Fest Anča International Animation Festival’s 17th edition’s official selection showcases the past two years’ best animation. 1,340 films from countries across the globe were submitted, of which the pre-selection committee has chosen 206 fresh and authentic films. Festivalgoers can watch them in just a few months in Žilina from 25 to 30 June 2024.

This year’s main competition features animation techniques and progressive approaches to narration in animated film.

Contemporary issues are also reflected in submitted films – where war conflicts, immigration, and the disintegration of relationships are all interpreted with perspective and courage. The official selection also features films brimming with kindness, humour and the absurd. “Pushing the usual boundaries is demonstrated by the films’ longer runtimes. This trend makes us happy since it’s a sign of an ongoing emancipation of animated films,” said Jakub Spevák, programme director and pre-selection committee member.

Pre-selection committee member Peter Gašparík adds: “For the first time, many submitted films are AI-produced. Yet few deployed AI well, while the rest fell short of official selection.”

PROFESSIONALS & STUDENTS

The main competition includes 32 films, a third of which are student-made and will compete for the Anča Award in Best Student Animated Short. “Students have the courage to introduce atypical topics and experiment with means of expression. The gap between professional- and student-made films is getting less discernible year-by-year,” agreed pre-selection committee members Peter Gašparík and Ema Nemčovičová.

Student films include the American film fur that explores how mutual fondness can turn sour and go completely pear-shaped. Carcinization by Denis Souza, an emerging Brazilian author, is an atypical work about the desire to become a crab. Fest Anča visitors may already know Polish student Barbara Rupik – her new film Such Miracles Do Happen about saints’ statues that come alive is entered into the student film section and has been selected for renowned festivals in Annecy and Clermont-Ferrand.

Fest Anča visitors can look forward to seasoned Hungarian animator Flóra Anna Buda’s long-anticipated 27, which has already made an impression at Cannes, Annecy, Toronto, and Sundance. The selection also features the documentary film Maurice’s Bar by Tom Prezman and Tzor Edery that depicts a queer hang out. The main competition also includes I Smell a Mouse by Finnish author Iiti Yli-Harja whose film Blush – An Extraordinary Voyage you might remember from last year’s Fest Anča. This category also includes The Rubbings of Trajectories by Cheng-Hsu Chung, a jury member at last year’s Fest Anča.

The Anča Award winners of Best Animated Short and Best Slovak Animated Short are also eligible to compete in the 96th Academy Awards®’s short film category , as Fest Anča has been an Oscar® qualifying festival since last year.

ORIGINAL TESTIMONIES BY SLOVAK FILMMAKERS

Slovak animation comprises a major part of Fest Anča’s selection. Hello Summer by successful Veronika Zacharová and Martin Smatana will be screened in the main and Slovak competition. The Slovak section also features Wereawolf by Slovak animation student Niko Mlynarčík, which depicts online manipulation and harassment.

“It’s great to see Slovak animation growing every year – as proven by our student films in the Slovak competition,” said Jakub Spevák, Fest Anča’s programme director.

MUSIC VIDEOS

“We were surprised by the wide range of animated music genres this year. Fest Anča’s visitors can watch a fusion of visuals with post-punk, dream-pop, and even a jazz rendition of a medieval song,” observed programme assistant Ema Nemčovičová.

Viewers can see Raman Djafari’s newest work, which accompanies DJ Piper’s RIP TXL and Ashnikko’s Worms. He is joined by renowned Chilean duo Joaquín Cociña and Cristóbal León’s stop-motion music video that uses life-size puppets to accompany PJ Harvey’s I Inside the Old I Dying. The Chilean directors were jury members at Fest Anča 2021, and their films are regularly awarded at the biggest film festivals.

Slovak music videos include Prezident Lourajder – Lunapark with accompanying visuals by Matej Mihályi, Cassels – About Not Writing by Michal Mikuš, and Ankramu – Majstre by Marián Vredík.

FILMS FOR CHILDREN

Fest Anča has a varied film programme for children and parents. Original films speak to kids about the world in a way that stimulates their imagination and ability to think. And these films are an especially big draw because they’re not screened at regular cinemas.

Spin Cycle from the competition section portrays the importance of new friendships, while the Croatian film Butterfly features environmental issues and Battery Mommy depicts a winter afternoon’s kindergarten hero.

Slovakia is represented in the children’s competition by FAMU student Eva Matejovičová’s Writing Home where a little bug loses its home because of human negligence, but people help find its home again.

AND FINALLY…

Non-competition sections feature the newest films by well-known animation names such as Sasha Svirsky, Luca Tóth, and Max Hattler. we’ll also be screening the distinctive Electra by successful artist Daria Kashcheeva.

Fest Anča also includes special non-competition sections such as animated documentaries, contemporary abstract and non-narrative animation, and even extremely short films, as well as the ever-popular Anča in Mordor and Anča in Wonderland with their atypical cinematic collection.

This year’s festival also includes an international competition of animated shorts and music videos, as well as thematic and specifically focused screening sections. Fest Anča is from 25 to 30 June in Žilina and has six glorious programme days including lectures and numerous accompanying activities.

Fest Anča International Animation Festival gives visitors the opportunity to see the Slovak premiere of many films. “Our diverse programme and wide range of films are a unique attraction for festival goers,” observes festival director Ivana Sujová.

Fest Anča International Animation Festival 2024 was financially supported by the Audiovisual Fund. The festival was financially supported by the LITA Fund.

COMPETITION SECTIONS

*s = student film

FILMS COMPETING FOR THE ANČA AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATED SHORT AND BEST STUDENT ANIMATED SHORT(S)

MUSIC VIDEOS COMPETING FOR THE ANČA AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATED MUSIC VIDEO

FILMS COMPETING FOR THE ANČA AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATED SHORT FOR CHILDREN

FILMS COMPETING FOR THE ANČA AWARD FOR BEST SLOVAK ANIMATED SHORT

NON-COMPETITION SECTIONS

SHORT FILMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

SLOVAK SHORT FILMS

SHORT FILMS FOR CHILDREN

SHORT ANIMATED DOCUMENTARY

CONTEMPORARY ABSTRACT AND NON-NARRATIVE ANIMATION

ANČA IN WONDERLAND

ANČA IN MORDOR

EXTREMELY SHORT SECTION OF EXTREMELY SHORT FILMS