By Yuri Chernyakevich
Every year, Mogilev attracts adults and children who are drawn to its International Festival of Animated Film. Held in September, Animaevka is a true family event which brings adults back to their childhood whilst presenting a fairy-tale atmosphere to cartoon lovers of any age.
This year, the festival featured around 200 films from 27 countries but the experts ruled that just 71 films (from 21 states) were to be entered in the competition programme. This year, the international jury was headed by an artist, animator, director and Russia’s Honoured Figure of Arts — Leonid Nosyrev.
Apart from film screening, the festival also presented exhibitions, theatrical shows, musical programmes and master classes. As is traditional, a children’s animation contest — I Am Not a Magician Yet, I Am Just Learning... took place. In addition, a children’s fine and applied arts competition entitled My Favourite Cartoon was also organised.
Special prizes and diplomas were presented at a solemn closing ceremony. Six nominations were awarded: ‘Best Film of the Festival’, ‘Best Experimental Film’, ‘Best Children’s Film’, ‘Best Fine Arts Solution’, ‘A Prize to the Master’ and ‘Audience’s Choice Prize’. A unanimous jury gave the Grand Prix to The Lost Town of Svityaz, a Polish film based on Adam Mickiewicz’s Svitezyanka. According to the judges, this work has raised animation to a new level.
Once When I Served My Dear Landlord, by Belarusian, Mikhail Tumelya, was considered for the top prize, eventually winning ‘Best Experimental Film’. Iran’s The Kitten won ‘Best Fine Arts Solution’ category and Latvia’s Hedgehogs in the City was named ‘Best Children’s Film’.
Animaevka-2013 has become a popular event in Mogilev which, this year, is the cultural capital of the CIS and Belarus. Importantly, the festival is now self-funding and, as the Mogilev Regional Executive Committee’s Deputy Chairman, Valery Malashko, said, “All tickets to the film shows were sold out, with screenings also organised in district centres. Interest in the festival is evidently growing.”
