The now virtual event, scheduled for September 23 – October 4, will feature screenings, virtual artist talks, workshops, and meetings with schools and recruiters.
The OIAF 2020 jury is as follows:
- Pixie Cram: a filmmaker and animator who lives in the Ottawa-Gatineau region and creates work on themes of nature, technology, and war.
- Brandon Blommaert: a Montreal based artist who has been working with synesthetic merging of sound and image since 2004.
- Donald McWilliams: a live-action and animation filmmaker who has been a part of the NFB Animation Studio for four decades.
- Wong Ping: a self-taught animator born in Hong Kong, whose videos take on a bright and childlike aesthetic.
- Lise Fearnley: the co-founder of Mikrofilm, who has produced more than 30 animated shorts, including an Oscar winner.
- Amy Kravitz: an award-winning animator and teacher who encourages students to develop individual approaches to the medium.
According to Neal, while having a limited number of in-theatre events is not completely off the table, with social distancing and reduced international travel it would be impossible to hold a traditional event. 80% of OIAF attendees are from out of town including large groups of animation students coming from the USA. Organizers felt it was also much too risky on many levels.
The Animation Conference (TAC), OIAF’s industry event, will also move online. Director Azarin Sohrabkhani, who is working to involve decision-makers from around the world in her planning, noted, “This is a great opportunity to meet with even more potential partners than the live event since travel has been taken out of the equation.”
More information about Online OIAF will be rolling out over the summer including pass and ticket prices and programming details.
Source: Ottawa International Animation Festival
Dan Sarto(link sends e-mail) is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
