Every year, Ron Diamond, of Acme Filmworks and Animation World Network, treats the animation community to a special screening of the year’s best animated films. This screening tours throughout the United States, and gives those of us in the animation industry a chance to see films we might not see otherwise. Every year, I am inspired by the vast array of talent displayed in these films, and this year was no different. The films curated span all types of animation, and superbly highlight the variety of forms animation can take.
If you have a chance to see these at a film festival coming up or on DVD, I would highly recommend it. Highlights for me this year included Pixar’s new short, La Luna, which due to its impending release I will refrain on commenting upon, except to say it’s delightful. I also really loved Wild Life by Canadian Animators Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby, which I have seen 3 times now, twice being at Ottawa. It’s a wonderful commentary on the aspiring British cowboy of the Canadian plains rendered in beautiful strokes. Sure to make you laugh is Mobile by Director Verena Fels, and sure to make you bop in your seat is Fiesta Brava by Steven Woloshen. New York’s screening was shown in the School of Visual Art’s awesomely huge theater on 23rd Street. Seeing these films on the big screen is a great treat and I warmly thank Ron Diamond for putting this show together.
Here is a listing of the films. Please let me know if I’ve missed any.
La Luna – USA – Dir. Enrico Casarosa
Mobile – Germany – Dir. Verena Fels
Paths of Hate – Poland – Dir. Damian Nenow
Schlaf (Sleep) – Switzerland – Dir. Claudius Gentinetta & Frank Braun
Wild Life – Canada – Dir. Amanda Forbis & Wendy Tilby
Luminaris – Argentina – Dir. Juan Pablo Zaramella
Romance – Switzerland – Dir. Georges Schwizgebel
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore – USA – Dir. William Joyce & Brandon Oldenberg
Journey to Cape Verde – Portugal – Dir. José Miguel Ribeiro
Fiesta Brava Dir. Steven Woloshen
Great program! Thanks, Ron, and thanks, Dayna, for the write up!
It’s a cool thing that Ron does; bring a film festival TO the animators who can’t travel to one. It was a great program, especially Wild Life which is brilliant!