ASIFA-SF, SCREEN 360 AND CATAPULT PRODUCTIONS (KATY KAVANAUGH) INVITE YOU TO
A RECEPTION - SCREENING - PARTY
HONORING GERMAN ANIMATOR FELIX GONNERT
Friday, July 29, 7:30 PM
Felix is a guest of SCREEN 360: FILMS FOR CHILDREN OF THE WORLD (for
audiences of all ages) at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Saturday, July 30.
His work Lucia (9-minutes) will be shown at 1 PM with Tornehekken (Hedge of
Thorens, an animated short from Norway) and Bazi (Play from Iran).
Please join us as we welcome Felix to San Francisco at the home of Nik and
Nancy Phelps, 2066 30th Avenue, SF. Food will be catered by Botany Bay.
Guests are invited to contribute something special to drink, like German
beers, wines and mineral waters.
Felix's Lucia (2004) has been shown at numerous international festivals
(Cannes, Annecy, Animago in Stuttgart, Umbria and Giffoni in Italy,
Washington Film Festival in the US, the 4th Tehran International Animation
Festival in Iran, and dozens of other events). At Krok it won a $1000 prize
"for creative research in the field of modern technology."
His earlier films include Bsss (1999), which was shown in the US in Spike
and Mike's Festival of Animation. It is available on the tape Festival of
Animation Vol. 6. He works commercially doing computer animated TV
commercials. His first film was Jour de Seleve (1996).
Felix has sent us a few choice words that we can add to his biography.
"Felix always liked to read comics when he was a kid. Usually he didn't
read, he just watched the pictures. In school he usually watched out of the
window, which caused some problems with his teachers. His growing interest
in drawing and the model train in the garden created some kind of individual
cosmos. The actual interest in animation is somehow the continuity of what
he has done when he was a child."
____________________________________________________________________________
The following is from the Internet:
Lucia is an animation by German filmmaker Felix Gonnert, I was fortunate
enough to see it in Italy at MIFED where it had won an award as one of the
best European films by a young director this year, it met with an extremely
warm reception and was probably one of the most liked films there, by both
filmmakers and public, and absolutely deservedly so.
We meet a very young girl in a hospital bed; she has an unspecified problem
with her head; seeing the world mostly through her eyes we never learn
exactly what the problem is, it's simply the reason she is in hospital.
Lucia is clearly a little overwhelmed by the place, and confused and scared
by her illness. One night she wakes up and embarks on a midnight adventure
through the silent corridors, she sees a goldfish in a bowl in one of the
offices and investigates further, fascinated by a set of X rays on the
lightbox. Looking at the X-rays she begins to dream, and finds herself
wandering in a misty dream world, with a strange angel like creature and the
goldfish for company, she goes on to gain an understanding for her illness,
and most importantly she discovers hope and loses her fear of the hospital
and doctors.
This sweet little story is told without any dialogue, we have just the
animation and the sound to tell the story and both are incredibly
successful. Felix's animation is beautifully rendered 3D CGI perfection,
imagine Tim Burton launching a hostile takeover of Pixar and you get some
idea of what I'm talking about, the choice of shots, the lighting, the sound
and characters are all just right, the pace is calm and measured (due credit
to editor Gregor White), the storytelling subtle and simple; all round there
is simply no criticism to make, it's as close to perfection as you're ever
likely to get,
Undeniably the simplicity and subtlety won't be to everyone's taste, but
from a personal perspective I think I could watch this film a hundred times
and still delight in it, as it is I must have seen it some 20 times already
and it's still beautiful, and there's no other option when you like
something that much; 5 little guys. Review by Steve Piper, November 2004
Please note than Nina Paley will not be coming to California in August. She
writes, "I just got a tasty freelance gig that requires me to postpone my
Bay Area plans. Much as I'd like to get out of stinky hot humid sweltering
mosquito-ridden swamp-like New York in August, I can't take off until I work
out a stable routine with my client. The good news is, the income means I
won't starve to death and be homeless this winter, so work on "Sita Sings
the Blues," my primary purpose in life, can continue. I will of course keep
you posted regarding new visit plans."
Felix also sent us the following information about his latest film:
L U C I A
Synopsis
Wandering about the hospital by night, Lucia discovers several x-rays. The
image of a skull fires her imagination and before long, dream and reality
begin to blur .
Specifications
Length 8:19 min. | 228 m (748 ft.)
Format 1:1,85 | 35 mm | color | 24f/s | Dolby Digital
| THX certified
Crew
written & directed by
sound & music
animation
editing
modeling & charactersetup
lighting & rendering
fast clouds animation
moon photography
set dressing for the hospital
additional set dressing
x-ray picture research
sound design & recording
foley artist
cardiologic sounds
rerecording mix
girl's voice
harp
guitar
music recording engineer
executive co-producer (HFF "Konrad Wolf")
coaching (HFF "Konrad Wolf")
Felix Gonnert
Max Knoth
Felix Gonnert
Gregor Wille
Felix Gonnert
Felix Gonnert
Josef Riesling
Torsten Krukel
Sonja Winzenried
Tobias Laarmann, Michael Labus
Friederike Gonnert, Prof.Dr.med. Gerhard
Spillner, Jurgen Uhlendorf
Max Knoth
Gunter Rohn
Dr Bruno Moreigne
Matthias Schurz
Philine Wittur
Simonetta Ginelli
Max Knoth
Ingo Baier
Holger Lochau
Prof. Christina Schindler, Prof. Ulrich Weinberg
Biography - Felix Gonnert
Born 05/14/1975 in Luneburg, Germany. Final school examination 1994. 1996
began studying applied media studies at the University of Technology in
Ilmenau, Thuringia. He took up studies in animation at the Film & Television
Academy (HFF) "Konrad Wolf" in Potsdam-Babelsberg and finished in spring
2004.
Since 1990 he produced several short films. He completed his first character
animation in the computer in 1994. In 1996 he made several exhibitions and
illustrations with the agency "Break Fast" in Buxtehude. Since 1999 He is
doing computer animation for TV-commercials.
Filmography
1996 LE JOUR SE LEVE (live action/BW/16mm)
1999 BSSS (animation/color/35mm)
2004 LUCIA (animation/color/35mm)
L U C I A
Awards & Special Attributes
a.. Kurzfilm des Monats Januar 2004, Prodikat "Besonders Wertvoll" durch
die Filmbewertungs–stelle Wiesbaden (FBW).
b.. Freigegeben ohne Altersbeschr?nkung, durch die Freiwillige
Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirt–schaft (FSK).
c.. BERLINALE 2004: The international Jury of the 27. Kinderfilmfest
awards LUCIA with the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk "Special Price for the Best
Short Film" with a cash price of 2.500 e.
d.. Animago Award 2004: 2. Platz in der Kategorie
"Animation/Education/Kurzfilm".
e.. FFA "Short Tiger" Kurzfilmpreis 2004: Nominiert mit 15.000 ?
Nominierungspr?mie in der Kategorie Animation.
f.. "Babelsberger Medienpreis" 2004: Nominiert fur den Forderpreis fur den
besten Absolven–ten–film (Spielfilm).
g.. "First Steps Award": Nominiert fur den Forderpreis fur den besten
Absolventenfilm (Kurz–film).
h.. "KROK"- International Animated Film Festival, 18.-28 August 2004 in
Russland: The international Jury of the 11. KROK awards LUCIA with the
"Special Price for the creative search in the field of modern technologies"
with a cash price of 1.000 $.
i.. "KROK"- International Animated Film Festival, 18.-28 August 2004 in
Russland: The President of the selection committee Ivan Maximov, awards
LUCIA with the "personal price for the best character".
j.. BUSTER Kinderfilmfest in Kopenhagen: The international jury presented
the BUSTER short film for children award of DKK 15,000 to the German film
"Lucia" by Felix Gonnert.
k.. 5th Intern. Student Film Festival in Pisek 2004: The main festival
award of Vaclav Kraka, Lucia, directed by Felix Gonnert.
l.. 5th Intern. Student Film Festival in Pisek 2004: The best work in the
animated film category Lucia, directed by Felix Gonnert.
m.. Brisbane International Animation Festival 2004: Student/Debut Award
for best first film as judged by a jury of Brisbane animation professionals
and academics.
n.. Nominated for the "Deutscher Kurzfilmpreis 2004".
o.. Mention Speciale du Jury at the 15. Festival International du
Court-Metrage Cergy-Pontoise, 15.-17. april 2005.
p.. 2nd Price in the cathegory 3D character animation award at the Animex
Student Animation Awards 2005 in Teesside, Middlesbrough, Great Britain.
q.. Audience award at the Festival Cine Junior 2005 in Paris.
r.. Spezialpreis GOLDENER SPATZ fur Innovation/besondere Einzelleistung
auf dem Kinderfilmfest Gera/Erfurt 2005, dotiert mit 2.500 e durch den
RTL-Programmausschuss.
Festivals
a.. Berlinale, 54. Internationale Filmfestspiele, Kinderfilmfest, 5.-15.
Februar 2004 in Berlin
b.. Rencontres Audiovisuelles, 19.-27. Marz 2004 in Lille, Frankreich
c.. Internationales Trickfilmfestival Stuttgart 1.-6. April 2004 in
Stuttgart
d.. 8th Schermi d'Amore, 16.-25. April 2004 in Verona, Italien
e.. Washington DC Film Festival 2004, 21. April - 2. Mai 2004 in
Washington, USA
f.. Sehs?chte, Int. Studentenfilmfestival vom 27.4. - 2.5. 2004 in Potsdam
g.. Children Film Festival Tursak, 14.-17. Mai 2004 in Istanbul, T?rkei
h.. Filmfestival Cannes, "Next Generation"-Kurzfilmrolle am 16. Mai 2004
um 20 Uhr im STAR Kino in Cannes, Frankreich
i.. Animago Award, Mai 2004, auf der FMX in Stuttgart
j.. 4. Soester Kurzfilmtage, 27. Mai - 2. Juni 2004 in Soest
k.. Annecy 2004, International Animated Filmfestival, 7.-12. Juni 2004 in
Annecy, Frankreich
l.. Comicsalon Erlangen, 10.-13. Juni 2004 in Erlangen
m.. FFA Short Tiger, auf dem M?nchener Filmfest, 28. Juni 2004 in M?nchen
n.. Umbria Film Festival, 6.-11. Juli 2004 in Perugia, Italien
o.. Giffoni 34. Edition, Official Competition "First Screens". 14.-24.
Juli 2004, Giffoni, Italien
p.. 43. International Short Film Competition 21. Juli-8. August 2004 in
Melbourne, Australien
q.. Audiovisuelle Festival f?r Kinder und Jugendliche, 7.-13. August 2004
in Havanna, Kuba
r.. "KROK" - International Animated Film Festival, 18.-28 August 2004 in
Moskau, Russland
s.. Freiluftkino Friedrichhain am 20. August 2004, zweite Berliner
Kurzfilmrolle in Berlin
t.. "FIRST STEPS - Der deutsche Nachwuchspreis", Preisverleihung am 25.
August 2003 in Berlin
u.. BUSTER's Children Short Film Competition, 13.-19. September 2004 in
Kopenhagen, D?ne–mark
v.. "Tindirindis" - Int. Animation Film Festival, 17. - 21. September 2004
in Vilnius, Lithauen
w.. MAX! Festival des deutschsprachigen Films, Oktober 2004 in Hong Kong,
China
x.. 19th edition of the International Festival of Film and Video for
Children and Young Adults 3.-8. Ok–tober 2004 in Isfahan, Iran
y.. 5. Internationales Studenten Film Festival, 6.-8.Oktober 2004 in
Pisek, Tschechien
z.. 9. Deutsche Filmwoche, 6.-12. Oktober 2004 in Paris, Frankreich
aa.. Warschau Film Festival, 7.-18. Oktober in Warschau, Polen
ab.. Emerging European Filmmakers - 2nd Edition, 12.-16. Oktober 2004 in
Mailand, Italien
ac.. XXIV INTERNATIONAL VGIK STUDENT FESTIVAL, 13.-18. Oktober 2004 in
Moskau, Russland
ad.. 5th Brisbane International Animation Festival, 14. - 17. Oktober 2004
in Brisbane, Australien
ae.. 47. Internationales Leipziger Festival f?r Dokumentar und
Animationsfilm, 19.-24. Oktober 2004
af.. 21st Annual Chicago International Children's Film Festival, 21. -31.
Oktober 2004 in Chicago, Illinois, USA
ag.. Kinderfilmfest, 22./23. Oktober 2004 in Berlin
ah.. XXXIVth Kyiv International Film Festival Molodist, 23. - 31. Oktober
2004 in Kiew, Ukraine
ai.. 7. Aahrhus Filmfestival, Children Screenings programme, 27.-31.
Oktober 2004 in Aahrhus, D?nemark
aj.. 25. Oktober 2004, KunstFilmBiennale in K?ln
ak.. 6. Internationales Trickfilmwochenende, 30./31. Oktober 2004 in
Wiesbaden
al.. 48th London Film Festival, 20. Oktober - 4. November 2004 in London ,
England
am.. The Bitfilm Festival, 3.-7. November 2004 in Hamburg
an.. Ourense International Film Festival, 6.-13. November 2004 in Ourense,
Spanien
ao.. 19th Brest European Short Film Festival, 6.-14. November 2004 in
Brest, Frankreich
ap.. 24. Internationales Festival der Filmhochschulen M?nchen, 14.-20.
November 2004 in M?nchen
aq.. 15. Kinofest L?nen, 18.-21. November 2004 in L?nen
ar.. Cinemagic World Screen Festival for young people 25. November - 9.
Dezember 2004 in Belfast, Irland
as.. 8th Black Nights Film Festival, 6th Animation Film Festival "Animated
Dreams", 27. November - 12. Dezember 2004 in Tallin, Estland
at.. Short Cuts 7, 1.-5. Dezember 2004 in K?ln
au.. FILMZ - Das Festival des deutschen Kinos, 1.-5. Dezember 2004 in
Mainz
av.. Corto Imola Festival - International Short Film Festival, 8.-12.
Dezember 2004 in Imola, Italien
aw.. Batik - Perugia Film Festival, 8.-15. Dezember 2004 in Perugia,
Italien
ax.. 15. Bamberger Kurzfilmtage, 13.-16. Januar 2005 in Bamberg
ay.. Animex Student Animation Awards 2005, 31. M?rz - 4. Februar 2005 in
Tees Valley, Gro?britannien
az.. 23rd Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film, 11-26 M?rz
2005, Br?ssel, Belgien
ba.. 6. Landshuter Kurzfilmfestival, 17.-20. M?rz 2005, Landshut
bb.. 29th Hong Kong International Film Festival, 22. M?rz - 6. April 2005,
Hong Kong
bc.. 2005 What's Up Docs? Children's Film Festival, 13.-15. April 2005 in
Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA
bd.. NEXT GEN International Film Festival, 14.-18. April 2005 in Miami,
Florida, USA
be.. 5. Soester Kurzfilmtage, 14.-23. April 2005 in Soest
bf.. 15. Cergy-Pontoise International Short Film Festival, 15.-17. April
2005 in Frankreich
Mention Sp?ciale
bg.. Imagine Film Festival in Tampa, 18.-20. April 2005 in Tampa, Florida,
USA
bh.. Kinderfilmfestival Goldener Spatz 2005, 24. April - 4. Mai 2005 in
Gera und Erfurt
Preis des RTL-Programmausschusses f?r "Innovation/besondere Einzelleistung
"
bi.. Giffoni Hollywood Film Festival, 30. April - 1. Mai 2005 in Los
Angeles, Kalifornien, USA
bj.. "Saxony in UK", 16.-19. Mai 2005 in Edinburgh, Dundee und Glasgow,
Gro?britannien
bk.. 23. International Young Audience Film Festival "Ale Kino!", 6.-12.
Juni 2005 in Poznan, Polen
bl.. Plein la bobine - 3rd Sancy Film Festival for Young People, 14.-19.
Juni 2005 in La Bourboule, Frankreich
bm.. Jerusalem International Film Festival, 7.-16. Juli 2005 in Jerusalem,
Israel
bn.. International Children's Film - Carnival (ICFC) 2005, 16. Juli - 28.
August 2005 in Hong Kong, China
bo.. SICAF 2005 - 9th Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival,
11.-16. August 2005 in Seoul, Korea
Press
... ein schon fast elegisches Zeichentrickwunder ?ber ein kleines Wesen, das
im Kran–kenhaus beim Anblick von R?ntgenbildern selbst den R?ntgenblick
bekommt und so den letzten Dingen des Lebens auf den Grund geht. Wunderbar.
Steffen Grimberg, Voll Pulle Leben, Wohin nur mit den jungen Filmemachern?
Ins Fernsehen nat?rlich! Die Jury des Nachwuchspreises "First Steps"
pr?mierte Arbeiten in f?nf Kategorien, in: taz, Berlin, 6.08.2004
Felix G?nnerts kleine "Lucia", die mit gro?en Kulleraugen und leicht
diabolischer Mi–mik von ferne an die kleine M? aus dem Mumintal erinnert,
ist nachts im Krankenhaus unterwegs. R?ntgenbilder verwandeln sich zu
Fl?gelwesen; die geordnete Welt ent–gleitet dem untersuchenden Blick rapide
und ger?t aus den sorgf?ltig gesetzten Fu–gen. Oder ist aus
Kinderperspektive ohnehin nichts, wie es scheint? "Lucia" ist ein sch?ner,
kleiner, abgr?ndiger Film, der mit neun Minuten L?nge vorz?glich auskommt.
Heike Hupertz, Bilderw?chter, Die Kandidaten f?r den Nachwuchspreis "First
Steps Award", in: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 24.08.2004
Wie in jedem Jahr wurde auch diesmal ein Animationsfilm in der Sparte
"Kurzfilm" nominiert - und wie in jedem Jahr ging der Animationsfilm leer
aus. Schade, denn mit "Lucia" hat Felix G?nnert einen wunderbaren Film
gedreht, der einen First Steps Award ohne Frage verdient h?tte.
Nils Floreck, Frischer Wind f?r die Branche, Das Nachwuchs-Filmfestival
First Steps im f?nften Jahr,
