The 13th Fest Anča International Animation Festival will showcase the best Slovak and international animation. For this year’s focus, the organisers have chosen a very relevant theme: The Day After, as reflected in the Japanese animated classic about Hiroshima Barefoot Gen, and Jan Švankmajer’s debut Alice. And this year special attention will be paid to local animation. Fest Anča will take place 27 to 30 Aug 2020 in Žilina. 

The Day After in films and elsewhere

The Day After dominates this year’s programme selection, with six sections about the main festival theme again curated by Czech film theorist Eliška Děcká. Sections include Apocalyptic Ends and New Beginnings, After-after Party or Nature's Comeback, including films by Slovak animators Dávid Štumpf (Woo-hoo!) and Matúš Vizár (Panda). "We opted to portray the confrontation of numerous global and personal apocalypses and losses, the meeting of new beginnings – through humour (often black), optimism (often misplaced), and mostly keeping calm and level-headed. An approach stemming either from a rich seam of valuable life experience or boundless naïveté,” explains Eliška Děcká in her curator’s speech.

The feature film selection also reflects the festival’s theme: Czech live-action and animated film Alice (1988), Jan Švankmajer’s feature length debut based on Alice in Wonderland, which doubles as a story of personal transformation induced by intense out-of-the-ordinary experiences. Japanese anime legend Barefoot Gen (1983) is based on the childhood memories of Keiji Nakazawa, who survived the bombing of Hiroshima. The feature film selection also includes two American films for audiences of all ages: the somehow long-overlooked Iron Giant (1999) about a little boy's encounter with an alien robot, and the Oscar-winning Rango (2011) that depicts a domestic chameleon who sets out to become a hero by saving an ecologically ravaged small desert town.

The accompanying programme and 13th Fest Anča’s communications are The Day After related. Visitors can also attend a DIY facemask workshop with the Kundy Crew creative group, a thematic reading, a Žilina civil defence bunker tour, and a performance by Czech theatre ensemble TV Estráda, portraying a quest for peace of mind, an escape to Czech countryside, contrasted by a land afflicted by climate change.

A devastated planet and its abandonment provides the concept of this year’s festival visual by graphic designer Marek Menke. He and animator Marek Jasaň created the festival spot, while Menke also designed the festival’s souvenirs (upcycled in cooperation with Textile House).

Spotlight on Slovakia

This year’s 13th edition will focus on Slovak production, welcoming one main guest: Ové Pictures will showcase its ten years’ of great animation. The studio’s founders – Veronika Obertová and Michaela Čopíková – create their own projects and participate in renowned international collaborations. They have won the national Slnko v sieti film award and international festival awards.

Local skill is strongly represented in the official festival selection – with competitive and non-competitive Slovak sections. Vanda Raýmanová and Michal Struss, Marta Prekopová, Michal Blaško, Lívia Suchá, Dávid Štumpf and Michaela Mihalyi appear in the competitive section, while Štumpf and Mihalyi present SH_T HAPPENS which premiered in Venice last year and was Sundance Film Festival nominated.

Three special sections will focus on local animation. The first section is dedicated to the award-winning Slovak series Ka-Boom! by Veronika Kocourková. The second showcases Tots by Vanda Raýmanová, who will also lead a thematic workshop for children. The third special section will present animation from FAMU – since many Slovak animators study at this renowned Prague film school.

Two exhibitions focus on Slovak animation. The festival features Dreams of Eden by young animator Kriss Sagan, and the Domased project exhibition where Czech and Slovak animators respond to the coronavirus crisis and obligation to stay home in spring 2020. “We want to use this year's spotlight to present artists who work in Slovakia, especially distinctive young creatives,” explains festival director Ivana Sujová. 

A successful competition year

So many films have been submitted to the festival’s competitive sections: 1,650 from 65 countries – with the best 250 entered into the programme. Entrants include well-known animators and Anča Award winners such as Peter Millard, Max Hattler, Julia Ocker, Lena von Döhren, Milos Tomić, and several films from the prestigious MIYU Distribution. New names were also successfully selected. "Fest Anča takes pride in its programme’s diversity and uniqueness," adds Ivana.

Two special collaborations take place at Fest Anča 2020 – the European platform A.L.I.C.E. (Animation League for Increased Cooperation in Europe) which, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic, aims to develop and support animation. A special film section from participating countries will be screened. The second is with the Polish O!PLA animation festival that will present its 8th year’s winners to Slovak viewers at Fest Anča.

Concerts, parties, and a mini conference

Concerts, parties, workshops, discussions, and the beloved Pecha Kucha Ancha will also accompany the animated films competition and industry programme for film professionals.

The programme’s non-film section includes live performances by three-member ensemble Isobutane, Trnava rapper Fvck_Kvlt, and musician Dominik Novák’s (famous for the Blackwood Incident) new project Katov Syn(th). DJ sets will feature Fest Anča’s perennial star Stroon, DJ Tea Tralna, Bratislava's FLÄSH DJs, and rising domestic techno scene star Kristie Kardio.

Fest Anča and Sensorium new media festival’s (rolling out from Bratislava to other cities in 2020) special collaboration will deliver a one-day mini conference about art, design, science, and tech to Žilina. The main New Sensibility conference guests are new media studio OUCHHH (known for interdisciplinary expertise that pushes the boundaries of art by examining intersections between architecture, art, science, and AI), and Slovak illustrator Ivana Palečková (creator of Fest Anča visual identities).

Fest Anča International Animation Festival – held at Žilina’s New Synagogue and Stanica Žilina-Záriečie cultural hubs – is the only Slovak multimedia festival that focuses on animated films for adult audiences. This popular annual festival presents contemporary progressive animated films and classic gems of the genre – by so doing it aims to increase awareness of animated film as an art form and educate audiences on the diverse forms of animation. 

Pre-sale of festival passes now! Act fast – they’re selling like hot cakes! 

Fest Anča 2020 International Animation Festival is financially supported by the Slovak Audiovisual Fund and LITA Fund. Supported using public funds by the Slovak Arts Council. The festival is held under the auspices of the Mayor of Žilina, Mr Peter Fiabáne.

 

Further info at:

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Fest Anča 2020 guests and jury members
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fotografie z 12. ročníka

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The Lithuanian Film Centre has distributed €2 515 685 at its second session of financing for 2020. In all, 59 film projects received funding for production and development.

The government has allocated €1 861 695 for the production of 31 films, including 3 feature films, 5 documentaries, 14 shorts and 5 minority co-productions.

Among the projects that received production grants are 14 shorts: 7 fiction films, 5 documentaries, 2 animated and 2 interactive films.

The grant of €230 100 will be split among 5 minority co-production projects: 2 feature films, 2 documentaries and 1 animated film.

The Lithuanian Film Centre has also allotted 28 development grants totalling €653 990. This funding for film development went to 6 features, 6 documentaries and 11 animated films, while 5 projects received support for script development.

To summarise the results of the two funding sessions, organised by the Lithuanian Film Centre, for film production and development this year, 107 film projects received government support totalling €5 196 781.

PRODUCTION GRANTS CHART: 

PROJECT	DIRECTOR	PRODUCTION COMPANY	AMOUNT OF GRANT, €	ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Trys auksakasio sapnai	Mantas Kvedaravičius	VŠĮ "Extimacy Films"	375 000,00	Feature
Poetas	Vytautas V. Landsbergis, Giedrius Tamoševičius	VšĮ "A propos studija"	475 000,00	Feature
Įstrigę Lietuvoje	Vytautas Tinteris	Vytautas Tinteris	19 675,00	Feature
Automobilių stovėjimo aikštelė	Marija Jorė Janavičiūtė	VšĮ "Nesamonė"	15 000,00	Short Feature
Sekretas	Ričardas Matačius	VšĮ "Incubus films"	40 000,00	Short Feature
Techno, mama	Saulius Baradinskas	MB "Viktorijos filmai"	35 000,00	Short Feature
Motinos	Birutė Kapustinskaitė	UAB "Artbox"	15 000,00	Short Feature
Pasakyk, kad myli	Elena Rožukaitė	UAB "Tremora"	14 986,00	Short Feature
Auklė	Artūras Dvinelis	VšĮ "Filmai LT"	14 990,00	Short Feature
Pelkė	Urtė Sabutytė	UAB "Baltic Productions"	15 000,00	Short Feature
Robotas ir peteliškė	Gailė Garnelytė	Laura Švarlienė	14 490,00	Short Documentary
Nešėm, kol pavargom	Vytautas Gradeckas	Laura Švarlienė	14 950,00	Short Documentary
Miego liga	Mantas Kvedaravičius	VšĮ "Extimacy Films"	120 000,00	Documentary
Tomas. Vilties formos	Saimir Bajo	VšĮ "Ketvirta versija"	70 000,00	Documentary
Vakar/Yesterday	Audrius Juzėnas	VšĮ "Didžiųjų motinų studija"	70 000,00	Documentary
Vilutis	Vytautas V. Landsbergis	VšĮ "A Propos studija"	35 000,00	Documentary
Kernagis	Andrius Lekavičius	VšĮ "360 laipsnių filmai"	37 000,00	Documentary
Plaukikas	Gintautas Beržinskas	UAB "Ultra Nominum"	30 000,00	Short Documentary
Buona sera	Justė Michailinaitė	VšĮ "Artbox laisvalaikio klubas"	14 900,00	Short Documentary
Atminties kilometrai	Rimas Bružas	Rimas Bružas	11 054,00	Short Documentary
Meilė korona viruso metu	Virginija Vareikytė, Maximilien Dejoie	VšĮ "Just a moment"	20 000,00	TV
Bėgliai	Andrius Bartkus	UAB "Be tabu“ ir ko	19 850,00	TV
Jūratė ir Kastytis	Gediminas Šiaulys	UAB "Kitchen Department"	36 000,00	Animation
Katu katu katinai	Giedrė Narušytė Boots	UAB "Era film"	20 000,00	Animation
Purga	Antanas Skučas, Gintarė Valevičiūtė-Brazauskienė	MB "Tylus kinas"	53 200,00	Interactive
276 žingsniai iki Europos	Kostas Radlinskas, Dalia Cibauskaitė	VšĮ "Eik art"	45 000,00	Interactive
Pietų miegas	Nils Skapans	VšĮ "Moonmakers"	23 100,00	Minority Co-production
Sausis	Viesturs Kairišs	UAB "Artbox"	60 000,00	Minority Co-production
Trys	Juanjo Giminez	VšĮ "Čiobreliai"	43 000,00	Minority Co-production
Ayena	Siddhant Sarin	UAB "Ultra Nominum“	27 000,00	Minority Co-production
Natūrali naikinimo istorija	Sergejus Loznica	VšĮ "Uljana Kim ir ko“	77 000,00	Minority Co-production

Click HERE to listen to the debate.

ROUNDS (Bulgaria/Serbia/France, 2019, directed by Stephan Komandarev) is the winner of the main prize of the 20th edition of goEast – Festival of Central and Eastern European Cinema in Wiesbaden, the Golden Lily. The international jury, chaired by Christoph Terhechte, explained its selection by commenting that the brilliantly made, multi-layered film “explores the inner world and personal fragilities of its characters, questioning their ethical or moral choices, their convictions, strength or capacity to take a stand while facing a radical choice”. “With the authenticity of its dialogue, excellent acting and remarkable cinematography the film succeeds in creating insightful human portraits, it blends together the personal and the universal, and grows into a reflection about the dark and bright side of human nature and its interconnection with a bigger world,” as the jury emphasised. 

107 films from 40 countries, including a total of 21 German premieres, were all ready to go for the special anniversary edition of goEast – Festival of Central and Eastern European Film from 5 to 11 May 2020. Due to the unforeseeable limitations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the festival organisers developed a hybrid solution for this 20th anniversary edition, featuring online offerings and live events postponed to later dates throughout the second half of the year. The goal: to enable audiences to continue to experience Central and Eastern European cinema (culture) in spite of the crisis in Germany, or precisely because of it. 

Karolis Kaupinis won the Award of the City of Wiesbaden for Best Director with his remarkable debut film NOVA LITUANIA (Lithuania, 2019). As the jury explained in its statement: “Shot in stunningly beautiful black and white in classic academy format, this film takes us back to a specific time and place, to the country of Lithuania in 1938, where worries about the impending war lead a solitary politician to think about plans for a ‘substitute Lithuania’ somewhere on a distant continent. Oscillating between grotesque moments and a feeling of melancholy reminiscence, the film makes the absurdity of its narrative universal, creating a surreal metaphor for defencelessness and vulnerability that resonates in times and places far beyond the film’s settings.” 

The film IMMORTAL (Estonia/Latvia, 2019, directed by Ksenia Okhapkina) was honoured with the Award of the Federal Foreign Office for Cultural Diversity. The jury emphasised that the film presents the complex structures of existence in an environment charged with ideology in an atmospheric and cinematically powerful form. As the jury statement explained: “The film’s meticulously choreographed structure creates an image of a city, once a place of sorrow for many, but now an instrument to raise the obliging citizens of a state. The concrete state becomes an example for other occurrences around the world. The film’s perfectly composed images and sound design, and choice of colour place us into a simultaneously captivating and frightening world.” 

The jury presented an Honourable Mention to IVANA THE TERRIBLE (Romania/Serbia, 2019, directed by Ivana Mladenović). The jury expressed the following praise for this charming hybrid mixture of fiction and documentary cinema: “The director of this film boldly implants herself at the centre of the narrative as an unlikeable, opinionated hypochondriac visiting home. She achieves a seemingly effortless realistic portrayal of her native Serbian village of Kladovo, surrounding herself with realistic performances by her own family members, friends, former lovers and local government officials. Personal is playfully political in this film, weaving questions about the future and the past of one’s place of birth as this confused millennial heroine ironically becomes a mascot of her village’s traditional summer festival celebrating Serbian-Romanian friendship. In the end, the film paints a compelling portrait of the millennial generation in the Balkans.” 

Festival director Heleen Gerritsen expressed her satisfaction with a truly special jubilee anniversary edition of goEast: “For the first time, a portion of goEast took place online. A new experience! In our virtual Caligari, avatars even celebrated real parties. Our juries collaborated online this year: jury members from diverse time zones and countries like Belarus, Germany, France, Georgia, Great Britain, Israel, Latvia, Romania and the USA met online and presented the – at times symbolic – awards. Still, there’s nothing better than real cinema with real encounters. I hope we’ll meet in November at the real Caligari FilmBühne for the screenings of the 16 entries to the Competition.” 

The International Film Critic’s Award from FIPRESCI in the category of fiction feature also went to ROUNDS (Bulgaria/Serbia/France, 2019, directed by Stephan Komandarev). As the jury shared in its statement: “The director’s criticism of his society gets its power from combining black humour, absurdity and sarcasm. When night falls in Bulgaria’s capital, the real talk begins. ROUNDS is a brutally honest yet elegantly built trip that caught our attention from the very start.” In the documentary film category, the jury chose STATE FUNERAL (Netherlands/Lithuania, 2019, directed by Sergei Loznitsa), commenting: “A fascinating documentary whose power is in its visuals – no narration, no interviewers, no sophisticated directing but above all editing. Visuals and music combine to make Sergei Loznitsa’s STATE FUNERAL into an accessible piece of history. A peerless experience and a morbid time travel none of us will ever forget.” 

Directors Jacek Naglowski and Patryk Jordanowicz were honoured with the Open Frame Award for virtual reality works, sponsored by BHF BANK Stiftung, for WHISPERS (Poland, 2019). The jury praised  WHISPERS as a “poetic exploration of healing and the ‘impenetrable forces of life and death’ in a time when the world is experiencing the extremity of these forces. (...) (E)very scene is a painting. A visual feast, from colours to composition – the cinematography is a feat of 360° immersive video.” The jury particularly commended the filmmakers’ care and tenderness toward the subject as well as the viewer. In their own words: “We were held. We had space to breathe. Congratulations to the filmmaker Jacek Nagłowski!” 

The jury presented an Honourable Mention to BABYN YAR, VIRTUAL MEMORY (Ukraine, 2020) by Alona Stulii, praising the artist for careful and factual exploration and re-enactment in relating the tragic story of Babyn Yar in VR, adding: “Congratulations to director Alona Stulii, and producers Kirill Pokutnyy and Sergey Tereshchenko!” 

The RhineMain Short Film Award, endowed by Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain, was presented this year for the second time. Following constructive discussion, the jury consisting of representatives of independent cinemas from the Rhine-Main region honoured the production IN BETWEEN (Kosovo, 2019, directed by Samir Karahoda), explicitly opting to highlight a brilliantly shot documentary. The jury explained its choice thusly: “The engaging composition of the images enables intense impressions for the viewer regarding architecture, history, family and individuals of the Kosovar culture while inviting the audience to engage in a discourse about traditional family structures and also about economic and social cohesion. Furthermore, the short documentary is fascinating as a whole and works to illustrate the narrative scenario with a meticulous closeness to its protagonists and their stories. The jury wants to point out the sense of a great scenario-concept for telling the story (...) extraordinary!” 

The jury gave a Special Mention for VIRAGO (Estonia, 2019, directed by Kerli Kirch Schneider) as a fairy- tale-like plea for nearly perfect narrative cinema. In their own words: “VIRAGO impressed with its subtle, fresh tongue-in-cheek humour and its great magic. It is an outstanding contribution and perfect example for the art of short filmmaking and telling big fairy-tale stories with deep moral aspects.” 

The 2020 Renovabis Research Grant for documentary film projects with a focus on human rights went to HOME IS WHERE THE FILMS ARE by More Raça. This year’s winning project underlines the fact that the right to imagination and culture is a human right. The jury explained their selection with the following statement: “We see this project as well as the award itself as a form of moral support for all cultural creators in these difficult times.” The winning project treats film screenings for children in refugee camps. As a child, the Kosovar director herself lived in such a camp in Macedonia, where she experienced personally the energy that film and culture can set free. The films that she saw there inspired her to become a filmmaker. Cinema became a home for her, in the midst of the chaos and misery of the camp. 

SHUT THE FUCK UP! by Taisiia Kutuzova of Ukraine was honoured with the goEast Development Award as the best project in the scope of the East-West Talent Lab. “The most significant factor in our decision was the urgent relevance of the project as a mirror for our times and a signal of hope in the face of difficult societal conditions”, as the jury emphasised. A young protagonist exhibits civil courage in a small Ukrainian provincial town – by waging a solitary struggle against corruption. Though a local story, the project manages to encapsulate the state of an entire nation. Where functioning democratic structures still have to be established, political engagement of this variety can be life-threatening – and not only for the activist. “For this reason, we would like to honour the courage of the filmmaker, and her perseverance. May the prize fortify her resolve and enable her to continue her vital work”, as the jury wrote in its statement. 

Every year since the beginning of the festival goEast media partner 3sat has offered to purchase broadcast rights for one film from the programme. For 2020, 3sat has selected the Competition film ZANA (Kosovo/Albania, 2019) by Antoneta Kastrati. The film is expected to celebrate its television premiere on 3sat in 2021. 

The fate of the jubilee anniversary edition of goEast was initially uncertain due to the Covid-19 crisis. Thanks to the commitment of the festival organisers and support on the part of sponsors and funders, the festival was able to take place, and will now extend beyond the originally scheduled festival week. Thus, the awards ceremony does not represent the grand finale for goEast’s 20th edition, as the festival forges on, bringing Central and Eastern European films back where they belong: to the cinema. 

From 24 to 27 July the goEast Symposium “Film Heritage in Transition” will take place in the cinema of DFF – Deutsches Filminstitut und Filmmuseum. In late summer, culture aficionados can look forward to an evening short-film walk, a shared meal outdoors and language courses in Mix Markt in the scope of the Pan-European Picnic. Finally, in the scope of November’s exground filmfest, the entire goEast Competition section will be screened for the public. Hosted at the lovely Caligari FilmBühne, the festival will once again be welcoming renowned film guests to Wiesbaden, among others including Stephan Komandarev (director of ROUNDS), Vlad Ivanov (lead actor in SERVANTS), Karolis Kaupinis (director of NOVA LITUANIA) and Ksenia Okhapkina (director of IMMORTAL). In the scope of the screenings, with the presentation of the goEast Audience Award the festival year’s last prize-winner will also be revealed. 

Here is an overview of this year's prize-winners: 

Golden Lily for Best Film ROUNDS / V KRAG, Bulgaria, Serbia/France, 2019, directed by Stephan Komandarev 

Award of the City of Wiesbaden for Best Director NOVA LITUANIA, Lithuania, 2019, directed by Karolis Kaupinis 

Award of the Federal Foreign Office for Cultural Diversity IMMORTAL / SUREMATU, Estonia/Lithuania, 2019, directed by Ksenia Okhapkina 

Honourable Mention IVANA THE TERRIBLE / IVANA CEA GROAZNICĂ, Romania/Serbia 2019, directed by Ivana Mladenović 

International Film Critic's Award – FIPRESCI (fiction feature) ROUNDS / V KRAG, Bulgaria/Serbia/France 2019, directed by Stephan Komandarev 

International Film Critic's Award – FIPRESCI (documentary film) STATE FUNERAL / PROSHANIE SO STALINYM, Netherlands/Lithuania, 2019, directed by Sergei Loznitsa

Open Frame Award WHISPERS, Poland, 2019, directed by Jacek Naglowski, Patryk Jordanowicz 

Open Frame Award – Honourable Mention BABYN JAR, VIRTUAL MEMORY, Ukraine, 2020, directed by Alona Stulii 

RhineMain Short Film Award IN BETWEEN / NË MES, Kosovo, 2019, directed by Samir Karahoda 

RhineMain Short Film Award – Honourable Mention VIRAGO, Estonia, 2019, directed by Kerli Kirch Schneider 

Renovabis Research Grant for documentary film projects with a human rights focus HOME IS WHERE THE FILMS ARE, Kosovo, directed by More Raça 

goEast Development Award SHUT THE FUCK UP!, Ukraine, directed by Taisiia Kutuzova