The Visegrad Animation Forum is the biggest “market access platform” in Central and Eastern Europe. The most important idea is the synergy and collaboration of animation professionals who would like to stand up for animation and spark new development, production and distribution opportunities in the region. With this purpose the VAF Prague Meeting (9th – 10th November 2015) was organized. During this reunion, seven countries of the CEE were represented: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and Estonia. Different issues were discussed and, thanks to the pleasant working atmosphere, several proposals were approved.

Red Bricks
The long-term goal of the RED BRICKS project is to create a producer network for the CEE and procedural models that will make it ease communication between animated TV series producers and national TV broadcasters. All participants were informed about the current status of three projects that won the VAF pitch in Třeboň last year (Koyaa, The Websters and Kitchen Tales) and it served as examples for a round table discussion. Red Bricks has intends to invite new projects and producers to VAF 2016 in Třeboň.

Visegrad Animation Rallye
The VISEGRAD ANIMATION RALLYE (VAR) serves as a platform for presentation of the best animated films from the Visegrad countries. In relation to the growth and the transformation of VAF it was decided to extend and rename this promotional activity to Visegrad Animation New Talents. As the name suggests, the target group of this project continues to be “new faces”– which means students and newcomers.

The VAF continues in cooperation with Anifilm (International Festival of Animated Films) and therefore the event will be a part of this festival held in May 2016 in Třeboň (CZ). This collaboration too has undergone several changes that emerged by consensus. Brand new animated Czech films were then shown in an evening screening.

The experience and practice of new partners brings new proposals to the VAF. The project continues to expand and to focus on building up the animation industry in the CEE region through pragmatic means.
In conclusion, for the reasons set out above, it is proposed that the list of changes and modifications to the running and programme of the event be accepted. These changes should already be noticeable in 2016.

Dates:
Visegrad Animation Forum: 4th – 6th May 2016
International festival of animated films Anifilm: 3rd – 8th May 2016
Call for entries: 1st December 2015 – 8th February 2016