British animator, producer and director Gerald Potterton is amongst the personalities unwilling to miss out on the selection of films competing at AniFest.“I am looking forward to having the opportunity to meet new and also older friends whilst enjoying array fantastic animated films from all around the whole world, said the honorary president of the festival.“Who would not like to take a look at the world of Jiří Trnka which is for me the equivalent of Pablo Picaaso in the world of animation?” enthusiastically added Potterton whose varied film production let him to three nominations from the American Academy Award for the best short film and a number of other film awards. According to the organisers, the participation of such a prominent personality from the world of animation is a huge crowd-puller for visitors and also a great inspiration for the current generation of Czech filmmakers. “We are really proud that Potterton accepted our invitation,” said director of the festival AniFest Petr Šplíchal.
The name Garald Potterton is best known for its connection to the film “Yellow Submarine” (1968), and the music of the Beatles to which Potterton added his animations. Film fans will also be no doubt familiar with his animated feature film “Heavy Metal” (1981) in which he managed to bring together the world of animated figures with songs by Black Sabbath, Nazareth, Blue Öyster Cult and other heavy metal bands. “The combination of music and animation is the motto, therefore we decided to include these cult films in the festival program,” reveals Šplíchal. The screening of “Yellow Submarine” launches this year´s incarnation. There will be non-competing films such as Heavy Metal and selection of other legendary films will also been shown in the screening rooms.
AniFest offers altogether 146 short listed films including a number of promising films of Czech production. Michaela Pavlátová's “Tram”, which claimed top honours at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, will be shown together with the latest 3D TV bed time story by Libor Pixa “The Smallest Elephant in the World”. The complete round-up of the contest films can be found here: http://anifest.cz/2013/selected-films
About the festival Anifest
AniFest is the largest international festival specialising in animated films in the Czech Republic. Together with the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and Film Festival Zlin, AniFest is one ofthe three largest film festivals in the country. The organisers of AniFest are continuing the fine Czech tradition of animated film production and actively supporting and promoting contemporary animation by means of year-round projects such as “Echo of AniFest”, “AniFest in Schools” and “Schools of Animation”. They also promote Czech animated productions abroad through the project “New Wave of Czech Animation”. More information is available here: http://anifest.cz/2013
Press Contact: Aleš Povr, phone: +420 608 272 217, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
