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ReAnimania International Film & Comics Art Festival 2023
"ReA" Festival featured Disney veteran Dave Bossert
"ReA" Festival featured Ed Hooks and other influential professionals from 40 countries
Thanks to the“ReAnimania” International Animation Film&Comics Art Festival the vibrant colors of animated film art reigned in Yerevan for a week.
YEREVAN, ARMENIA, November 1, 2023 /EINPresswire / -- Life is a Picture, Bring the Picture to Life.
Thanks to the 15th anniversary of the “ReAnimania” International Animation Film & Comics Art Festival of Yerevan , the spirit and vibrant colors of animated film art reigned in Yerevan for a week. The 15th-anniversary festival was dedicated to the 85th anniversary of Armenian Animation and the 100th anniversary of Armenian Cinema.
On October 22, the ReAnimania festival opened with the film "The Siren" by Sepideh Farsi.“Today I can confidently say that 15 years ago the festival was created with the very purpose, principle and idea for which we decided to hold it today. Over these years, we have had significant results, Armenia has occupied its unique positions on the map of the field, many young people have gained international connections, new collaborations, promoted and implemented their ideas, some of them have established personal studios,“ in his speech emphasized Vrej Kassouny , the founder of the festival.
The“ReA” festival featured around 300 films, including shorts, feature-length, and graduation films.
"Chicken for Linda", directed by Sébastien Laudenbach, Chiara Malta, won the "Best Feature Film" award.
"The Siren" by Sepideh Farsirece received the“Jury Special Mention” award presented by jury member Anush Kocharyan.
"Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds," directed by Benoît Chieux, was honored with the "Valentin Podpomogov Award" for the best fictional concept of an animated feature film, presented by Levon Hovhannisyan, the Deputy Mayor of Yerevan.
As a result of screenings and evaluations of short films, the first prize went to "Letter to a Pig" (Director: Tal KANTOR). The jury appreciated the creative animation techniques employed in the film.
Jalal Maghout's film "Have a Nice Dog!" (Director: Jalal Maghout) received a“Jury Special Mention” with an additional special mention for its animation.
The second special mention was given to "Dog-Apartment," directed by Priit Tender. The jury found it surreal yet deeply meaningful.
The film "Back to Rock," directed by Gor Yengoyan, claimed the "Lev Atamanov Prize" for the best Armenian animated film, commended by the jury for its energy and creativity:“We want to see more of this story. A special mention for the music.” The awards were presented by Joan Gratz and Carlos Leon Sanchaz.
"Migrants" was announced as the best complete animated film, directed by Hugo Caby, Antoine Dupriez, Aubin Kubiak, Lucas Lermytte, and Zoé Devise. The“Jury Special Prize” was awarded to "The Last Bar," directed by Arne Hain. The prizes were presented by jury member Julia Revolta.
This year, the festival introduced the "National Comics Projects Competition," wherein Armenian creators were required to present comic projects with predetermined themes to vie for support prizes for their realization.
As for the comics, the first support prize was awarded to“Sasuntsi Davit”, the second-place support prize for "Women of Gyumri", and the third place support prize for "The Guardian of the Misguided."
The comics "The Guardian of Ani" and "The Human Comedy" were awarded "Jury Special Mention” which were presented by Vrej Kassouny, the founder of the“ReA” festival.
Vrej Kassouny presented awards to the devotees of Armenian Animation including operator Alisa Kurdiyan, animator-director Stepan Galstyan, animator Vladimir Mayilyan, and puppet animator Gayane Martirosyan. The festival's constant supporter, French producer Jean-Paul Commin, received the "Robert Sahakyants" award.
The "ReA" festival in Armenia hosted approximately 30 professionals from 40 countries, including leading figures, animators, producers, directors, and other industry experts. The festival featured, panel discussions, individual speeches, workshops, and masterclasses led by both international and Armenian professionals, which took place within the frames of MarAni (Market of Animation).
Notable presenters included painter and director Dave Bossert from Disney, author and lecturer Ed Hooks on acting in animation, director and animator Javier de la Chica discussing AI Animation, Tigran Arakelyan from OnOff Studio, and 3D artist Aghvan Khachatryan from POPOK Studio offering insights into the development of Armenian animation in the global animation landscape. Sean M. Bobbitt, the producer of the film "The Peasants," and painter Piotr Dominiak presented their films and filmmaking techniques.
Another important component of MarAni was the co-production platform, where Armenian creators pitched their projects to international producers, seeking financial support and potential co-production opportunities. The first-place prize went to the "Winter in March" project presented by Art Step Studio: Producer: Armine Harutyunyan, Director: Natalya Mirzoyan.
The second place was awarded to the "The Man Who Played Saxophone" project of the Siluete studio, directed by Aram Shahbazyan.
The project "Rendezvous," presented by individual producer Silva Khnkanosyan, claimed the third-place spot.
"Sevanik," produced by Susanna Susanna Khachatryan of OnOff Studio, has emerged as a promising project for international co-production. The evaluation was conducted by a panel of producers, including Jean-Paul Commin (France), Gorune Aprikian, a writer, director, and French publisher (France), Alain Grandgerard-Baratian, producer of Bright Lights Films (France), Théophile Robert, producer at Sacrebleu Production (France), Olivier Catherin, a French producer, Barbara Vougnon, a Tchack producer (France), Luciano Lepinay, another Tchack producer (France), Matthieu Legeois, also a Tchack producer (France), Juste Michailinaite, a producer from Broom Films (Lithuania), Kestutis Drazdauskas, a producer at Artbox (Lithuania), Catherine Esteves, CEO of Les Films du Poisson (France), and Charlie Sansonetti, a producer.
In collaboration with the "Golden Apricot" Yerevan International Film Festival, the "ReA" festival placed memorial stars for Lev Atamanov, the founder of Armenian Animation, and the distinguished animator Valentin Podpomogov, in the Avenue of Stars at Charles Aznavour Square. As a part of the festival, OnOff Animation Studio signed a memorandum of cooperation with two international companies simultaneously: Lithuania's Broom Films and French TCHACK, thereby entering the international co-production platform.
The closing film for the "ReA" festival was "The Peasants" by Dorota Kobiela Welchman and Hugh Welchman.
Looking ahead to 2024, the "ReAnimania" International Animation Film & Comics Art Festival of Yerevan is scheduled to take place from October 22 to 27 in Yerevan.
Tatevik Simonyan
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