On May 24 the Best Animated films From Stuttgart Festival 2012 were screened at the Goethe Institute, Los Angeles.
The night opened with a reception and then Fareed Majari, Director of the Goethe Institute, Los Angeles, introduced the selected films from the Stuttgart Festival 2012 to the audience. All animated films from Germany were well received by a full house of audience. Most applauded films were German Wurst and Zing.
The Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) is one of the world’s largest and most important festivals for animated film. From May 08 to May 13, 2012 around 1,000 of the best animated films worldwide, representing the whole spectrum of the genre, were shown at the 19th Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film. The Festival focuses were on artistic animated film and the support of young talents. Prize money more than 70,000 Euros were awarded in nine competition categories.
After screening of the films, Bijan Tehrani, Editor in Chief of Cinema Without Borders and a faculty of the Art Institute Of California, Los Angeles, moderated a panel discussion focused on German Animation Industry. Members of the panel were Ron Diamond, Phil Mendez and Mike Libonati. Ron Diamond talked about the government help for artists in Germany and how it helps development of new ideas and animation techniques. Phil Mendez told the audience, a mixture of professionals of the film industry and students of animation, that they need to work hard and be creative to get the right response from the universe. Mike Libonati, impressed by quality of work in 2D and 3D animation, said now you can make film like this on a laptop.
Ron Diamond has been involved in the world of animation for more than two decades. In 1990, Diamond founded animation production house Acme Filmworks. Diamond has produced award winning advertisement campaigns. Recently he worked with Ridley Scott on the main title sequence for Scott’s “Robin Hood.”
Phil Mendez has worked in animation for over 40 years. He is best known as the author of the Black Snowman, the revered coming-of-age story, which has sold over two million copies and has won numerous honors, among them the Martin Luther King Living the Dream Award. He is also a faculty member at The Art Institute of California, Los Angeles.
Mike Libonati is the Academic Director of the Media Arts & Animation and Visual Effects & Motion Graphics programs at The Art Institute of California, Los Angeles. He is a 2d/3d artist who has worked on projects in development at various studios in Los Angeles.
After a short intermission Ollies Festival was opened by screening of students films and was followed by screening of Wallenda, directed by VW Scheich in Masters Section.
The evening will be closed by Cinema Without Borders’ Editor in Chief and Shelly Glickstein, Dean of Art Institute Of Califonia, Los angeles awarded the winning Ollies Festival films.
Walenda by VW Scheich won the Mater Award for successful effort by the director to tell a personal story by a clever use of visual effects.
Second Place Student film Award went to Anthony Rollins for Black Out and Rainbowshine by Rafaella Nepales received Best Stdent film Award.
Awards were decided by Cinema Without Borders jury and prizes were provided by Adobe.
This event was organized by Goethe Institute, Los Angeles, The Art Institute of California, a college of Argosy University, Los Angeles and Cinema Without Borders.
All photos by Maya Hooshivar