This year The Baltics are visiting Animateka festival in Ljubljiana, Slovenia. The Baltics Visiting Programme  attempts to showcase what is best in animated production of the three Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Things are heating up with the festival trailer, which is based on the design of this year's Artist in residence, Edmunds Jansons (Latvia). Jansons is the director of International Father's Day (2012), Isle of Seals (2014), and the feature animation Jacob, Mimmi and the Talking Dogs (2019).

The three fishermen have to let themselves be led by the mermaid they tried to catch.The trailer is animated by Zarja Menart and equipped with sound by Matjaž Moraus Zdešar.

Edmunds Jansons is also the festival poster's designer:

From its very beginning the cinema has developed as a two-headed eagle - with one head looking into reality - documenting, observing, commenting our lives; the other head looking to the magical side of life - where the dreams, tricks and fantasies are. What I like about animation the most is that these two sides/directions coexist there naturally. That feeling about the duality of animation - I tried to capture it in the poster. Why fishermen - that’s the first image that comes to my mind when I hear “Baltics” - sea, fish, boats, fishermen - silent, harsh and strong - Edmunds Jansons

Latvian author Gints Zilbalodis will also visit Ljubljana, and will take part at AnimatekaPRO platform presenting his animated feature film Away (also screened during the festival) [here's our film review].

Submissions of short animated films are still open (till 5 Sep) for the:
- Eastern and Central European competition programme (main competition programme, films are competing for the Jury Grand Prix and the Audience Award);
- Young Talent competition programme (competition programme for films of students of animation, films are competing for the Young Talent: An Academy of Fine Arts and Design (University of Ljubljana) and School of Arts (University of Nova Gorica) Award);
- The Elephant in competition programme (competition programme for films for children, films are competing for The Elephant: Children Jury Award)

• The Official Festival Page

• View Our Comprehensive Animateka Festival Coverage (incl. Call for entries)

The 16th edition of the Animateka International Animated Film Festival takes place between 3 and 8 December 2019.

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