The Ottawa International Animation Festival reveals poster for 2011
The Ottawa International Animation Festival is pleased to reveal the 2011 Festival Poster designed by renowned illustrator and animator Gary Leib.
Gary has won wide praise for his work as an animator and cartoonist, including a 1994 Harvey nomination for his comic book Idiotland. His illustrations and cartoons have appeared in The New Yorker, Musician Magazine, The New York Observer, Raw, Blab and as weekly features in The New York Press for many years. To learn more about the man and his work visit www.garyleib.com.
For more about the OIAF, please visit www.animationfestival.ca
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.
OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL OFFERS FAMILY-FRENDLY ACTIVITIES
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is offering a variety of family-friendly activities at this year’s festival, which runs from October 20 to 24, 2010.
The following is a list of special workshops, activities and events for parents to consider:
TWO LOCAL FESTIVALS BRING THE CREATORS OF KENK TO OTTAWA
When the Ottawa International Animation Festival and the Ottawa International Writer’s Festival realized they were running on the same dates, they immediately knew they wanted do a cross-over event. A presentation on the hugely popular graphic novel KENK was the perfect way to bring the two audiences together.
KENK is groundbreaking graphic novel that has wide appeal. It’s a new hybrid that simultaneously takes the form of documentary film, journalistic profile and comic book. Now the team behind the book is working on turning it into an animated film.
Ottawa International animation Festival iPhone app
This is the official iPhone app for the Ottawa International Animation Festival – one of the largest animation festivals in the world – that takes place this year from October 20-24, 2010.
This application is your comprehensive mobile guide to the festival and contains a real-time on-the-go schedule, film guide and maps to help you get around. You can also use this application year round to listen to Festival podcasts and stay in touch with animators around the world.
Features include:
- Full Line-up: see all of this year’s animations, competitions, screenings and showcases complete with rich graphics, descriptions and show times and special events & workshops.
- Full context sensitive search
- Artist Info – get all the information on every film including, directors, writers and producers and synopsis of each film
- Venues – Maps and directions for every venue
- TAC – get all the information for the 2010 Television Animation Conference including producers, buyers, animators and professionals.
For more details and to download the app click here
LET’S GO CRAZY! : WINGNUTS DESCEND ON OIAF
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) presents “Let’s Go Crazy” a unique program that explores animation’s depiction of mental health.
“While crazy behaviour has long been a basic ingredient in comedy,” said Guest Curator and Animation Historian, Karl Cohen, “Historically, dramatic film rarely depicted mental illness, except for token mad scientists, criminally insane masterminds or rage-filled monsters. In recent years, a handful of animators have pioneered new styles of animated storytelling able to portray the serious side of life and the complexities of mental health.”
Local animation festival sees surge in new visitors
Katie Gowrie, Centretown News
A recent change in venue has brought more locals to Ottawa’s International Animation Festival, a trend that’s been evident since the 1990s, says Chris Robinson, the OIAF’s artistic director.
Ottawa’s annual International Animation Festival features animated film shorts and full feature films from filmmakers based in Canada and across the globe.
“There’s still a misconception about what animation is,” Neall says, adding that the films they show aren’t simply cartoons but amazing, thought provoking films. “Each one is a work of art.”
Though animation has grown, it’s still a niche art form that brings in a select audience, Robinson says. The OIAF exposes its audience to a different type of animation that’s not always seen on TV.
He says his goal over the last decade has been to change the perception of animation and make others realize it’s for everybody.
Full story available on the Centretown News website: Local animation festival sees surge in new visitors
