What a festival! If I heard it once, I heard it every time I spoke to someone at Zagreb 2002, the 15th World Festival of Animated Films. Having never been to the Zagreb Festival and only hearing about Croatia on the nightly news, I had no idea what to expect upon my arrival. But I have to say...what a surprise, what a delightful surprise. For many reasons, Zagreb is how an animation festival should be, and has leapt to the top of my list. What is most excellent about Zagreb is the camaraderie that it cultivates. From the staff's hospitality, to the attendees to the projection and screening schedule, all roads lead to creating a wonderful experience for all.

While this year's Zagreb was especially hot with the mercury over 100°F each day, that didn't dampen any spirits. Beloved festival director Margit "Buba" Antauer made sure that all of the preparations were made so that each and every attendee had a great time. Throughout the festival she was a streak, dashing here and there, taking care of each and every detail, along with a large staff of young, enthusiastic volunteers.

Serious students, professionals, professors and academics travel to Zagreb to see and discuss the films in competition and the art of animation. While the Zagreb festival is large and prestigious enough to attract a number of leaders, its attendance isn't unwieldy, and so there is an opportunity to sit down with people and speak about ideas and collaboration. The people there are the "real deal" and it shows. The saying was never more true than quality over quantity.

The theater and audience. © Sheila Sofian/David Fain.

Screenings and Events
The screenings, held in the lovely National Theater, are full but there are still a few empty seats so that everyone gets in and is comfortable. The audience is interested and enthusiastic, while the projection staff is very, very attentive and precise, apologizing for the slightest mistakes. I think that these two aspects are very important and not to be underrated when it comes to judging a festival. Too often at festivals, sessions are viewed as "normal" screening experiences, but with competitive screenings this is not the case. This isn't going down to your local cinema and hooting at the screen. At festivals the audience is invited as guests of the jury. The films are being screened for them and we just get to go along for the ride. Needless to say, the projection is very important so that each film is projected as well as the next so that they can be judged fairly. While of course no one wants an audience that is catatonic and unresponsive, Zagreb's audience is respectful. One gets the feeling that this is a special event and they are there to relish it! Sure, they react. They laugh, they clap...but they don't boo. They don't hiss. They don't make so much noise that one can't enjoy the film or perhaps miss critical moments. (Although I must say in Bookashkies by Mikhail Aldashin it was pretty loud because there was so much laughter. Bookashkies went on to share the audience prize with the superbly executed Hasta Los Huesos/Down To The Bone by Mexico's René Castillo, which seemed very exotic in Zagreb.)