It is hard to believe that it is already for the 24th time that the young talents from film schools and authors of animated films from all over the world will meet in Krakow in November 21-26. This year’s Etiuda&Anima Festival is unique also for another reason: apart from two international competitions, its program will for the first time include the third competition devoted to Polish animation only – ANIMA.PL.

Photo from the animation „Cipka” dir. Renata Gąsiorowska, Poland 2016

The organizers intend it to be an inherent and permanent part of the event’s program, and the already existing statuettes of Dinosaur and Jabberwocky have gained another relative – a Slavic Dragon. During an overall period of a few days the festival viewers will have an opportunity to see 143 short films in three festival competitions judged by a jury chaired by Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz (Etiuda competition), Piotr Dumała (Anima competition) and Jerzy Kucia (Anima.pl competition).

What else is awaiting the ever growing circle of the event’s participants in Krakow’s Małopolska Garden of Arts and Kijów Centrum? As part of the cycle of the self-portraits of animation authors combined with the presentations of animated films created in front of audience’s eyes, there will be meetings with three artists: Svetlana Filippova from Russia, Geza M. Toth from Hungary and Claudius Gentinetta from Switzerland. All of them used to participate in the acclaimed educational event led by Jerzy Kucia from 1996 – the International Workshops of Animated Film.  Three European animated film festivals: Belgian Anima, Slovenian Animateka and Norwegian Animation Volda Festival will present their laureates. Among the feature animated films of the last season there will be ”Loving Vincent” by D. Kobiela i H. Welchman, which attracts enormous attention all over the world, as well as ”Revengeance” by Krakow audience’s favourite – B. Plympton and ”Ethel and Ernst” by R. Mainwood, and during the festival opening we will have an opportunity to see ”Window Horses”  by A. M. Fleming which presents a reverse apporach to the subject dealt by the famous ”Persepolis”.

The festival opening night will also include the screening of a new feature animated film ”Elevator” by Hieronim Neumann – one of the representatives of the famous Polish school of animation. Celebrating this year’s 70^th anniversary of our animation, the festival program will also include the screenings of films of Zdzisław Kudła, who turns 80 this year, a presentation of 10 films awarded during 20 editions of Krakow-based OFAFA festival, a farewell retrospective of the recently late Warsaw author Marek Serafiński, as well as a screening devoted to the avantgarde artistic output  of the Themersons couple, which sets back the date of birth of Polish animation.

Along with young filmmakers, the festival will also host a number of widely acclaimed stars from the film industry. A Japanese Toranoko group will present a performance of ”Muybridge’s Strings and the rhythm of movement” with participation of Koji Yamamura – one of the world’s most outstanding animators. A British author of music films Tony Palmer will present in person some of his works devoted such contemporary music icons as Jimi Hendrix, Leonard Cohen, The Beatles and Pink Floyd. The world-famous cinematographer Sławomir Idziak, after receiving the annualy awarded Special Golden Dinosaur for the artist and pedagogue, will run film master classes. Apart from all the above, the festival program will also include: animation workshops for children , lectures, promotions of books, exhibitions, concerts and academic conference titled ”Twisted dreams of history” on Central European animation. As every year, Etiuda&Anima program is bursting with attractive film and artistic events. All we need to do is just wait for it patiently for the next three weeks.

                                                                                              (the organizer’s materials)