Animation is taught in many ways around Europe and there is a big difference between the schools of the V4 countries and those from the western Europe. Western schools focus more on the technical and practical skills that prepare students for work opportunities. V4 countries focus on securing the continuity of their animation tradition, and they incline towards analogue technique. They are mostly focused on the development of various animation techniques which creates a unique animation environment in the EU context. Thanks to this approach, the V4 region has raised many distinct authorial voices but they remain isolated in their efforts, lack exchange of know-how and many students lack the skills needed to succeed at the job market. The goal of V4 Student forum is to provide animation schools with a stimulating platform tailored to their needs where they can exchange know-how, find ways to cooperate, and network. We also want to connect V4 animation schools with schools from other parts of the world.
V4 Student Forum offers participating schools and students the opportunity to present themselves, their work, and ideas, promote emerging talents, establish new and exciting collaborations, meet industry professionals, and learn from one another. The three-day programme includes numerous activities: presentations, networking, discussions and so on.
V4 Student Forum is the only event focused on networking and capacity building of schools, teachers and students at the same time. We are proud to say that we are the only platform of this kind to provide this service in the long-term horizon. Participants of the V4 Student Forum will also have access to the parallel event Student Forum, which is focused on bringing together the schools, its representatives, and students from the broader European region. Students and teachers from V4 region will have an unique opportunity to not only get to know other schools and their approach to the animation but also to network, share knowledge and have an opportunity to meet with producers and distributors.
The 2023 V4 Student forum Fest Anča proudly welcomes four attending schools: The Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Lodz, Poland; The Academy of Performing arts in Prague AMU – Film and TV school FAMU; Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Hungary (MOME) and The Film and Television Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Slovakia (VŠMU).
The 2023 V4 Student forum Fest Anča is part of Fest Anča International Animation Festival (June 29 to July 2, 2023 in Žilina, Slovakia).
The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
The Film and Television Faculty is the oldest and most prestigious film school in Slovakia. It provides education to especially gifted students, further develops their talent and artistic abilities, and leads them to a deepening of their individual personal expression. The faculty emphasises the adoption of high professional standards across all fundamental film professions. It supports contemporary trends in cinematography, and welcomes all those who believe that superficiality can be avoided and feel the creative need for an artistic response to the world.
The Animation Department educates and trains dramaturgically-oriented artists, animators, and directors for all types and genres of animation – classic or computer-generated. Students gain practical and theoretical knowledge, and participate in a wide range of workshops, seminars, studio work, professional conferences, festivals, etc. This prepares the way towards their graduate authorial statement final work – an original animated film with a strong theme and message.
vsmu.sk
The Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU) is the fifth oldest film school in Europe. Its students‘ films win dozens of annual awards at international film festivals. By combining practical and theoretical approaches, FAMU’s study programmes enable students to gain a comprehensive set of skills and knowledge needed to work in all professions related to film, television, photography, and new media. FAMU has twelve departments: Directing, Documentary Film, Cinematography, Editing, Photography, Sound, Animated Film, Scriptwriting and Dramaturgy, Game Design, Audiovisual Studies, and FAMU International.
The Department of Animated Film works on the principal aesthetic assumption that animated film is a dramatic art. The cornerstone of students’ work is a short animated film – a specific format and starting point for other types and forms of animation. Students learn to ensure that their films communicate to viewers. The teaching system is built on the principle of electivity, and aims to produce educated, well-rounded filmmakers with personality and artistic vision.
famu.cz
The Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź, one of the oldest film schools in the world, places special emphasis on practical work in its teaching programme. The school educates directors, directors of photography, animators, photographers, screenwriters, editors, film and television production managers, and actors. Future filmmakers are provided with the latest equipment, including digital cameras. The school also employs professional camera operators and sound recordists, with extensive knowledge and experience to help students make their first films. The school provides everything needed to explore every ambitious idea and develop young talent.
The Animation & Special Effects Faculty highlights teaching students how to design and make animated films and special effects with the use of various digital and analogue cameras, as well as computer programmes. Skilful storytelling, bold themes, diverse animation techniques, experiments, and improvisation are the features that distinguish the animated short films made by this faculty’s students.
filmschool.lodz.pl
The Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) promotes an alliance of science and arts. Its creative work continues to be characterised by a synthesis of social demands, technological opportunities, economic assets, and environmental resources. MOME is an open university that cooperates with non-governmental organisations and civil initiatives, as well as state representatives, local governments, and market participants. MOME is building a strong professional and civil community that strives to become a key player both in Hungary and in the wider international environment.
The MOME Anim animation community is one of Hungary’s most influential creative workshops and intellectual centres of animation. The department offers BA and MA animation programmes, short term courses, and international training programmes. In partnership with domestic and international partners, it also brings various animation projects to life, such as the KISKAKAS (“Little Rooster”) Film Days, various exhibitions, film premieres and screenings, conferences, and professional panels.
mome.hu
ARRIVAL
New Synagogue Bar
Get Together Breakfast
New Synagogue
School Presentation + Student Films Screening + Discussion
Ole Christoffer Haga, Nina Bergström
INN – The Game School at the Faculty of Audiovisual Media and Creative Technologies, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway
How do schools approach the teaching of animation? What does their curriculum look like? What is a graduate’s profile? Participating school’s representatives will address these and other questions in their presentations.
Alumni talk
The representatives of Student Forum 2022 share their experience and their news
VŠMU – Film and Television Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Slovakia
MOME – Animation Department at the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Hungary
ŁÓDŹ – Film and TV Direction Department at the Łódź Film School, Poland
FAMU – Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Czech Republic
LUNCH
School Presentation + Student Films Screening + Discussion
Martin Kukal
UTB – Faculty of Multimedia Communications, Tomáš Baťa University in Zlín, Czech Republic
How do schools approach the teaching of animation? What does their curriculum look like? What is a graduate’s profile? Participating school’s representatives will address these and other questions in their presentations.
COFFEE BREAK
Žilina sightseeing
New Synagogue Bar
DINNER
New Synagogue
Presentation_Pixelatl, Introducing MIYU Distribution
Luce Grosjean, Miyu Distribution
Luce, the Cofounder & president of Miyu Distribution, takes us for a grand tour of Miyu production and distribution.
COFFEE BREAK
School Presentation + Student Films Screening + Discussion
Lyza Jarvis, Bruno Quast
EKA – Estonian Academy of Arts, Tallinn, Estonia
How do schools approach the teaching of animation? What does their curriculum look like? What is a graduate’s profile? Participating school’s representatives will address these and other questions in their presentations.
LUNCH
School Presentation + Student Films Screening + Discussion
Tina Smrekar, Kolja Saksida
UNG – School of Arts, University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia
COFFEE BREAK
International cooperation at schools
Representatives of the participating schools will discuss how international cooperation works in their institutions.
SYNAGOGUE TOUR
Stanica
NETWORKING PARTY
SCREENING – UTOPIAS: World Ended – What Next?
FEST ANČA WARM-UP
New Synagogue
School Presentation + Student Films Screening + Discussion
Petra Zlonoga, Daniel Šuljić
UNIZG – Academy of Fine Arts, University of Zagreb, Croatia
How do schools approach the teaching of animation? What does their curriculum look like? What is a graduate’s profile? Participating school’s representatives will address these and other questions in their presentations.
COFFEE BREAK
Schools and Their Approach to Animation Education + Discussion
LUNCH
13:30 – 15:00 V4 Student Film Success Story Case study, Love, Dad / Milý tati
Diana Cam Van Nguyen (director), Karolína Davidová (producer)
In 2021, Prague-based Czech-Vietnamese director Diana Cam Van Nguyen, premiered her latest short film, Love, Dad, which was made as a Czech-Slovak co-production. The movie has been winning awards on the festival circuit ever since. Learn about the film’s journey and the authors‘ success story.
COFFEE BREAK
Opportunities of Funding International Projects
Veronika Haberlandová from the Slovak Academy of International Cooperation, National Agency of Erasmus+, will present different possibilities for universities in the area of creating joint projects with funding from the Erasmus+ programme
AFN: How Do Festivals and Audiences See Your Film?
AFN network representatives will share their insights and first hand experience from festivals.
The CEE Animation Festival Network (AFN) gathers five partners: Animafest Zagreb (Zagreb, Croatia) Anifilm International Festival of Animated Films, (Liberec, Czech Republic), Fest Anča International Animation Festival (Žilina, Slovakia), Animest International Animation Film Festival (Bucharest, Romania), and Animateka International Animated Film Festival (Ljubljana, Slovenia).
FESTIVAL OPENING CEREMONY at the Town Theatre Žilina
OPENING PARTY in the New Synagogue Bar
Presentation of the International Visegrad Fund
Martin Marciňa from the International Visegrad Fund will present the opportunities of the IVF to support projects involving not just the V4 participants.
How does co-producing between schools and studios work in Poland?
Wojtek Leszczynski and Anna Mroczek from WJT Company in Poland present their work and share how their film production company cooperates with students.
COFFEE BREAK
Schools Representatives Roundtable
Trip for students
Festival programme
AWARD CEREMONY at the Town Theatre Žilina
PARTY in the foyer of the Town Theatre Žilina
DEPARTURE