Mimi & Lisa: The Christmas Lights Mystery and Other Stories
On the 6th December 2018 a set of short films for small children and their parents about the extraordinary friendship of two little girls, Mimi and Lisa, will be released in Czech cinemas. Seven short stories depict the magical adventures of a blind girl and her friend. Target audience: 4 to 8 years. The Slovak studio Fool Moon and the Czech MAUR film took part in the production, with co-production by Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS). The film was created with the support of the Slovak Audiovisual Fund and the Czech State Cinematography Fund. According to producer Martin Vandas (MAUR film), the fact that the main heroine Mimi is blind played an important role in approaching partners and famous Czech actors, who lent their voices to the characters. “These are beautiful and powerful stories where a disability is not a disability. On a European scale, it’s a completely original idea to tell children about their blind peers and show them that although the blind may not be able to see, their other sense perceptions are much more intense and we can learn a lot from them; they can experience adventures in the childhood world together with us. Both girls […] ...
Sabine Minniti, MEDIA Creative Europe: “I see shy people here. Show the world what your talent is!”
One of the busiest guests of this year’s Visegrad Animation Forum in Třeboň (CZ) was Sabine Minniti, Team Leader of the TV Programming, Audience and Innovative Approaches sector for MEDIA Creative Europe. Minniti’s hands-on workshop provided participants with practical tips on filling out the TV Programming Application for Creative Europe Media. In terms of producers from Central and Eastern Europe, not many have been successful in this respect; to be specific – only one project, the Slovak-Polish-Czech project “Websters” from director and producer Katarina Kerekes, has been funded. In total, 23 projects were supported by MEDIA last year, most of which were largely successful in France, Great Britain and Germany. Preference is given to projects for young audiences and low or medium capacity production. An important condition for awarding the grant is the contractual provision of at least 50% of third party financing (broadcasters, public financing, sales agents, etc.). About 10 to 11 broadcasters were involved in selected projects, with the participation of at least 3 out of 3 different countries. All attendees of VAF2018 were given the opportunity to ask questions and consult their projects individually. Sabine Minniti also kindly gave an interview for the Association of Czech Animation […] ...
First Time in the Central and Eastern European Region – Visegrad Animation Forum Gives Space to Projects of Animated Feature Films in Development
The sixth year of the international Visegrad Animation Forum for film professionals will take place on 1st – 3rd May. As a tradition, it will be centred on a pitching competition of animated projects now in development in two categories – short films and series / TV specials. This year’s novelty is a pitching competition of upcoming animated feature films. It is organised by the Visegrad Animation Forum in cooperation with the Anifilm Festival and the newly established CEE Animation platform. This will be the first time in history that the region of Central and Eastern Europe will see a presentation of feature films that are still in development. Feature film is a distinguished discipline in animation. Such production ventures require courage, patience, and a great deal of energy. That’s why animated feature films are often eagerly awaited. Last year’s animation sensation – again from the CEE region – was Loving Vincent (dir. Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman, POL), which has circled the world, broken box office records and collected a number of prestigious awards – including the European Film Award or a Golden Globe nomination. At the beginning of 2018, Jan Švankmajer, a strong name in Czech animation, introduced his […] ...
Visegrad Animation Forum announces call for submissions for its 6th edition
The VAF Třeboň (May 1 – 3, 2018, Czech Republic) is the leading pitching event for animated film in the Central and Eastern Europe. As each year, animated projects in development compete in two categories: Short Films (single film less than 20 minutes long) and Series / TV Specials (web and TV series of any format and single films over 20 min.). Within the pitching preparation, the participants will get a unique opportunity for in-depth consultation with experienced film professionals on their story concept, project development, financial plan, market or festival strategy, possible coproduction workflow separation etc. The winners in both categories receive a traditional financial support of EUR 2,000 for further development. Besides this, the winning TV Series project gains direct access to Cartoon Forum 2018. The collaboration between the VAF and the world respected association CARTOON is extending. For the first time, a pitch for animated feature films will be organized. In this pilot edition, five VAF board members will choose the best project from their country (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia). After being pitched to different European distributors, 1:1 meetings with key representatives of the animation industry will be followed. The most promising project shall […] ...
Line-up of the Visegrad Animation Forum 2017 Unveiled
The fifth edition of the VAF Trebon, a key industry meeting for animation professionals mainly from CEE region, takes place in Trebon, Czech Republic, May 2-4, 2017. Even if the pitching competition is open to all European animated projects in development, this edition is specific for high number of submitted works from the Central and Eastern Europe (Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia). The guarantee of the quality is indicated by well-known animation professionals in both categories: Jan Saska (CZ), one of 10 finalists for an Academy Award nomination in the Best Animated Short Film category will pitch his new short Hurikán and Katarina Kerekesova (SK) will present her upcoming Christmas TV special which follows a very successful series Mimi & Lisa. The list of all selected projects can be found here. The VAF Trebon supports filmmakers while helping them to develop their projects with experienced international professionals. In order to prepare a public pitching session, several preparation workshops for the authors and producers are planned. Last year saw a truly historic feat. Within the framework of the VAF Trebon 2016, a meeting of the heads of the national film funds from the Visegrad + countries […] ...
Visegrad Animation Forum announces 23 animated projects in competition
We are pleased to announce the list of animated projects selected to participate in the VAF Trebon 2017. As each year, we were watching for all the applications with impatience. We were pleasantly surprised of high number of submitted projects from the Central and Eastern Europe. We are very glad about this fact. All selected projects will take part in the pitching preparation with an experienced professional on their story concept, project development, financial plan, market or festival strategy, possible coproduction workflow separation etc. This will be followed by the pitching competition and individual meetings where they will face industry professionals. Every participant’s objective is to find partners, distributors, and broadcasters and win their interest – and maybe even “sell” their projects. The winning project in both categories will receive 2,000 EUR for further development and the winner of the category TV Series/Specials will have direct access to Cartoon Forum 2017 without the need to undergo competitive pre-selection. This year for the first time, the representative of the MAIA WORKSHOP, the advanced training and coaching programme for emerging producers, will award the best producer who wins the invitation for their training. The projects selected for the category SHORT FILM are […] ...
Visegrad Animation Forum 2017: Submit your project to be discovered
The Visegrad Animation Forum (VAF) is the leading pitching event for animated film in the Central and Eastern Europe. It is the place where you can meet all the animated film industry and creativity not only from CEE. Professionals – including producers, broadcasters, festival experts, sales agents, distributors, fund representatives and others – come to discuss visions, financing oportunities or strategies for further development. For the 5th consecutive year the animated projects in development compete in two categories: Short films (single film less than 20 minutes long) and Series / TV Specials (web and TV series of any format and single films over 20 min.). The winners, newly in both categories, receive financial support of 2,000 EUR for further development. Besides this, the winning TV Series project gains direct access to Cartoon Forum. Submissions will remain open until 29th January 2017. Detailed rules here In a few simple steps submit your project for free here For any questions concerning the submission process, email submission@visegradanimation.com. Visegrad Animation Forum: 2-4 May 2017, Trebon, Czech Republic http://visegradanimation.com/ is held jointly with International Festival of Animated Films Anifilm: 2-7 May 2017, Trebon, Czech Republic http://www.anifilm.cz/en/. ...
Where is Central European Animation Headed? VAF through the eyes of the jury
In early May Třeboň hosted a festival of short animated films and TV series in independent production from Central and EasternEuropean countries associated with the professional platform Visegrad Animation Forum. About one hundred projects were entered in the competition, a total of 25 competing teams were presented in the finals: 13 short films up to 20 minutes in length and 12 TV projects. The winner of the short film section was the French-Hungarian project Carpel, in the other category the jury chose the Hungarian-Croatian series The Piracy of Princess Priceless. Special mention was awarded to the Romanian film Somewhereand the Hungarian series Borka and the Magic Dress. The international juries of both sections were made up of professionals from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Croatia as well as from Western European countries (France, the UK, Sweden and Finland). They represented potential co-producers and distributors, public broadcasting institutions (Czech Television, Croatian Television, Radio and Television of Slovakia), state film institutions (Polish Film Institute, MTVA production agency) as well as independent producers (Planet Nemo, Stream.cz) and others. We asked some of them what they found interesting about the selected projects and for their views on Central European animation. “I’ve been […] ...
Visegrad Animation Forum Announces the New Talents 2016 Selection
Visegrad Animation Forum, the biggest market access platform for animated films in Central and Eastern Europe, announces its New Talents 2016. This official selection of animated short films focuses on extraordinary talents whose work promises successful future careers. This compilation will be presented at film markets and selected film festivals. The purpose of VAF New Talents is to promote the most talented young animation filmmakers from Central and Eastern Europe in a given year, draw attention to new talented animators and bring them together with experienced foreign producers. VAF New Talents 2016 selection: Beyond, Milan Kopasz (Hungary, 2015) Composition, Mitja Manček (Slovenia, 2015) Cowboyland, Dávid Štumpf (Slovakia, 2014) Fences, Natalia Krawczuk (Poland, 2015) Happy End, Jan Saska (Czech Republic, 2015) Mosaic, the Waltz of Spleen, Andrea Guizar (Poland, 2015) Rivers, Daria Kopiec (Poland, 2014) Tale, Attila Bertóti (Hungary, 2014) The More I Know, Marek Náprstek (Czech Republic, 2015) The Noise of Licking, Nadja Andrasev (Hungary, 2015) Wolf Games, Jelena Oroz(Croatia, 2015) “The quality of animation from the region of Central and Eastern Europe improves every year. With this in mind, Visegrad Animation Forum created this project as one of the the first of its kind in the region of Croatia, […] ...
VISEGRAD ANIMATION FORUM sends 25 projects to ANIFILM 2016
The competition for the best project in development in the categories of short films and TV series takes place at the International Festival of Animated Films on 4 May and 5 May in Třeboň. The pre-selection committee composed by professionals from five countries organizing the VAF decided due to the high quality of the submissions to increase the number of projects going to the pitching competition. From less than a hundred projects entered into the main competition 13 short films and 12 TV series. The pitching sessions will be preceded by workshops led by expert tutors to discuss or fine – tune the strengths and weaknesses of all projects as well as best pitching strategies. After the pitch, each participating project team will have meetings with members of the jury (experienced film professionals and/or film and TV executives). Participants of the short films competition: Carpel, dir. Tibor Banoczki, Sarolta Szabo – Sébastien Hussenot, Orsolya Sipos (FR, HU) Untravel, dir. Ana Nedeljkovic, Nikola Majdak – Eva Pa, Jelena Mitrovic (SK, RS) Klingert’s Diving Suit, dir. Artur Wyrzykowski – Artur Wyrzykowski (POL) Flood, dir. Malte Stein – Malte Stein (DE) Holy Men dir. David Lovrić – Draško Ivezić (HR) The End, dir. […] ...
