Anima Festival Showcases Estonia in its 2018 edition

Anima Festival Showcases Estonia in its 2018 edition

In addition to the major events for young and old alike, the 37th ANIMA Festival has chosen to spotlight the work of Estonia, a particularly prolific country in terms of animation.

As part of centenary of the country's independence,  Anima  is  pleased  to  host  this  great  retrospective illustrating the abundant creativity of the country . In particular, we will be able to discover films from the Estonian Academy of Arts as well as works by Priit Pärn, created alone or with his wife Olga Pärn. This star of Estonian animation started out during the Soviet era, where his already offbeat  and surrealistic films triggered a storm with the bureaucracy.  Otherwise, blue, black and white, the three co-lours of the Estonian flag, three symbols linked to the infinity of the sea and the sky, the blackness of the earth and the whiteness of the snow, will cover the topics of the compilations of Estonian films. Festival - Anima Festival Catalogue

A film retrospective of Estonian filmmaker Priit Pärn (and a masterclass on 15/2) as well as an exhibition dedicated to the famous stop-motion Nukufilm studio is scheduled. Anu-Laura Tuttelberg, author of Fly Mill (2012) serves as Jury Member at the festival.

The blue, black and white tribute is curated by Mari-Liis Rebane (also advised by Priit Tender, artistic director of PÕFF Shorts) for Anima Festival.

Among the films featured in the program, there are works from directors from several generations - Elbert Tuganov and Eino Pars, maestro Rein Raamat, Mati Kütt, Kalju Kivi, Rao Heidmets, Riho Unt, Ülo Pikkov, Priit Tender, Kristjan Holm, Chintis Lundgren, Sander Joon , Kaspar Jancis etc. Several filmmakers have also been invited to introduce their films and talk about their work at the Anima Festival in Brussels.

Smaller viewers will be part of the Estonian Children's Program. One of the most spectacular parts of the special program is the traveling exhibition of one of the oldest stop-motion studios in Europe - Nukufilm. Estonia's Special Focus will be opened on February 10, when the brilliant short film "Strawberry Eaters" by Mattias Mälk, produced at Joonisfilm Studio, will be premiered. "Strawberry Eaters" is a fantasy film about a couple - two strawberry farmers whose field is destroyed by ravenous snails. The couple tries to start a new life in the city but when the woman announces her husband they’re expecting a child, the paranoid man suspects that snails are behind that as well.

Estonian animators will be given pride of place in a special focus presenting programmes of films for children and adults.

Full programme:

Miriam and Her Estonian Buddies
Sat., Feb. 10 at 16:00, Studio 5
Dialog-free films for little ones, created by great animators with childlike hearts working away in the studios of Tallin with their puppets, toys, characters and overflowing imaginations.

Carrot, Pärtel Tall; Tutu Funnytooth, Mattias Mälk; Ada + Otto, Ülo Pikkov; Miriam’s Homeless Dog, Andres Tenusaar; Packed Like Sardines, Stella Salumaa; Pipe Piper, Malle Valli, Marili Sokk, Piret Sigus, Triin Sarapik-Kivi; Lemonade Tale, Vallo Toomla.

Estonian Dreams – Blue Love
Sat. Feb. 10 at 18:00, Studio 5 | Sun. Feb. 11 at 21:45, Studio 1
What is humanity’s biggest issue, if not love that defies skin colour or flags? Whether bitter-sweet, enchanting or depressing, it leaves no one indifferent.

Strawberry Eaters, Mattias Mälk; Bird Flu, Priit Tender; The Triangle Affair, Andres Tenusaar; Crocodile, Kaspar Jancis; Once in the Fields of Boredom, Teele Strauss; Manivald, Chintis Lundgren.

Estonian Dreams – White Dreams
Mon. Feb. 12 at 21:45, Studio 1 | Sat. 17 at 18:00, Studio 5
Imagination, fantasy, dreams and reality are the keywords of this program, full of hope; a mix of abstraction and realism, past and present, leading inexorably to an unpredictable future.

The Master, Riho Unt; On the Other Side of the Woods, Anu-Laura Tuttelberg; Urbanimatio, Hardi Volmer, Urmas Joemees; Elutuba, Rao Heidmets; Moulinet, Sander Joon; The Dress, Girlin Bassovskaja; Underground, Mati Kütt; Empty Space, Ülo Pikkov.

The Master, Riho Unt

Estonian Dreams – Black Tie, Tongue in Cheek
Tue. Feb. 13 at 21:45, Studio 1 | Thu. Feb. 15 at 21:45, Studio 1
Politics and its constraints, past or present, during occupation or independence. The films show different forms of social control, ways to play with it and laugh at it, without taking themselves too seriously.

Worst-Case Scenario, Kristjan Holm; Knot, Kalju Kivi; Park, Tuganov; In the Air, Martinus Daane Klemet; Kilplased, Rein Raamat; Barbarians, Hardi Volmer; Nail, Heino Pars; Exercises in Preparation for Independent Life, Priit Pärn.

Priit Pärn Retrospective
Wed. Feb. 14 at 20:00, Studio 5 | Sat. 17 at 20:00, Studio 5
Estonia’s star of animation started out during the Soviet era, where his already offbeat and surrealistic films triggered a storm with the bureaucracy. He has since spent his time fine-tuning a very personal and highly original graphic style that often serves a black humor with many allusions to current times. His more recent films have been co-directed with his wife Olga.

Hotel E (1992, 30 min.), 1895 (1995, 30 min.), Karl & Marilyn (2003, 24 min.)

Priit & Olga Pärn Retrospective
Wed. Feb. 14 at 22:00, Studio 5 | Thu. Feb. 15 at 20:00, Studio 5
Life without Gabriela Ferri (2008, 44 min.), Divers in the Rain (2009, 24 min.), Pilots on the Way Home (2014, 17 min.)

Life Without Gabriella Ferri

School Focus: Estonian Academy of Arts
Thu. Feb. 15 at 17:00, Studio 1
Presentation of films from the latest students of the Estonian Academy of Arts by its most famous teacher, Priit Pärn, who is reputed for influencing a number of generations.

Small House, Kristjan Holm; International Father’s Day, Edmunds Jansons; Not About Us, Michael Frei; Eine Murul, Erik Alunurm, Mari Pakkas, Mihkel Reha, Mari-Liis Rebane; Fly Mill, Anu-Laura Tuttelberg; At the End of the Day, Lilli-Kroot Repnau; Penelope, Heta Jäälinoja; Pekk, August Varustin, Morten Tsinakov, Paula Mauer; Velodrool, Sander Joon; Suma, Lucija Mrzljak; Five Steps to the Right, Aggie Lee Pak Yee; Chronical Circus, Helen Woolston; Clown Follies, Aili Allas; Gaia, Jass Kaselaan.

View the full schedule:

The 37th Anima Festival takes place 9-18 February 2018 in Brussels. The 2018 poster was made by Belgian illustrator Noémie Marsily.

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