The world’s leading lights in animation will present their expertise and award-winning films at the SPARK ANIMATION 2019 Conference, Film Festival, and Career Fair in Vancouver from October 24 to 27, presented by Spark Computer Graphics (Spark CG) Society.
The 11th annual SPARK ANIMATION FESTIVAL opens on October 24 with a celebration honouring this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Academy Award®-nominated producer Bonnie Arnold. Ms. Arnold’s work for Pixar, Walt Disney Feature Animation, and Dreamworks Animation includes Toy Story, Tarzan, and the How to Train Your Dragon franchise.
Chris Buck, Academy Award®-winning director (Frozen, Tarzan), Glen Keane, Academy Award®-winning animator, illustrator, and author for Disney, along with writer, director, and animator Kevin Lima, will present the award at the celebration at the Scotiabank Theatre. The evening will conclude with an exclusive preview of Netflix’s much anticipated animated feature, Klaus and a conversation with director Sergio Pablos, and Glen Keane.
Animation Film Festival October 24 to 27. Proceeds to Covenant House
In 2014, Spark CG introduced festival film submissions and selected its first jury comprised of international animation experts. The SPARK ANIMATION 2019 jury-selected line-up of films will be announced September 30. Films run October 25 to 27 at Vancity Theatre.
SPARK is proud to present a pair of feature films directed by women: the Canadian Premiere of Anca Damian’s Marona’s Fantastic Tale (France), about an “average” dog and her extraordinary life; and the BC Premiere of Kat Alioshin’s Animation Outlaws (USA), a documentary about the rise and importance of Spike & Mike’s Sick and Twisted festival to the world of animation.
This year’s festival will also host the BC Premiere of Masaaki Yuasa’s Ride Your Wave (Japan), a surreal story of romance, grief and self-discovery; and Gints Zilbalodis’ Away (Latvia). Winner of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival Contrechamp Award, Zilbalodis wrote, directed, produced, animated, and scored this beautiful tale of adventure. The line-up also includes a very special 20th Anniversary screening of Disney’s Tarzan (USA) with directors Chris Buck and Kevin Lima in attendance for a post-screening Q&A.
SPARK CG is proud to support Covenant House Vancouver in their effort to help the more than 1,400 homeless and at-risk youth, aged 16 to 24, who will reach out to them for help this year. Net proceeds from this year’s film festival screenings will be donated to Covenant House Vancouver.
The Closing Night film is a co-production with India/UK/Qatar/France, directed by Gitanjali Rao, on October 27 at 9:30 pm at the Vancity Theatre. Escaping from child marriage, a young club dancer living in the streets of Bombay, must choose between fending for her family and finding love with a boy orphaned by the militancy. Painted frame by frame and woven delicately through music, a red rose brings together three tales of impossible loves. Love between a Hindu girl and a Muslim boy. Love between two women. Love of an entire city for its Bollywood stars. Based on true events, the film explores the ruthlessness of a society where the love and life that reigns on the big screen can crush you in its mean streets. Trailer for Bombay Rose: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=P-MMaORl4XI.
Conference showcases world’s finest animators, October 26 and 27
Leading minds in animation ― from local Vancouver-based studio heads to international storytellers, directors, producers, and executives ― will share their expertise during presentations and workshops from 9 am to 7 pm, October 26 and 27, at Emily Carr University’s Reliance Theatre and Rennie Hall.
Bonnie Arnold will also be speaking at the two-day SPARK ANIMATION conference, as will Glen Keane, whose film credits as animator include The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Tarzan, and a 2018 Oscar win for Dear Basketball.
Other presenters this year include Chris Buck, director of Tarzan, Frozen, and Frozen 2; Kevin Lima, director of A Goofy Movie, 102 Dalmatians, and Enchanted; Sergio Pablos, co-creator of Despicable Me, Smallfoot, Minions, and Klaus; Dave Burgess, animator for Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Aladdin; Robert Russ, animator for Monsters Inc., Incredibles, Inside Out, and animation supervisor on Toy Story 4; and Bill Plympton, the Oscar-nominated “King of Indie Animation.”
Free Career Fair connects animators with studio recruiters
On October 26 from 9:30 am to 5 pm, job-seeking animation professionals will have a chance to meet with representatives from 20 leading animation studios ― including CG pros, HR professionals, and executive decision-makers ― at Hangar Warehouse, Centre for Digital Media.
More details at http://sparkfx.ca/events/
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