Four drawings from Rêves de Chat (Cat Jumping) made by CP students ©1995 Atelier de Cinéma d'Animation d'Annecy et de Haute-Savoie - AAA

This year, A.A.A. (Atelier de cinéma d'Animation d'Annecy et de Haute-Savoie), the pioneering ASIFA workshop, celebrates its 25th anniversary. To commemorate this, I would like to explore some of the reasons that led its organizers to what has become a quarter century effort to educate young people in the art of animation.

We live in a world of images-cartoon strips, movies, television, video games, etc. --which both fascinate and inundate children and teenagers. However, very little has been done to prepare these "consumers" to judge what they see, or to appreciate and master them.

At school, children are trained in reading and writing. But they also should be taught how to read and write images. And if cartoons are the images most familiar to children, then animation should also be a part of their education.

Both art and entertainment, animation gets so little recognition, that it has generally been classified as "just for kids." This has led to an abundant supply of low quality productions. However, masterpieces of animation art do exist and it has always been an important part of our workshops at Annecy: showing youngsters films from artists from around the world, using every imaginable technique, and making them aware of contemporary art. Little by little, they become able to appreciate even serious works and even ask to see them again.

Lucien l'Assomeur (a Friendly Dragon) made by CM1 students ©1995 Atelier de Cinéma d'Animation d'Annecy et de Haute-Savoie - AAA

In addition to "reading" animation, we also deal with the "writing" part as well. Animation is a wonderful medium for expression and communication, using shape, rhythm, time and movement all working together. Children find it easier to express themselves in terms of movement than with the spoken and written language of adults-a language they have not yet mastered.

Animation can communicate without using words: this is why we could organize international projects among a host of ASIFA workshops, completing films done jointly by groups in 10 to 20 (and more) countries on the same theme, without any language barrier. This is why we invite professional animation artists from around the world to participate as teachers: even when they do not speak French, they are able to communicate their art to the children through drawings, movement, pantomime, et al.

Préhistoptique (Prehistoptic) made by 14-18 years

It is very important, in our workshops, that professional animators be involved. The kids should have contact with artists; they should know that animation is a profession; that behind the moving images, there is someone who has something to say. It is always a great moment when one of our guests shows and talks about one of his films.

Our main activity are a week long workshops during the school year, involving 24-30 children, ranging in age from 5 to 18. The children take off from school and come with their teachers and interested parents.