ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE - ISSUE 5.11 - FEBRUARY 2001

The Eighth Trip to the
Holland Animation Film Festival:
Scenes from Utrecht

Introduction by Chris Robinson
From left to right: Dmitry Rezchicov, Igor Kovalyov, Ron Diamond and Piotr Dumala. All photos courtesy of Ron Diamond.
Acme Filmworks' executive producer and AWN publisher, Ron Diamond with Mikhail Aldashin, director of Mike, Lu and Og for Cartoon Network.
Director Paul Driessen with his wife Diane.

One of animation's most unique festivals lies about thirty minutes from Amsterdam in the historic Dutch town of Utrecht. The most recent edition of the Holland Animation Film Festival was held from November 15 - 19, 2000. After years of holding a competition for only applied animation, HAFF introduced its first competition for independent short films. Fittingly, the two grand prize winners were Dutch productions. Michael Dudok de Wit's Father and Daughter took the best narrative film prize, while fellow countryman Joost Rekveld won the Grand Prize for non-narrative film with the enticing and strange #11, Marey<->Moiré.

Complimenting the competitions were a number of special programs including tributes to Paul Driessen and Rene Jodoin. Beyond films, HAFF is a hurricane of socializing and dope smoking that definitely caters to the more artistically orientated animator.

Chris Robinson is the artistic director of the Ottawa International Animation Festival.