U.K. WINS BIG AT 2010 OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) comes to an end with a highly anticipated closing ceremonies which were held this evening at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. OIAF organizers announced the 2010 winners of the official competition during the ceremonies.
This year’s OIAF, which were held from October 20 to 24, was a tremendous success. The festival was packed with special screenings, sold out workshops and high profile networking events such as TAC (Television Animation Conference) and the “Students-for-Hire” Animation School Fair.
The OIAF is a major international film event that attracts more than 27,000 film buffs, art lovers, producers, and cartoon fans from around the world. Although the final numbers are not yet officially in, there are strong indications that this year’s festival reached the highest attendance to date.
Mad rush for animation festival
STEVE COLLINS | METRO OTTAWA
With the Ottawa International Animation festival opening today, organizers worked overtime to get ready for an expected 27,000 cartoon enthusiasts.
“The staff has been up late trying to get everything ready in time,” said festival managing director Kelly Neall. “It’s always a mad rush at the end to prepare everything, but we’re almost there. Everybody’s pretty excited.”
Full Story: Mad rush for animation festival
Cartoons and beyond: Festival features everything from edgy animated rooftop sex to short films from Disney and Pixar
Steven Mazey, The Ottawa Citizen
Anyone who thinks that animation is an art form strictly for children should have a look at Roof Sex, a short, sharp, cheekily amusing American film in which two livingroom chairs have a wild time together on an apartment building rooftop, without using upholstery covers for protection.
It’s just one of dozens of edgy pieces among the more than 140 films from around the world that will be on Ottawa screens as part of the Ottawa International Animation Festival. The annual festival opens today and runs to Oct. 24, at venues that include the ByTowne Cinema and the National Gallery of Canada.
The festival includes family and children-oriented screenings, including short films from Disney, Pixar and Ottawa’s Amberwood Entertainment, but festivalgoers will also see a wide range of films that are decidedly not recommended for children — films with serious themes that include mental illness and abusive fathers.
Full story: Cartoons and beyond
Ottawa International Animation Festival Starts Today
The Ottawa International Animation Festival’s (OIAF) opening ceremonies is scheduled to take place today at 9:15 p.m. (ByTowne Cinema), with a special screening of The Illusionist (France) by Sylvain Chomet at 7 p.m. (ByTowne Cinema). The opening ceremonies will be followed with a presentation of the first of five Short Competitions taking place during the festival in addition to two competitions for films and TV shows made for kids.
OIAF attendees also have a chance to meet with animation filmmakers from around the world during the “Meet the Filmmakers” breakfast to take place at the Arts Court studio from Thursday, October 21 to Sunday, October 24 at 9 a.m.
OIAF 2010 features the best new animated movies, short films, and music videos from Canada and around the world, and a guest list to match. This year’s extravaganza of screenings, workshops and special events are taking place at venues such as Bytowne, the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Arts Court, and Empire Theatres – Rideau Centre.
Selected from this year’s 2091 entries, the Official Competition screenings collect 90 of the top, new animated works. Attendees of the festival get a chance to view Oscar-winning films such as, Logorama, a highly entertaining film which illustrates everyone and everything as advertising logos.
This year, the “Feature Competition” includes: The Illusionist (France) by Sylvain Chomet, a follow-up to Chomet’s Oscar-nominated film, The Triplets of Belleville; Goodbye Mister Christie (Canadian Premiere) by Phil Mulloy (United Kingdom); One Piece Film Strong World (Canadian Premiere) by Munehisa Sakai (Japan); Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then (Canadian Premiere) by Brent Green (U.S.A.); and Midori-Ko (World Premiere) by Keita Kurosaka (Japan).
There are also many great films that are not in competition but are being shown through the OIAF’s “Out-of-Competition” Showcase. Audiences have a chance to view films such as the National Film Board of Canada’s award-winning Lipsett Diaries by Theodore Ushev; Pixar’s acclaimed new short, Day and Night; and the ever-popular Walt Disney’s latest short, Tick Tock Tale.
Also this year, the OIAF is paying homage to Japanese animation with a four-part program showcasing independent filmmakers, including the godfather of Anime, Osamu Tezuka.
The following are the other highlights of the OIAF 2010 “Special Screenings”:
- “Furniture of My Mind,” an engaging look at our relationship with our furniture;
- “Let’s Go Crazy,” a selection of films and new independent shorts about mental health;
- “XX in Animation: Taking a Peek at Work by Women,” a collection of films by women, about women;
- “Winnipeg DIY Animation: Improvised Art Explosions or Cheap Skates,” focuses on Winnipeg’s overlooked animators, those who chose to improvise and create animation on the cheap rather than get left behind;
- “The Inappropriate for Children Show,” a midnight movie collection of wild and unsettling cartoons originally meant for kids, but almost too strange for adults;
- “Solve Et Coagula: Surrealism and Magic Realism in Czech Animation,” a unique collection of films by Czech animators who infuse personal style, political and social beliefs into their work;
- “Under the Sun: BravoFACT! at 15,” features highlights from Bravo!FACT’s animation oeuvre, from breakout hits like the Oscar®-nominated I Met The Walrus through mobile phone delights like Theodore Ushev’s, Sou.
OIAF 2010 Family Activities
The OIAF is offering an Animation School Fair for anyone interested in a career in animation on Saturday, October 23 and Sunday, October 24 at the Arts Court. Teens are FREE on Saturday, Oct. 23 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and can also attend a FREE hands-on workshop presented by the National Film Board of Canada, “Introduction to Animation.” Teens must obtain an Adobe Toon Apprentice pass in advance by contacting the OIAF before October 14 or they can pick up a pass in-person at the OIAF box office on October 18. Pre-registration is required for the workshop by calling: (613) 232-8769.
Bring your kids to the “Short Films for Kids” competition (October 23 and 24), the “TV for Kids” competition (October 21 and 23), and the FREE hands-on workshop at the Arts Court on October 24. Pre-registration is required by calling: (613) 232-8769.
Plus, get a free sneak peak of the new Teletoon series, Skatoony, and participate in an interactive activity, “Get Your Skatoony Game On,” on Sunday, October 24 at the Arts Court.
Tickets to the festival are $12 (adults) and $7 (children) at the door. You can also purchase a flexible animation six-pack (6 tickets at the cost of 5 tickets) to avoid the line-ups.
For more information or a complete list of films, schedules, special screenings, workshops, and events at this year’s festival, please visit the OIAF website at: www.animationfestival.ca or call: (613) 232-8769.
About the Ottawa International Animation Festival
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is one of the world’s leading animation events providing screenings, exhibits, workshops and entertainment since 1976. OIAF is an annual five-day event bringing art and industry together in a vibrant hub. More than 27,000 film buffs, art lovers, producers, and cartoon fans are expected to attend the OIAF, the largest animation event in North America. OIAF 2010 is taking place in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada from October 20 to 24.
Anime is in the Spotlight at Ottawa Festival
The Ottawa International Animation Festival will pay tribute to Japanese animation with a four-part program of films from independent animators including the acclaimed godfather of anime and manga Osamu Tezuka.
Read more at: animationmagazine.net
Animation Festival : Kids Jury Contest
Kids to judge films and TV shows made for them
Ottawa, Ont. (August 24, 2010)–The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is inviting local kids to enter its annual Kids Jury contest. Ten animation enthusiasts, ranging from the ages of 9 to 14 years old, will be chosen to judge this year’s competition of short films or TV series made for kids.
To be chosen for the jury, local kids are invited to write a one-pager describing why their favourite animated character is the best cartoon ever. Ten lucky winners will be whisked away to the Canadian Museum of Civilization on Saturday, October 23, 2010 to watch either short animated films or TV series made for children. They will pick their favourite films or TV shows and award prizes on stage to the winning filmmakers on Sunday, October 24, 2010.
Read more
Ottawa festival winners announced
Mike Valiquette | CanadianAnimationResources.ca
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) comes to an end with the highly anticipated closing ceremonies held this evening at the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau. Organizers announced the winners of the official competition during the ceremonies.
This year’s event, held October 14-18, was a tremendous success with packed screenings, sold out workshops, high profile networking events such as the Television Animation Conference and the Recruiting Fair. The Festival is a major international film event that attracts 1500 industry pass holders from across Canada and around the world with a total attendance of over 25,000. Although the final numbers are not officially in, there are strong indications that this year’s Festival reached the highest attendance to date.
The 2009 international jury for Short Program, Student and Commissioned Films include: Amid Amidi (USA), Jim Blashfield (USA) and Suzan Pitt (USA). The international jury for Feature Film Competition include: Thomas Meyer-Hermann (Germany), Christa Moesker (Netherlands) and Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre (Canada).
The Festival has a special jury made up of local kids to select the Best Short Animation Made for Children and the Best Television Animation Made for Children. This year’s kids jury included: Tallie Doyle, Tegwyn Hughes, Jamie McCormick, Felipe Bemfica, Isabelle Birchall, Aditya Mohan, Paris Mullin, Quinn Murphy and Eric Ding.
Full story: Ottawa festival winners announced
Here’s what you’ll see at the animation festival
Peter Simpson, The Ottawa Citizen
More than 150 animated films — from as short as 10 seconds in length to this year’s record crop of feature-length entries — will be screened between today and Sunday evening. Ninety-nine of those films will be in official competition, and 58 others will be showcased outside the competition.
It’s all turning into the biggest year to date in the 33-year history of the Ottawa International Animation Festival, which can say without hyperbole that it attracts the best of the world’s animation, and some of its biggest hitters as guest speakers.
This year’s speakers include Henry Selick, director of Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach, who will talk about his 2009 hit Coraline. Story supervisor Ronnie del Carmen will talk about the making of another big animated hit this year, Pixar’s Up!, and David Silverman will talk about directing The Simpsons Movie and 22 episodes of The Simpsons on TV.
Full preview available on Peter’s The Big Beat blog: Here’s what you’ll see at the animation festival
Animation Festival expects large crowds
Veronica Quach, Centretown News
The festival features the competition of animated films, including short films, PSAs, commercials and feature films. Approximately 100 films are selected from 1,000 entries from all over the world each year, says Kelly Neall, managing director of the festival. It also allows animation professionals and fans to get together and network.
More students groups are expected to boost attendance, says Neall. Groups from all over North America have time to organize and are expected to come out, she says. When the festival was held in September, schools did not have time to prepare, she says.
More than 1,500 people have signed up for passes this year and the festival expects to break the attendance record from last year, says Neall. People attend because the festival is one of the largest animation festivals in the world, she says.
Full story at centretownnewsonline.ca: Animation Festival expects large crowds
