Visit 27th World Festival of Animated Films – Animafest Zagreb 2017
27th World Festival of Animated Films, also called Animafest Zagreb, is a film festival held annually in Zagreb, this year from 5th till 10th of June. Did you know that this festival dates back all the way to 1972? Yes, I know, fascinating! Well, it all started because of great authors from Zagreb School of Animated Films that produced animated films back in the 50s and 60s. One of these authors is Dusan Vuketic. He is Croatia's most famous producer of animated films, as his film 'Surogat' (eng. The Substitute), the first animated film outside of USA, won an Oscar for best animated film in 1962. He and many other Croatian authors were recognized and appreciated all over the world, hence the foundation of the festival. Animafest is the second oldest festival of this genre and it's officially supported by International Animated Film Association.
Image Credit: Nina Durdevic & Sanja Bistricic, Animafest Zagreb
Animafest offers more than 300 animated films, a lot of them for children and young people. It means you will find something for yourself and enjoy it, I can guarantee you. I visited this festival last year and I was sad it lasted for few days as I didn’t have enough time to see just about everything I wanted to. From worldwide animated movies to shows, workshops, classes, science symposium, school presentations, book presentations, site-specific movies and watching animated films out in the open in Zagreb’s beautiful parks and streets. There's something for everyone's taste in the programme. The concept of Animafest is simple – to appreciate animated films from all over the world and to enjoy the thematic side of the programme and events that celebrate the art of animation. This year’s main theme is the connection of comic books and animation. Also, the festival covers the best animated films from recent years and also masterpieces of all times. A perfect mixture of present and past, don’t you think?
Image Credit: Nina Durdevic & Sanja Bistricic, Animafest Zagreb
There will be a competition of animated films. Short film competition, feature film competition, student’s film competition, just to name a few. More than 1,600 animated films from 76 countries have entered the Animafest competition and 800 of them competed in feature film competition. 44 of them are qualified and you’ll get to see them. Those films come from countries like France, which has 9 films in the competition, Poland, Germany, Canada, and USA with 3 films in the competition. Scandinavian animated films are also in the competition, along with Croatian films, as well. The diversity will take your breath away!
Alongside traditional locations, Kino Europa and Kino Tuskanac movie theaters, the screenings of animated films will be held in Kinoteka, another famous Zagreb's movie theatre. Even before the official start of the festival, there will be some fun activities like Open Air Picnic in park Zrinjevac and Animacikl bicycles with projectors which made the city one big movie theatre. By now, you missed out on those activities, but don't worry! Open Air Animafest will be held during the whole festival, with screenings in park Zrinjevac, Ribnjak, Gradec, and Art Park. Also, site-specific animated films from 11 countries in a competition called 'Animation goes MSU!' will be held on the media walls of Museum of Modern Art in Novi Zagreb.
Image Credit: Nina Durdevic & Sanja Bistricic, Animafest Zagreb
You can buy tickets for the whole festival at Kupiulaznicu.hr at the price of 200 kunas for adults and 180 kunas for students. The festival ticket allows you to visit all the screenings except for the grand opening of the festival. Also, if you don’t want to see all the screenings, you can buy tickets for each film you want to visit. If you plan to come with your family, there are options for you to get the family tickets at fair prices.
This festival is a perfect opportunity to discover your inner child. So much stuff to do and so much animated films to watch. As I mentioned before, I visited Animafest last year. Personally, I liked children's competition the most because I really like to watch any sort of animated films, especially cartoons for children. When I watch them, it's like a getaway from problems and entering the world where anything is possible and magical. Luckily, the programme was so good that my inner child was happy for a long time after the festival. But, Animafest is so much more than that. I was astonished by animated films with strong messages about everyday's life and problems all of us have. Those films will take you on a journey to a perfect mixture of animations and teach you how to make the world a better place for everyone. Watching them will make you think about yourself and everything around you in a best possible way, as it happened to me. Also, my advice to you - don't be fooled if the titles of animated films are a bit off, or even quite old, because all of them have something you can learn and you'll be surprised how much a film can change your perspective about pretty much everything.
Animafest is here to take us to a magical world of animation - celebrating the art, creativity, and ideas through films and programmes made for all tastes. Connecting adults, young people, and children with high quality animated films from all around the world sounds like a good time to me. I won't miss Animfest this year, neither should you. What are you waiting for? Let the animations begin!
Header Image Credit: Goran Radosevic, Animafest Zagreb
Author: Tajana Pran