MOME Animation films at KISKAKAS

In 2013 KISKAKAS presents the most recent films produced at MOME Animation. Shorts made in the framework of the incubator program of MOME Anim, as well as diploma films and the most successful assignment works are screened in two sets.

MOME ANIM Premiere

The selection presents the 2013 diploma films and the short film adaptations of contemporary Hungarian poets created in the framework of the incubator program. While based on different genres, covering a wide range of topics, the experimenting spirit intensely exploring the style, the narrative, and the forms of adaptation possibilities is the common ground of these works.

MOME ANIM Friss

Offering a selection from the assignment works of the students, this screening block presents the unique styles, the different animation methods starting from puppet to drawn animation that are represented at MOME Anim. They might be based on the same topic, each and every short film is a special, exciting work on its own. The complete animation spot series created for KAFF 2013 is also screened here.

Selection from the films of KATARIINA LILLQVIST

Born in 1963, Katariina Lillqvist is a puppet animator of worldwide reputation and has been focusing on this genre for over a decade. She has worked in all fields of animation: as editor, script writer, producer and director; her works have made her famous all around the world, pretty likely she is the most well-known Finnish animation artist abroad. During her career she has worked in the studio of Jiri Trnka, and Czech animation cooperations still play an important role in her work.

Due to their style and brave topics like pacifism and female independence, the unique puppet animations of Katariina Lillqvist have generated admiration and revulsion alike. Her artistic approach carries a strong message of piece and equality.

Kiskakas presents the Hungarian audience four of her films and happily welcomes the artist who will give a short presentation about her ouvre.

Contemporary Finnish animation in the program of KISKAKAS 6

What is the characteristic of Finnish animation films?

A unique point of view, dark, even morbid humour... all these have become the trademarks of the works successfully participating in different festivals. At the same time, animation life has in the past ten years gathered momentum in Finland that is well proven by the Angry Birds game and its film adaptions. In parallel with that, several independent studios have been founded where the most up-to-date CGI, as well as classic animation techniques are used to create series, feature films, contents for children. The contemporary Finnish screening offers a selection from these colourful works that is completed with the presentation of Antrea Harlin, the producer of Helsinki-based Anima Boutique.

Introduction of the Turku Academy of Arts

The Animation Department of the Turku Academy of Arts has won the title of the Best Animation School of the Year twice: the title was awarded to them at the Ottawa and the Zagreb Film Festivals. The school aims at creating world-class education and works based on local animation traditions. Their films are characterised by absurd humour, a surreal point of view and personal approach.

Eija Saarinen, leader of the animation department accompanies the two selections put together for the audience of KISKAKAS from the most successful films and the most recent diploma works made at the academy.

CalArts (California Institute of the Arts), the special guest of KISKAKAS 6

CalArts, the institution of world-wide reputation was founded by Walt Disney in 1969. Founding a school where the students of different fields of art can work together in interdisciplinary situations was a pioneering idea that at that time. The film training of CalArts inspires its students to create pieces of unique style and tone. Thanks to the school's great relationship with the biggest animation studios (Disney, Dreamworks, Pixar, and so on), fresh graduates are at an advantage when trying to find jobs in the film industry.

The Assistant Dean of CalArts and the leader of the animation department, Prof. Leo Hobaica is the special guest of KISKAKAS this year. He gives a presentation about the secrets of the school's success.

ASF (Animation Sans Frontiéres) selection

The ASF (animation without borders) education programme was launched in 2008 in the partnership of our acclaimed European animation workshops. The goal of the animation production workshop run by the four participating universities – Gobelins, Paris; Filmakademie Baden–Württemberg, Germany; The Animation Workshop, Denmark and MOME, Hungary – is to help young animation film makers in starting their career. The four universities have different profiles, albeit all of them are leaders of animation education in their respective countries. The ASF compilation offers a collection of the 2013 diploma works of our three partner institutions.

Guest presentations

It is the 6th year that KISKAKAS offer an overview of some of the emerging animation workshops from around the world, partly with the aim of educating the animation students of MOME and young Hungarian animation artists. In order to achieve this, important figures, teachers, filmmakers are invited to take part in this process and share their experiences.

With Finland as the guest of honour this year, we can listen to three Finnish presentations: Katriina Lillqvist, puppet animation filmmaker talks about a personal story, the Turku Academy of Arts is represented by the leader of the animation department, Eija Saarinen, while contemporary Finnish animation is discussed by Antrea Harlin, the producer of Anima Boutique, a Helsinki-based team recently emerging as a leading studio.

The special guest of this year's film days is CalArts, the school that has become the center of the animation world industry: they are represented by its assistant dean Leo Hobaica.

Dazoo – Film distribution in the age of new media

In the past two decades or so the distribution of animation, and even live action films has changed almost completely. The spread of new media and the sudden advance of digital equipments, the universality of online culture created new distribution and financing possibilities for animated works. In parallel with the alternatives mostly based on traditional business and legal models, solutions involving audience activity are increasingly prevalent. The representatives of Daazo provide insight to the most recent trends through discussing the new possibilities of the new world, and presenting their own activities and methods.