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Fantoche Festival Announces 2016 Program Highlights

Switzerland’s largest animation film festival, to be held in Baden September 6-11, will host a parade of stars including Georges Schwizgebel, Konstantin Bronzit, Simon Otto, Claude Barras, and more.

BADEN, SWITZERLAND -- Fantoche Festival 2016 has received a total of 1,394 film submissions from 79 countries, 81 of which are from Switzerland. Selection teams reviewed submissions to find films for the various competition programs. As the current range of short films has become more popular among audiences, the festival organization decided to compile an “Hors Concours” program as well. The selection of current animated films for the competitions is now available on the Fantoche website.

Launched 21 years ago in Baden, this year marks the 14th edition of the International Animation Film Festival. Fantoche has both a strong local and global scope. True to the spirit of the festival, Fantoche will hold its popular international, Swiss and children’s film competitions. The festival has added four new “Hors Concours” programs, one of which is specially curated for children.

Festival Director Annette Schindler commented, “The world of animation is bursting with new ideas, and the number of submissions is increasing all the time. The selection for the competitions is becoming more difficult with each passing year. We are looking forward to showing an even broader array of current films this year, right here in Baden.”

Technical developments in the digital age have enabled films from far-flung and less affluent countries to have their time in the spotlight too. This year, submissions were received from countries such as Lebanon, Iran, Costa Rica, Ghana, Cuba, Madagascar, Mauritius and Burkina Faso, showing that the art of animation is not restricted by national borders.

Fantoche highlights will include:

  • The premier of 14 current feature films.
  • The Industry Day will bring together artistic and entrepreneurial creativity and serves as a national platform for current and future animated films in Switzerland.
  • Heroes of animated film – the festival will welcome a parade of stars: Georges Schwizgebel, Konstantin Bronzit, Simon Otto (Disney), Claude Barras and other prominent guests will all be in attendance at the festival.

There will also be “Coming Soon” presentations, which take a look at the creative processes behind the films of tomorrow. Parties are planned in Baden’s Royal auditorium, as well as artist brunches, workshops and much more.

Source: Fantoche