Search form

Animafest Zagreb Unveils 2015 Kids Slate

Children’s Film Competition comprises 40 short titles; other events include a ‘Retrospective of Animated Film School from Čakovec’ and ‘Animafest in Your Neighbourhood.’

Zagreb, CROATIA -- This year, three film sections of the 25th Animafest Zagreb (running June 9-14) are intended for the young and very young audience: Children’s Film Competition, Retrospective of Animated Film School from Čakovec, and Animafest in Your Neighbourhood.

The exciting journey through Children’s Film Competition was designed by media pedagogue Martina Peštaj, who chose the films according to age groups: 4-7, 7-10, 10-14, and 14+. The result is a trusty and colorful selection of 40 short films.

Animated films for preschool children this year are animal-themed, similarly to the younger schoolchildren program. Animals are seen in roles and with characteristics similar to people: passionate rabbits, melancholy koalas, and an intelligent monkey. The stories focus on helping and collaboration, aiming to expand the young viewers’ horizons and introduce new perspectives. Older schoolchildren will have a chance to see films with themes that suit to their perception of the world, such as love, self-respect or relationships with people and animals, told in an entertaining and humorous way. Adolescents will be shown diverse styles of animation, visual poetics and stories of all kinds, emotional states and themes through dreamy, funny, sarcastic and many educational films.

“Once again this year the Children’s Film Competition received many submitted entries from all over the world,” Peštaj commented. “I believe this means the filmmakers found this pretty narrow, but nevertheless important target audience attractive.”

Animated Film School from Čakovec (ŠAF) is one of the oldest Croatian film clubs for children. This year it is celebrating its 40th birthday and to that occasion Animafest Zagreb is preparing a retrospective of 19 of their films for children. The authors are also children and the themes vary: from Cleopatra, to Latin American soap operas, fairies, witches, dogs and fleas, to submarine officers, red dragons and environment.

“We are happy that Animafest Zagreb has remembered to congratulate our 40th birthday with an anniversary section that introduces us to an audience which sees this wonderful and magical illusion of life in animation, in this case through the eyes of children,” said ŠAF head Jasminka Bijelić Ljubić.

Animafest Zagreb again goes on a neighborhood tour. Animated films for children are scheduled for Travno Cultural Centre on June 13 at 11am, Trešnjevka Centre for Culture on June 14 at 11am, and the same day the films arrive at Civic University Dubrava Cultural Centre and Cultural Centre in Pešćenica, Knap Centre. Admission to all the screenings of this year’s Animafest in Your Neighbourhood is free.

In addition, Animafest is preparing animation workshops for children -- anyone who is interested can apply via e-mail (link sends e-mail).

For all the screenings suitable for children it is possible to buy a Family Pass, for a parent and a child, or a parent and two children. Between 2 and 22 May, the Family Pass will be sold at an early-bird price and can be purchased via Entrio.

The 25th World Festival of Animated Film -- Animafest Zagreb takes place for the first time in a merged short and feature film edition at Europa, Tuškanac and Cineplexx Centar Kaptol cinemas. The competitions will present 177 films.

‘The Brave Mother’ directed by Alexandra Lukina (Russia).

‘Amore’ directed by Tess Atkins (U.K.).

‘Anigon’ directed by Vin Roy Tang (U.K.).

‘Carrot Jam’ directed by Anne Viel (Belgium/France).

‘Cookin' with Fire’ directed by Joel Best (Australia).

‘Illuminated Mushrooms’ directed by Chue Pei San (UK).

‘The Girl Who Spoke Cat’ directed by Dotty Kultys (U.K.)

‘The Present’ directed by Jacob Frey (Germany).

Source: Animafest Zagreb

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.