Animation students take to the world stage at film festival
Animation students take to the world stage at film festival
25/11/2015
Four students and graduates of Middlesex's BA Animation course shared their films with the world at the 2015 Anim!Arte festival in Brazil.
Eleonora Quario, Antonia Diakomopoulou, Adara Todd and Kyle Cunningham were thrilled to see their films screened to an international audience of animation professionals and enthusiasts.
Anim!Arte is an annual festival of animated shorts, with all participating films created by or for children and young people. The twelfth edition of the festival took place in Rio de Janeiro and Curitiba.
"It's nice to get recognition for something you have worked on for a long time from someone that doesn't know you and just appreciates your work," says Eleonora Quario, who graduated from Middlesex in 2015 and showcased her final year project, The Storyteller, a tale of acceptance and the power of storytelling.
Antonia Diakomopoulou, who received a first class honours in animation at Middlesex, showed her film Mediterranean – the tale of a Syrian refugee's attempt to illegally immigrate to Greece by boat.
"It is an honour for me to have my film selected to be shown outside Europe," Antonia says. "My film addresses a very topical issue, as the number of refugees that lose their lives in the Mediterranean is only increasing. It is important to perceive this crisis from a more human standpoint and raise awareness in other countries as well."
For third year student Kyle Cunningham, Anim!Arte is one in a series of international screenings in which he took part – his work has already been featured at festivals in Malta, Greece and Poland. His film Her and Hubbub, about a woman grappling with a dark force on a deserted island, also featured at Filmstock Film Festival in Phoenix, Arizona.
"Having a film screened at an international festival is a great acknowledgement," says Izabela Barszcz, Animation Technician at Middlesex and BA Animation graduate.
"It strengthens your professional portfolio and helps when applying for funding for future projects. It's also an opportunity to reach wide audiences and get exposure among potential clients and collaborators."
Animation students take to the world stage at film festival
Eleonora Quario, Antonia Diakomopoulou, Adara Todd and Kyle Cunningham were thrilled to see their films screened to an international audience of animation professionals and enthusiasts.
Anim!Arte is an annual festival of animated shorts, with all participating films created by or for children and young people. The twelfth edition of the festival took place in Rio de Janeiro and Curitiba.
"It's nice to get recognition for something you have worked on for a long time from someone that doesn't know you and just appreciates your work," says Eleonora Quario, who graduated from Middlesex in 2015 and showcased her final year project, The Storyteller, a tale of acceptance and the power of storytelling.
Antonia Diakomopoulou, who received a first class honours in animation at Middlesex, showed her film Mediterranean – the tale of a Syrian refugee's attempt to illegally immigrate to Greece by boat.
"It is an honour for me to have my film selected to be shown outside Europe," Antonia says. "My film addresses a very topical issue, as the number of refugees that lose their lives in the Mediterranean is only increasing. It is important to perceive this crisis from a more human standpoint and raise awareness in other countries as well."
For third year student Kyle Cunningham, Anim!Arte is one in a series of international screenings in which he took part – his work has already been featured at festivals in Malta, Greece and Poland. His film Her and Hubbub, about a woman grappling with a dark force on a deserted island, also featured at Filmstock Film Festival in Phoenix, Arizona.
"Having a film screened at an international festival is a great acknowledgement," says Izabela Barszcz, Animation Technician at Middlesex and BA Animation graduate.
"It strengthens your professional portfolio and helps when applying for funding for future projects. It's also an opportunity to reach wide audiences and get exposure among potential clients and collaborators."