Every Friday Chris Robinson unleashes improvised and hastily scribbled cheer or loathing on the animation community to be digested, swallowed or... expelled. This week we ponder diversity and festivals.
'Cheer and Loathing in Animation' illustrations by Theodore Ushev
Last week we had our Canadian music awards. They awarded Leonard Cohen and the Tragically Hip. Neither warranted, in my view, their awards. These decisions were motivated by death (Cohen) and dying (Tragically Hip singer, Gord Downie, has a terminal illness). I get why that happens, but it doesn’t make it right. It’s a disservice to everyone (including the winners…well…not Cohen…cause he’s no more, no how, no way). It just stinks of crass pandering.
During a recent panel at the Holland Animation Film Festival, a bunch of us festival organizers were asked about diversity and if we think about it. I flippantly responded, “no, we don’t think about it.” And, in terms of competition programming, I meant it. Our job as a programming team (which includes myself, Keltie Duncan and usually one other voice) is to select what we feel are the most interesting, unique and accomplished films. Naturally it’s subjective. It always will be…. but I don’t think it does the films or filmmakers any service to start applying diversity as an essential criterion for a competition (should we then ask for film budgets to be submitted as well? Is it fair that NFB shorts compete against truly DIY works?).
Now, before you get all hot and bothered , let’s be clear…every festival should be considering gender and cultural diversity. In Ottawa, we strive for balance in terms of our staffing, our juries, special screenings, world panorama screenings, collaborators (poster designers, festival trailers) panelists etc.…
I just don’t believe that the same approach should apply to competition selection. If we start plotting out everything according to diversity checklists, we’re going to end up with a watered down program. That benefits no one. If we start creating spaces for works that don’t necessarily belong because of outside reasons, we’re doing a disservice to everyone – especially the creator (“your film wasn’t that good, but we needed a film from Columbia.”). Gay, Straight, Trans, Russian, Mexican, Nigerian, Canadian, Martian…well, you all are quite capable of making crappy films. It’s not nice to think that… especially if you're the artist…but there is some extreme behaviour these days that chooses to play a card…any card that will divert the issue of quality and turn it into some form of discrimination.
I’ve seen it at animation festivals too. Some works have been awarded less because of their overall quality and more because of their cultural and sexual background. That makes me feel uncomfortable. Then again, maybe not… I mean... as I’ve said many times, the idea of a films/art competing against each other like fucking race horses is absolutely absurd….so if that’s the case…why not just toss a shiny bone to a filmmaker who needs it?
But, is that right?
Is that healthy?
A well-known figure in the world of independent animation, writer, author & curator Chris Robinson is the Artistic Director of the Ottawa International Animation Festival.
