31-05-2022

Debuting Artists Develop Their Promising Short Films

    Debuting Artists Develop Their Promising Short Films credit: CEE Animation

    This year, CEE Animation presents a new animation pitching Lab
    aimed at young filmmakers. A two-part pitching event called Rise &
    Shine will take place within the World Festival of Animated Film
    Animafest Zagreb from 6 to 8 June, and the second part within
    Animateka International Animated Film Festival in December 2022 in
    Ljubljana, Slovenia.

    In 2021, CEE Animation Forum opened a special short film category for
    students only, enabling them to enter the professional animation
    industry early in their careers. Especially in this new category, the
    debuting artists need to deliver specific materials at a certain quality
    level which can be challenging for them. “In this first pilot edition, we
    wanted to support first and second-time filmmakers and students
    coming from the Balkan region. However, we decided to open the call
    to all European countries and welcome experienced producers who
    are eagerly searching for young talents and accompanying them
    during their first works,” explains Marta Jallageas, managing director of
    CEEA Forum.

    The selection of ten short animated projects includes several students
    or debuting directors who will be accompanied by well-established
    film professionals such as Vessela Dantcheva (Compote Collective,
    Bulgaria), who keeps a diverse portfolio of short animated films; Lana
    Tankosa Nikolic (Late Love Production, Denmark) working with great
    names such as Michelle and Uri Kranot, Paul Bush and Martina Scarpelli;
    Kolja Saksida (ZVVIKS, Slovenia), a co-producer of the long-awaited

    animated feature Of Unwanted Things and People; Estonian producer
    Aurelia Aasa (AAA Creative) focusing on fresh projects lined with dark
    humour; Vanja Andrijević from the award-winning Croatian production
    and distribution company Bonobo; or Mladen Đukić, a producer and
    teacher at the Academy of Arts, University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and
    Herzegovina.

    In Zagreb, ten selected animated projects will receive an intense
    programme of lectures and individual consultations with experienced
    film professionals in the field of animation. The participants will develop
    their short films and pitching skills with renowned animation
    professionals. At Animafest Zagreb, a special focus will be on the story
    of the project, which they will work on with award-winning British
    animator Joanna Quinn, Les Mills, and Spanish writer Pedro Rivero. In
    addition, the participants will have a chance to listen to inspirational
    lectures by Michael Dudok de Wit, who will explain how to nurture and
    enhance creativity, and Jelena Popović, who will speak about the
    creative and supporting role of film producers in the development
    process.

    World Festival of Animated Film Animafest Zagreb is one of the most
    important animation festivals and the second oldest one in the world.
    Launched in 1972, thanks to the global reputation of the filmmakers
    originating in the Zagreb School of Animation, Animafest Zagreb

    celebrates its 50th anniversary this year! With over 350 films in
    competition, retrospective and thematic programmes, a symposium
    on contemporary animation studies, presentations, exhibitions,
    lectures, and workshops held at numerous locations across the city
    from 6 to 11 June 2022, the festival will provide a comprehensive insight
    into contemporary animated production and celebrate its rich
    tradition.

    The second part of the pitching lab will take place at Animateka
    International Animated Film Festival in December 2022, where
    selected teams will receive lessons on pitching preparations and
    improving their presentation skills. The participants will focus on
    delivering a successful video pitch with Matthieu Darras, a French
    expert on film development and production, and on live presentation
    skills with Anna Vášová, a successful Czech writer and script editor. On-
    site in Ljubljana, the participants will also take part in the pitching
    competition. The winning project(s) of this regional pitching
    competition will be invited to the CEE Animation Forum 2023.

    SELECTED PROJECTS FOR RISE AND SHINE 2022:
    A Visualization of a Cut

    d. Claudia Munksgaard Palmqvist, Denmark

    p. Lana Tankosa Nikolic, Late Love Production, Denmark

    Beresheet

    d. Ala Nunu, Poland

    p. Bruno Isaac Grade Caetano, COLA Animation, Portugal

    Fur

    d. Miha Reja, Slovenia

    p. Kolja Saksida, ZVVIKS, Slovenia

    Mr. John Daniel

    d. Kinga Syrek, Poland

    p. Rafał Sakowski, Studio Filmów Rysunkowych (Animation Film Studio),
    Poland

    Nightbloom

    d. Kata Gugić, Croatia

    p. Vanja Andrijević, Bonobostudio, Croatia

    Offside
    d. Sander Joon, Estonia

    p. Aurelia Aasa, AAA Creative, Estonia

    Opening

    d. Dalija Dozet, Croatia

    art d. Petra Zlonoga, Croatia

    p. Tina Tišljar, Pulpa, Croatia

    Run

    d. Ina Nikolova

    p. Vessela Dantcheva, Compote Collective, Bulgaria

    The Bright Descendant

    d. Tamara Maksimović, Serbia

    p. Mladen Đukić, Aeon Production, Bosnia and Herzegovine

    Urosh

    d. Mato Uljarević, Montenegro

    p. Danilo Vujačić, DOK Produkcija, Montenegro

    Detailed description of projects can be found
    here.

     

    The animation lab Rise and Shine is organised with the support of
    Creative Europe MEDIA Programme of the European Union.