email print share on Facebook share on Twitter share on LinkedIn share on reddit pin on Pinterest

Žofia Bosáková, Maroš Brojo • Directors, Fest Anča

“Animation is the most convergent type of film”

by 

- Cineuropa sat down with Žofia Bosáková and Maroš Brojo, two representatives of Fest Anča, the only Slovakian multimedia festival to specialise in animated productions

Žofia Bosáková, Maroš Brojo  • Directors, Fest Anča
Žofia Bosáková (far left) and Maroš Brojo

The Fest Anča international multimedia festival is the only festival specialising in animated productions and celebrates its ninth edition from 29 June-3 July in Žilina, Slovakia. The gathering has an international competition, which rounds up “the most important animated films” from the last two years, along with an international competition of student films and a competition for Slovakian animated movies. Cineuropa talked to festival director Žofia Bosáková and artistic director Maroš Brojo about the upcoming edition of the gathering.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Cineuropa: Fest Anča is the only festival in Slovakia aimed at animations for the adult viewer. Why this profile?
Žofia Bosáková: Fest Anča is above all an international animation festival, presenting animated films and borderline animated productions. The programming of the event is wide-ranging, including everything from an industry programme for professionals, screenings, master classes and focuses to exhibitions, Game Days, one-on-one meetings and other elements. However, our activity reaches far beyond the festival: we present animations throughout the year, releasing animated films in Slovakia through the distribution of the winning titles. We also participate in the programming of other festivals in Slovakia and abroad.

The festival is multimedia in nature. Is this a reaction to media convergence?
ŽB: The festival has been multimedia-orientated since the first edition, including glitch art, video mapping, machinima installations, video games, concerts, exhibitions and the popular format of the Animation Karaoke Battle. We are trying to build up a summer festival atmosphere and, at the same time, give visitors the chance to find out about all kinds and forms of contemporary animation, because animation is the most convergent type of film. Our main goal is to offer discoveries from the professional sphere to laymen, and discoveries from the independent sphere to professionals.

Has the upcoming edition got a central theme or any main motifs?
Maroš Brojo: The main theme of the ninth edition is the Balkan Focus, a complex profile of animation from the Balkan states: Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Slovenia and Greece. We will organise the productions into two sections, Balkan Now and Balkan Legends, for each country. Our intention is to compare and contrast classic and contemporary productions, and showcase what has happened there over several decades. One of the most interesting aspects is the programme of workshops: Montreal-born director Steven Woloshen, who creates films and time-lapse installations by scratching the film reel, will teach this to visitors in his workshop, called Scratchatopia. Other guests include the Brothers Quay, who will hold a master class, and we will present their filmography across thematic sections.

One special section of the festival is Game Days. How is this concept faring?
MB: The previous editions were successful, and that’s why we have decided to include Game Days in the programme again. The goal is to inform people about high-quality game production, but also connect game developers from Central and Eastern Europe, and try to spark international cooperation. Among this year’s Game Days highlights is Poland’s Platige Image studio, which has nominations under its belt ranging from the Oscars to the BAFTAs, and from SIGGRAPH to a nomination for the VES Awards. They create cinematics for companies such as Ubisoft, Microsoft, CD Projekt RED and Crytek, as well as having done the special effects for the films Antichrist [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lars von Trier
film profile
]
and Melancholia [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lars von Trier
film profile
]
. Croatian studio Croteam, which is behind the Serious Sam series of videogames, will introduce the critically acclaimed The Talos Principle. And besides lectures, visitors will have a chance to try out virtual-reality equipment like the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Gear VR. 

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.

Privacy Policy