Festival Co-ordinators Doris Clevens and Phillipe Moins.

By Nancy Phelps

For me the New Year really starts when I go to ANIMA Brussels each year in the beautiful, historic Flagey.  For ten days it becomes the center of the animation world.

The This is Belgium programs are always a highlight for me since they are a chance to see the newest works from of the Walloon and Flemish regions of the country I live in.  I had been curious to see Natasha, the new film by Russian born Roman Klochkov who has lived in Gent since he was seventeen.  Roman’s multi-award winning film The Administrators is a humorous, but all too true tale of government  bureaucracy run wild.  Natasha takes us into the world of immigrants trying to assimilate in a new world.

John Kricfalusi at the drawing table.

By Nancy Phelps

For five days every year the historic town of Fredrikstad, Norway becomes the center of Nordic/Baltic animation.  The festival brings in an illustrious roster of names from the international animation community and this year was no exception.

I am a fan of Ren and Stimpy but had never met John Kricfalusi.  He turned out to be as delightfully wacky and fun as his characters.  During his Masters of Animation presentation he talked about characters and films that inspired him and he showed animation classics from UPA and Disney among others to illustrate his points.  He also shared excerpts from his favorite live action Hollywood films which he considers just as good, if not a better inspiration for cartoonists as classic cartoons.  I was fascinated to learn what a big influence film noir played in his life.

"CTN is Bringin' it On to Pass it On - One Artist at a Time!"  

Dates: November 18-20, 2011
Venue: Burbank Marriott, Burbank CA

"Animation Capital of the World"
Website: www.ctnanimationexpo.com

Another fine year for OIAF. Another bad year for the Ottawa culinary scene.

By Dan Sarto

There are a number of things I can always count on at an Ottawa festival. First, I will find myself defending Chris Robinson and the selection process. Second, I will find myself defending Chris Robinson and the selection process with people whom earlier in conversation I had defended Chris Robinson and the selection process.  Third, after watching several days of screenings, I will question Chris Robinson’s selection process.  Nothing ever changes.  I love it.

The festival brings together everything uniquely interesting about the animation industry.  Art, commerce, tattoos, the best and worst of kids cartoons, unintelligible films from Asia, alcohol, great student films and big studios walking hand in hand with little studios,  agreeing they'll refrain from poaching talent except at the parties. The Ottawa festival brings together big and small, have and have not, legend and newbie together in a unique way - cozy, intimate, unpretentious, inviting.  The care that goes into its planning is always evident – from the programming of retrospectives to the variety of master classes and talks, nothing on the schedule seems out of place and each holds its own against the other.  It’s tough to arbitrate the constant decision making surrounding what to do and when.  Suffice to say, days and nights are always full and I travel home lamenting all I didn’t get a chance to see or do.

Some final observations on the 5 day fest, in no particular order and really, to be honest, displaying limited insight:

The shorts jury, led by Jan Pinkava, hands out the big prizes.

By Dan Sarto

Another OIAF Grand Prix gets awarded, another Phil Mulloy feature takes top prize, another grumbling voice can be heard complaining about the winners.  Much like the start of Ontario’s moose hunting season, which I watched in awe Sunday on a TV at the back of a bar, as the Nelvana Grand Prix is announced, second-guessing the judging season once again begins in the province.  Hopefully, you won’t see too many animators hanging upside down, suspended from a crane over the bloody bed of a pickup truck.  But you never know.

A fine display of design and carving skills. The rest are posers. Except the guy with the pumpkin speedo.

By Dan Sarto

The Animator’s Picnic is inspired event programming – stop all proceedings, go to a park, eat, drink, see and be seen.  Find old friends, meet new friends.  On this unseasonably beautiful Autumn day, as I gaze out on the crowd of young animators, the future of our industry, I can’t help but think…I feel so old. Nothing like a large gathering of energetic young hipsters, free from the burdens of metabolic decline and hearing loss, to remind you just what a sorry-ass geez you are.  The crowd gets younger, the walk to the Bytowne Cinema gets longer and no amount of Advil or Scotch can change that.  Sometimes I wonder, if I start talking to a young female animation student, am I perceived as someone who has something useful to say, or just a perve?  Can one be both?

Check out a selection of pictures from this year’s picnic and pumpkin carving contest…

Picture of the Don't Take Pictures screen before the Dead But Not Buried screening.

By Dan Sarto

I know it must be Ottawa Animation Festival time because it’s been roughly a year since my last verbal manhandling by an airport customs agent. Happy Anniversary! I seem to be a magnet for every disaffected flak vested agent looking to brush up on their 12-step time mismanagement drill.  My path through customs at the Ottawa airport was no different this year.  It must be my Vans.  The checkerboard pattern is on some secret watch list.  Or, maybe it’s because I’m Jewish.  Despite my feeble compliance, I couldn’t help but wonder if, sans sidearm, multiple 13 round clips, taser, pepper spray and truncheon, this fellow dissecting my passport was any match for me.  Yah, my ego whispered, I could take him.  If I wanted to.  But I don’t want to.  Lucky for him. And so starts my 2011 visit to Ottawa.

The Annecy + band at the Saturday picnic.

By Nancy Phelps

The 2011 Annecy International Animation Festival was so full of films, business, friends, special events, and parties this year that it was impossible to do and see everything.   The first screening at the festival on Monday morning was The Big Sleep, a tribute to animators who passed away since last year’s festival, which was a very appropriate way to begin a week of films.

It was a treat to see work by renowned Japanese director Satoshi Kon (1963-2010) on the big screen, even under such sad circumstances.  His unique style of directing and the complex psychology of his characters were evident in such classics as the 2006 Paprika, Millennium Actress (2001), and Tokyo Grandfather (2003).

The passing of Gael Brisou (1971-2010) was a great loss for Folimage Studio.  His gift for color was exemplified in his 2005 film Sucre with its extremely sensual, dreamlike qualities.  His gift for working with color added a special luster to the backgrounds of such films as Jacques Remy Girard’s Raining Cats and Dogs and Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol’s current success Une vie de chat (The life of a Cat,) as well as numerous short films.

The Russian party.

By David Tousek

So what exactly have we learned at MIFA? Have we gained something meaningful? I have to admit I need more time to answer such a question, to see if an event of this kind brings along something worth the effort invested into just coming over. After all, if the animation business is about relationships / partnerships, then there needs to be a lot more work done after the event beside the initial quick flirting. But...

...I think I have been really open in my second post where, I believe, I made obvious that what one gains is the real-time networking, friendliness and sharing the same passion for the craft.  It’s an experience which encourages and supports our hard work and passion to produce animated movies.  Such inspiration is most needed especially for us that live in such a hard Bohemian environment in Central Europe.

Nancy and Peter Lord raising a toast to Pirates.

By Nancy Phelps.

This year Anima Brussels (4 through 13 March 20) pulled out all the stops to celebrate the festival’s 30th Anniversary.  In addition to the seven programs of World Shorts in competition and numerous feature films in and out of competition, there was an outstanding roster of who’s who from the world of animation. Peter Lord, Bill Plympton, Gil Alkabetz and Raoul Servais were just some of the luminaries in attendance.