German avant-garde animator Albrecht Ade, attending the German Animation Festival, that opened June 6, 2004 at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Arts, said that the festival organizers are determined to devote a special section to Iranian animations at the 2006 German Festival.
Attending the opening of the exhibition of dolls and animation filmmaking equipment held on the side section of the festival, Ade said, "Iranians are the first to see the exhibition, it will then be showcased in Cairo, Beirut, Damascus and Tokyo," he said, adding that he is surprised Iranian audiences are so curious, sharp and discerning.
All 15 animation shorts are between 6 to 15 minutes long with the central themes of politics and philosophy. During the past five years, almost 50 companies have been active in the art of animation in Germany."
In addition, president of ASIFA Nureddin Zarrin-Kelk expressed his desire to explore animation as "The 8th Art." Zarrin-Kelk explained that animation is born in man's creative mind, and it is not limited to time and space. While in the art of cinema, the filmmaker and the screenwriter are restricted to their emotions, thoughts and conditions in making the film.
The large cinema projects of today are formed based on the art of animation, and many countries make use of animation in cinema, advertisement, and graphic design, he said, adding, "Animation is the best means by which one can help enrich his national culture."
The festival, which ran until June 8, was cosponsored by the Experimental and Documentary Film Center (EDFC) and the German Cultural Attaché in Tehran.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
