayoko Kinoshita generation. (http://hiroanim.org), though President of ASIFA–Japan most pages are still under construction, and our new 42 ASIFA- USA CENTRAL

From “Animated Collaboration”. Animation Workshop Educators, the animation workshop group of ASIFA–Central, has been active, receiving several honors for their work. Three members, Gretchen Vinnedge, Maggie The AWE Group: Lynn McKeown, Suzanne Zack, Deanna Morse, Annerino, and Lynn McKeown, Gretchen Vinnedge, Maggie Annerino and student working on traveled to the MONSTRA Animation Festival in Lisbon, The “Yellow Ticket” animation, Portugal, where they presented our group’s part of AWG a program and led a hands-on “Colours/Colors”, the newest Deanna Morse workshop. Several members international project of ASIFA ASIFA USA–Central participated in the North Park Workshop Groups, won the Limerick project, coordinated by Best Animation Award in the Suzanne Zack. 2015 KDL Teen Film Festival. ASIFA- USA EAST “Animated Collaboration”, created by the A.W.E. to ASIFA–East kicked off 2015 spotlight their international with our Post-Holiday Party, collaborations, won an Eclipse held January at the NYC pub Award and is a finalist at the The Galway Hooker. North by Midwest Micro-Budget Film Festival. More information Also in January, in what has Gretchen Vinnedge, Lynn on the workshop group and this come to be an annual tradition, McKeown and Maggie Annerino project is www.deanimations. “Singing CPA” Steven Zelin at MONSTRA. com. presented an evening of tax advice and song, aimed at The chapter is making plans for teaching freelance animators the annual Midwest Animator’s and artists basics of tax law and Retreat, our annual gathering tax-return preparation. of member animators from the Midwest USA. In March, ASIFA–East presented a Tribute to Michael “Yellow Ticket” still. Sporn, the renowned, much 43 beloved New York-based The New School’s Tishman by Raymond McCarthy producer-director-animator, Auditorium, attracted animated Bergeron, Rochester Institute of known worldwide for films as films and filmmakers from all Technology; Midnight Snack by the Oscar-nominated Doctor over North America. David Romero, University of the de Soto (1984), The Hunting of Arts; Monster by Thomas Shek the Snark (1989), Whitewash ASIFA–East alum Tom and Stephanie Lin, School of (1994), The Man who Walked Warburton officiated; our signal Visual Arts. between the Towers (2005) film for 2015 was produced by and many Emmy and ACE- Katie Cropper Klein. The 2015 Craft Awards awarded television specials. winners are: Excellence in Writing: The event, organized by Highway of Hell by Andy and Masako Kanayama, included “Peggy” Award for Best in Carolyn London film clips from Sporn’s career; Show: Driving by Nate Theis. Excellence in Education: Why a discussion panel of Sporn Are Some People Left-Handed? collaborators including Ed Commissioned Films by Lisa LaBracio, TED-Ed Askinazi, Maxine Fischer, Commissioned Films Over Excellence in Sound Design: Denise Gonzales, Stephen Two Minutes, First Place: Behind My Behind by David Macquignon, Steve Parton, Fun Times with Rez by Chai Bridget Thorne, with this writer Christopher Conforti, Nick Excellence in Experimental moderating; closing remarks Digital Animation: China Violet by from Michael Sporn’s wife Heidi Commissioned Films Under 2 David Ehrlich Stallings; and a special tribute Minutes, First Place: Excellence in Animation: reel including videos, drawings, Scare Off by Nelson Diaz, Duckling Gets a Cookie?! photographs, spoken and Hallmark by Pete List, Weston Woods written tributes from friends and Music Videos, First Place: Studios artists around the world. Mojo Thunder Music Video by Excellence in Design: Chosin: Benjy Brooke and Kris Merc, Baptized by Fire by Chris Each Spring, ASIFA–East ATABOY Studios. DiFiore and Byron Gray. presents our annual ASIFA– East Animation Festival. With Independent Films Women In Animation Special films selected by a jury of First Place: Between Times by Awards animator peers (any active Ru Kuwahata and Max Porter; Women in Animation Award ASIFA–East member may vote), Second Place: Pig for Student Animation: the ASIFA–East Animation by Steven Subotnick; Third Eggplant by Yangzi She, Festival, now in its 46th year, Place: Late by Christi Bertelsen. University of California, Los is to our knowledge the oldest Angeles continually running animation Student Films Women In Animation Award festival in North America. First Place: Birthday by Nick for Independent Animation: Organized and realized by Tustin, School of Visual Arts; Give Luci by Mary Nittolo. the hard-working volunteers Second Place: Religatio by on the ASIFA–East Executive Jaime Giraldo, Vancouver Film Board, plus the support of many School generous sponsors and friends Third Place: Panty Fairy by Ray Kosarin (for more information please Juanwei Chen, School of Visual ASIFA–East visit www.asifaeast.com), this Arts year’s festival, held May 17 at Honorable Mentions: re+belief 44

ASIFA–Hollywood’s General ASIFA–Hollywood has long ASIFA- USA Membership met on Thursday, been in a position to learn April 30 at the Animation of endangered animation HOLLYWOOD Guild to review the past year’s collections and has amassed accomplishments, plan for the a storeroom and warehouse coming year, hold elections and full of materials. Through answer member questions. introductions arranged by Tony Angellotti, Frank Gladstone The first-arriving 50 members and Jerry Beck approached received a copy of ASIFA– the Academy of Motion Picture International’s hardcover 50th Arts and Sciences to form Anniversary book. a partnership to curate the collection at the Academy ASIFA–Hollywood’s Executive Entertainment for the (http://www.asifa-hollywood.org/ Director (Frank Gladstone), membership included wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ President (Jerry Beck) and Vice An Incomplete History of archives.jpg). President (David Derks). Animated Dance, presented by Frank Gladstone, and the The ASIFA–Hollywood short film Coda, one of the collection will be stored, ten Academy®-shortlisted preserved, cataloged and and Annie Award-nominated managed by the Academy’s short films (presented by 62 Margaret Herrick Library. GEORGE STREET, produced by Irish studio And Maps And As with all of the Academy’s Plans, directed by Alan Holly, collections, it will be available produced by Ciaran Deeney). for exhibition in the museum and eventually be available as ASIFA–Hollywood President, an online resource. ASIFA– Jerry Beck addresses its Hollywood’s collection at the General Membership. Academy will also be cataloged in the library’s online databases and available to researchers.

In April, ASIFA–Hollywood welcomed its members to screenings of Wreckin Hill Entertainment’s Yelowbird at the Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, featuring a panel moderated by the film’s writer/ director, Cory Edwards. ASIFA-Hollywood’s International Representative and Director of In March, DreamWorks and PR and Marketing with Disney’s 20th Century Fox invited the legendary Tinkerbell, Margaret membership to the Hollywood Kerry (L). premiere and exclusive 45

Debbie Spafford remembers ASIFA-Hollywood’s Vice Caron Creed. President, David Derks, on the purple carpet at the premiere of DreamWorks’ Home. Photo courtesy of David Derks. screenings of Home with stars Jim Parsons, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna on the purple- Bob Kurtz and Dave Brain Afternoon of Remembrance carpet. remember Jimmy Murakami. cover illustration by the late Michael Sporn. Also in March, the ASIFA- Hollywood’s Animation Educators Forum had their General Membership meeting (which was live-streamed). The topic was “Animation Education: Six Effective Strategies”. Lee Sigall remembers his mother, Martha Sigall. In February, An Afternoon of Remembrance was held by The Animation Guild, ASIFA– Bill Kroyer remembers Frank Hollywood and Women in Terry. Animation. It’s an annual, non- denominational celebration Just a few who were honored to honor those in our industry included Caron Creed (speaker, Yvette Kaplan and Tom Sito whom we have lost the previous Debbie Spafford), Jimmy remember Michael Sporn. year. Murakami (speakers, Bob Kurtz and Dave Brain), Martha Sigall (speaker, Lee Sigall), Michael Sporn (speakers, Tom Sito and Yvette Kaplan) and Robin Williams (speaker, Eric Goldberg). Remembrance photos courtesy of Bronwen Barry. Eric Goldberg remembers Robin Williams. 46 News Animation Awards 2014-2015

February 2014: Nominees: Room on the Broom The Croods Directors: Max Lang and Jan 41st Annie Awards Directors: Kirk De Micco, Chris Lachauer. Magic Light Pictures. Hollywood, USA. Sanders. 98 min. DreamWorks.

Winsor McCay Award – Despicable Me 2 March 2014: Katsuhiro Otomo, Steven Directors: Pierre Coffin, Chris 17th HAFF . 98 min. Universal Spielberg and Phil Tippett Renaud Utrecht, Holland. 19-23.3.14 Pictures/Illumination Ent. June Foray Award – Alice Davis Ernest & Celestine Grand Prix short narrative: Directors: Stéphane Aubier, Love Games, Yumi Joung Best Animated Feature: Vincent Patar, Benjamin South Korea, Culture Platform, Frozen. Chris Buck, Jennifer Renner. 80 min. La Parti 2013. Lee. Walt Disney Animation Productions; Les Armateurs; Studios Maybe Movies; Mélusine Grand Prix short non-narrative: Productions; StudioCanal. Le Labyrinthe/The Labyrinth, Best Animated Short Subject: Mathieu Labaye Get A Horse! Lauren The Wind Rises Belgium, Camera-etc, 2013. MacMullan. Walt Disney Directors: Hayao Miyazaki. 126 Animation Studios min. Studio Ghibli. Grand Prix feature film: The Fake, Sangho Yeon Best Student Film: Animated Short Film: South Korea, Studio Dadashow, Wedding Cake – 2013. Filmakademie Baden- OSCAR – Wuerttemberg Mr. Hubolt. Grand Prix European student Directors: Alexandre film: Espigares, Laurent Witz. Zeilt Wind, Robert Löbel February 2014: Prod., Luxembourg. 11’44” Germany, Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften 86th Academy Awards / Nominees: Hamburg, 2013. OSCAR 2013. Feral Director: Daniel Sousa. 12’41” Animated Feature Film: April 2014: 5 nominees out of 19 eligible Get a Horse! films. Director: Lauren MacMullan. 21st International Trick- Disney. 6’ flim Festival OSCAR – Stuttgart, Germany. 22-27.4.15 Frozen. Possessions Directors: Chris Buck, Director: Shuhei Morita. Jennifer Lee. 102 min. Disney. Sunrise Inc. International Competition – 47 News

Grand Prix: Best in Show – Best short: Through the Hawthorn… In the Beginning Man on the Chair Directors: Anna Benner, Pia 2013 Arthur Metcalf 2’32” Directors: Dahee Jeong. P: Borg, Gemma Burditt. Great Sacrebleu. Britain, 2013 Best independent: FR/S-Korea, 2014. 6’55”. Eye in Tuna Care Lotte Reiniger Förderpreis 2013 John Walter Lustig 4’06” Best feature: für Animationsfilm (Best O menino e o mundo student film in the int’l shorts Best student film: Director. Alê ABREU competition): Breadheads Brazil, 2013. 1:20’ Home 2013 Cody Walzel Pratt Director: Luiz Stockler Institute 5’32” Best student film: Royal College of Art, The Bigger Picture Great Britain, 2012 Director. Daisy Jacibs June 2014: NFTS, 2014. UK. 7’.

Best student film: Animafest Fipresci Award: The Shirley Temple Zagreb, Croatia. 3-8.6.14 No Fish Where To Go Director: Daniela Sherer RCA Nicola Lemay/Janice Nadeau Great Britain, 2013 Grand Prix – NFB, Canada Love Games Best feature: Director: Yumi Joung Kotonoha no Niwa / The South Korea, 2013 August 2014: Garden of Words Hiroshima 2014 Awards Director: Golden Zagreb Award for 21-25.8.14 Makoto Shinkai creativity and innovative artistic Japan, 2013 achievement: Sunday 3 Grand Prix: Best children’s short film: Director: Jochen Kuhn The Bigger Picture, Daisy L’Automne de Pougne / Germany, 2013 Jacobs NFTS, 2014. Poppety in the Fall UK. 7’17” Directors: Pierre-Luc Granjon, Best first film: Antoine Lanciaux Ziegenort Hiroshima Prize: France, 2012 Director: Tomasz Popakul. Symphony No.42, Réka Poland, 2013 Bucsi, Moholy-Nagy U. of Art Jury shorts: and Design, Hungary. 2013. Mariola Brillowska, Rado Best student film: 9’34”. Heidmats, Tsvika Oren, Paul Anal Juke - Anal Juice Bush, Fadi Abdelnour. Jury Director: Sawako Kabuki Debut Prize: features: Jannik Hastrup, Max Japan, 2013 Boles, Spela Cadez Howard, Peter Rommel. Slovenia/Germany. 2013. 12’17”. June 2014: May 2014: ANNECY 2014 Renzo Kinoshita Prize: 45th Asifa East Awards Choir Tour, Edmund Jansons 14.6.14 (Atom Art). Latvia. 2012. 5’13”. 48 News

Jury: Special Mention (New Talent): Boles, Spela Cadez, Slovenia Inni Karine Melbye, Joanna Timber, Nils Hedinger, CH / Germany, 12’20. (No History / Priestley, Barbel Neubauer, 2014 Hupe Film). Joško Marušić, Ferenc Mikulás, Koji Yamamura. Audience Award: Kiki of Montparnasse My Own Personal Moose, (Mademoiselle Kiki et les Leonid Shmelkov, RU, 2013 Montparnos), Amelie Harrault, September 2014: France, 14’ 27 (Les Trois Ours). Jury – 12th Fantoche Anaïs Emery (CH), Emma de Mr Hublot, Laurent Witz Baden, Switzerland. 2-7.9.14 Swaef (BE), Atsushi Wada & Alexandre Espigares, (JP), Mark Shapiro (US), Stu Luxembourg / France, 11’48 Best Film: Campbell (AU) (Zeilt Productions). The Bigger Picture, Daisy Jacobs, GB 2014 Jury: September 2014: Producer Eric Goossens High Risk: Cartoon D’Or (Walking the Dog, Belgium), Through the Hawthorn, Anna 25.9.14 director/producer Tony Benner, Pia Borg, Gemma Loeser (MotionWorks, Burditt, GB 2014 Germany) and director Winner: Benjamin Renner (France). New Talent: The Christmas Log (La bûche The Wound, Anna Budanova, de Noël), Stéphane Aubier RU 2013 & Vincent Patar, Belgium / September 2014: France, 26’ (PANIQUE! / Autour 20th Encounters Shorts Best Sound: de Minuit). Snow Hut, Yoriko Mizushiri, Festival JP 2013 Nominaees: Bristol, UK 16-21.9.14 Anatole’s Little Saucepan (La Best Visual: petite casserole d’Anatole), Eric Animated Grand Prix: Wonder, Mirai Mizue, JP/FR Montchaud, France, 5’47 (JPL Padre/Father by Santiago 2014 Films). ‘Bou’ Grasso (Argentina)

Hipopotamy Man on the Chair 49 News

Brief Grand Prix: Best Narrative Short Animation: A Million Miles Away by Marilyn Myller by Mikey November 2014: Jennifer Reeder (US) Please (UK & United States) DOK Leipzig Festival

Depict! Award - Best Laika Experimental/ Golden Dove for best Animated Ant Blades, Carpark. 2013. Abstract Animation: Film: Birdbox studio. 1’23”. Eager by Allison Schulnik Still Born (USA) Åsa Sandzén, Sweden. Children’s Award - Andy Martin, The Planets. 12’. Walt Disney Award for Best Silver Dove: Channel 4 Graduation Animation: The Bigger Picture Things Don’t Fit by Tim Divall Daisy Jacobs. UK. Best of British Animation Award: (UK) Marilyn Myller by Mikey Golden Dove Best Animated Please (UK) Best Undergraduate Animation: Documentary: Lesley the Pony Has an A+ Muerta blanca/White Death September 2014: Day by Christian Larrave Roberto Collío, Chile. (USA) OTTAWA 2014 Mephisto 97.6 Audience Award: 17-21.9.14 Best Animation School Moulton og meg /Me and My Showreel: Moulton. Rhode Island School of Grand Prix shorts: Design (USA) Hipopotamy by Piotr Dumala November 2014: (Poland) Jury shorts: Claire Blanchet (Canada), 38th Cinanimafest Grand Prix features: Philip Hunt (UK), and Maria Portugal Seth’s Dominion by Luc Tereschenko (Russia). Chamberland (Canada) Torill Kove, NFBC/Nor. Jury Features: Grande Prix: Best Canadian animation: David OReilly (Ireland), Fuligem/Soot 1000 Plateaus (2004-2014) by Patrice James (Canada), and David Doutel e Vasco Sá, Steve Woloshen Tom Warburton (USA). Portugal

The Bigger Picture Still Born 50 News

Best feature: Best short short: Bonnie Arnold. Dreamworks O menino e o mundo/The boy Supervenus Animation. and the world Frederic Doazan, 2013. 2’40”. Alê Abreu, Brazil Song Of The Sea Directors: Tomm Moore and Best short under 5 min: January 2015: Paul Young. Cartoon Saloon. Sou como sou/Je suis comme 42nd Annie Awards je suis Hollywood, USA. The Tale Of Princess Kaguya Marion Auvin, France. Directors: Isao Takahata and Yoshiaki Nishimura. Studio Best short 5 to 24 min: Best feature: Ghibli. We can’t live without Cosmos How to Train Your Dragon 2 Konstantin Bronzit, Russia Dean DeBlois, Bonnie Arnold. Animated Short Film: DreamWorks Animation. November 2014: OSCAR - Best short: Feast KLIK! Feast, Patrick Osborne. Director: Patrick Osborne. Amsterdam, Holland. Walt Disney Animation Studios. Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Best short: Best Student Film: Nominated: Hipopotamy ‘My Big Brother’ The Bigger Picture Piotr Dumala, Poland. Jason Rayner. Savannah Directors: Daisy Jacobs, College of Art and Design. Christopher Hees. National Best Student Short: Film and TV School, UK. Lesley the Pony Has an A+ Day! February 2015: Me and My Moulton Wesley Nunêz Torill Kove, NFBC. 87th Academy Awards / Best Political Short: OSCAR 2015. The Dam Keeper Padre Directors: Robert Kondo, Dice Santiago Bou Grasso Animated Feature Film: Tsutsumi. Moonbot.

OSCAR - A Single Life. November 2014: Big Hero 6 Directors: Joris & Marieke. Bradford Animation Directors: Don Hall, Chris Studio Job. Holland. Williams and Roy Conli. Festival 2014 Walt Disney Animation Studios. UK. 17-22.11.14 March 2015: Nominated: 18th HAFF Best professional film: The Boxtrolls Utrecht, Holland. Through the Hawthorn Directors: Anthony Stacchi, Anna Benner, Pia Borg, Graham Annable and Travis Gemma Burditt, UK 2014. Knight. Laika. Grand Prix narrative short: House of Unconsciousness, How To Train Your Dragon 2 Priit Tender, Eesti Joonisfilm, Directors: Dean DeBlois and Kalev Tamm. Estonia, 2015. 51 News

Grand Prix non-narrative short: Dark Mixer Hirotoshi Iwasaki, Hirotoshi Iwasaki. Japan, 2014

Grand Prix feature film: On the White Planet Bum-wook Hur, The Korean Academy Of Film Arts, Ki-Hwan Kim, South Korea, 2014

Grand Prix student film: Small People with Hats Sarina Nihei, Royal College of Art, Joan Ashworth, United Kingdom, 2014

Numbers:

Annecy 2014: 2293 films submitted. Selected: 55 shorts (including 12 in the Off-Limits section); 65 TV and commissioned films; 56 graduation films in competition; 36 short films out of competition On the short film side, the competition has 43 films from 20 countries. Over a third of the films have been directed or co-directed by women (16 out of 43, or 37 %). Over 40 % of the 56 graduation films have been created by women. 12 of these came from British schools (5 from the Royal College of Arts).

Animafest Zagreb Of 1725 films from 73 countries, 144 were selected for the competitions and panoramas.

12th Fantoche, Baden, Switzerland. 2-7.9.14 1298 film entries from 73 countries and 91 films from Switzerland were submitted for selection.

Ottawa 2014 received 2,033 entries from 70 different countries, selecting 101 short films and 5 feature films. An additional 71 films are showing out-of-competition in Showcase screenings.

Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2015 received 2,600 films from 95 countries. (72 features). 53 shorts were selected for competition. 49 graduation films (50% created by women) and 64 TV and commissioned films.

7.3.15 : 1,883 of the world’s film festivals (including 13 Oscar qualifying festivals) are now using FilmFreeway to reach more than 100,000 filmmakers from 176 countries around the world.

Information compiled from Animation Center magazine (Israel) issues No. 280 to 320. Editor: Tsvika Oren. 52

contact: [email protected] 53 Contact information

Representatives of ASIFA National Groups ASIFA NATIONAL GROUPS Chapter President Members of the ASIFA Board of Directors

ARGENTINA Oscar M. Desplats Oscar M. Desplats AUSTRALIA Trent Ellis Trent Ellis AUSTRIA Thomas Renoldner Stefan Stratil BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA Berin Tuzlic Berin Tuzlic BULGARIA Pencho Kunchev Pencho Kunchev CARIBBEAN Camille Selvon Abrahams Camille Selvon Abrahams CHILE Vivienne Barry Vivienne Barry CHINA Li Zhong Qiu Li Zhong Qiu CHINA-JILIN Zheng Liguo Zheng Liguo CHINA-XIAMEN Wu Zhiqiang Wu Zhiqiang COLOMBIA Ricardo Arce Ricardo Arce CROATIA Vesna Dovnikovic Vesna Dovnikovic CYPRUS Yiorgos Tsangaris Yiorgos Tsangaris EGYPT Mohamed Ghazala Mohamed Ghazala FINLAND Heikki Jokinen Heikki Jokinen FRANCE Sabine Zipci Sabine Zipci GREECE Anastasia Dimitra Yiannis Vassiliadis HUNGARY Tamas Patrovits Tamas Patrovits INDIA Bill Dennis Anand Gurani INDONESIA Gotot Prakosa Gotot Prakosa IRAN Noureddin Zarrinkelk Noureddin Zarrinkelk ISRAEL Tsvika Oren Sarah Hatooka, Tsvika Oren ITALY Luca Raffaelli Alfio Bastiancich JAPAN Sayoko Kinoshita Sayoko Kinoshita KOREA Nelson Shin Nelson Shin MEXICO Jose Carlos Garcia de Letona Jose Carlos Garcia de Letona POLAND Mariusz Frukacz Mariusz Frukacz ROMANIA Genevieve Georgesco Genevieve Georgesco SERBIA Bozidar Zecevic Bozidar Zecevic SWITZERLAND Monica Stadler Jonas Raeber TURKEY Berat Ilk Berat Ilk UNITED KINGDOM Margot Grimwood Margot Grimwood USA ATLANTA Fatimah Abdullah Fatimah Abdullah USA CENTRAL Deanna Morse Jim Middleton USA COLORADO Corrie Francis Parks Ed Desroches USA EAST Ray Kosarin Dayna Gonzalez, Linda Beck USA HOLLYWOOD Jamie Kezlarian Bolio Frank Gladstone USA PORTLAND Rebekah Villon Sven Bonnichsen USA SAN FRANCISCO Nancy Denney-Phelps Karl Cohen 54

ASIFA President Ed Desroches [email protected] General Secretary Vesna Dovnikovic [email protected] Treasurer Ray Kosarin [email protected]

Development: new chapters, festival liaison, ASIFA Workshop Groups (AWG)

Vice President Sayoko Kinoshita [email protected] Director of New Chapter Coordination Vesna Dovnikovic [email protected] Director of Festival Liaison Nancy Denney-Phelps [email protected] AWG President Anastasia Dimitra [email protected]

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Vice President Ricardo Arce [email protected] IAD Curator Vanessa Ventura [email protected] ASIFA Prize Curator Agnes Li [email protected] Director of New Projects Deanna Morse [email protected] 55

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Vice President Rebekah Villon [email protected] Director of Ethics/Audits Jeff Wike [email protected] Director of Technical Operations Corrie Francis Parks [email protected] Director of Administration and Archives Asha Jagannathan [email protected]

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