Festival of Animated Film brings magic to the silver screen
Jochen Kürten sh
May 3, 2017
From films drawn by hand to those made using digital techniques, the unique festival in Stuttgart has plenty to offer visitors. Screening over 1,000 films, the festival knows no limits when it comes to style and content.
The Jordanian-German-Palestinian co-production "Ayny" will premiere at the 24th edition of the International Animation Festival in StuttgartImage: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
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Magic on the silver screen: Stuttgart's animation festival
Stuttgart becomes the center of the animation universe for six days in May, when around 1,000 films are shown at the Festival of Animated Film. Games and music are also on the agenda.
Image: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
Johnno's Dead
In an international competition, 42 short animations are shown at the Festival of Animated Film in Stuttgart, running from May 2-7. Employing a variety of technologies, the films are from a broad spectrum. Among the entries is the French-British production, "Johnno's Dead," from Chris Shepherd. The story revolves around an ex-con who tries to come to terms with his 12 years behind bars.
Image: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
Happy End
Whereas "Johnno's Dead" is highly detailed and audience members hardly get a chance to take a breath, the film "Happy End," an entry from the Czech Republic, feels much simpler in its construction. That's not to say the nearly six-minute work by Jan Saska is less worth watching: it's a dark comedy, quickly sketched, very funny, and full of suprises.
Image: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
Roda Pantura
The 18-minute Indonesian entry, "Roda Pantura," transports viewers into another world. Director Hizkia Subiyantoro tells the story of a truck driver during the 1998 economic crisis in Indonesia. The driver simply wants to support his family, but alcohol, gambling and prostitution stand in his way. The social drama is a compilation of indidivually sketched images.
Image: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
Our Wonderful Nature - The Common Chameleon
"Our Wonderful Nature - The Common Chameleon," a German entry, is only three-and-a-half minutes long, but a joy to watch. Created entirely on a computer, the movie follows a chameleon who is addicted to eating. It's a perfect scene and could easily be an advertisement for Hollywood. Tomer Eshed directed.
Image: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
Nocna ptica
The Slovenian entry "Nocna ptica" ("Nighthawk") is an absurd comedy about an animal's adventure. Director Spela Cadez accompanies a badger who is picked up by a police wagon. It's a great example of the tradition of Eastern European artistic filmmaking.
Image: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
The Head Vanishes
Poetic and melancholic are words that best describe the French film "The Head Vanishes" ("Une tête disparâit") by director Franck Dion. A young woman loses her head - in the most literal sense - and travels to the coast. The film was created using computer technology but has all the charm of a traditional animated film.
Image: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
Ayny - My Second Eye
A German-Jordanian-Palestinian co-production, the 10-minute short animated film "Ayny - My Second Eye" will also be screened. The film uses various animation techniques. Director Ahmad Saleh tells the story of two brothers who become homeless during a war, yet pursue their dream of making music.
Image: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
Samt (Silence)
"Samt" ("Silence") is another film from the Middle East. It touches on themes of war and dictatorship and shows how people use art to overcome difficulty. Director Chadi Aoun shows how Lebanese dance and music give young people strength to persist through difficult periods.
Image: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
After All
Although many animated films are made using digital techniques, a great number are still done by hand. Whether they are drawn, painted or animated with puppets, films that use such traditional methods turn up surprisingly often. An excellent example is the Australian film "After All" by director Michael Cusack. It uses puppets to tell the story of a man looking back on his life.
Image: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
Zentralmuseum (Central Museum)
Jochen Kuhn is one of the most well-known German animated film directors and has frequently shown his work at the festival. This year, he presents his film "Zentralmuseum" ("Central Museum"). Kuhn's work has received many awards including the German Film Critic's Prize. Since 1991, he has taught at the Baden-Württemberg Film Academy.
Image: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
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Two pirates row in small nutshells, hurling insults at one another. A moment later, however, they're overtaken by two giant ships in the midst of a battle. This lively animation is part of the trailer for the 24th International Festival of Animated Film in Stuttgart. The trailer is witty and engaging, yet short and colorful, much like many of the films on display.
The festival is one of the best-known in the animation field and attracts entries from all over the world. Many are serious and contemplative and take on political topics, such as recalling grievous dictatorships, political persecution and even war.
The length and variety of films shown at the festival vary. Many are shorter than one minute, while some are over two hours long. Some entries are made in private studios, while others are created in film schools. Many are debuts by animation artists who may go on to achieve fame in the field. As a result, spectators at this year's festival, held between May 2 and 7, will have difficulty deciding what to watch. What other festival can offer 1,000 films in just a few days?
Some of the showings are held outdoorsImage: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
This year, 80,000 visitors are expected to fill cinemas and outdoor venues to watch films and attend a wide variety of events held during the period. One area, for example, is dedicated to gaming. The GameZone "shows the link between games and animation with the latest developments of virtual and augmented reality," according to event organizers.
Animated films in Arabic
Music, too, plays an important role in this year's festival. Not only will numerous music videos be presented; live performances of jazz, opera, film music and world music will also take place.
There will also be retrospectives focusing on the works of animation masters. Country-specific focuses will shine the spotlight on Croatia and the Arabic-speaking world.
And like many other festivals, the best films will receive awards. Films in nine different categories compete to receive a total of 7,000 euros ($7,600).