Melbourne International Animation Festival 22-28 June 2009

Get ready to strap yourselves in for a seven day blast of exceptional animation from around the world in the 9th edition of the Melbourne International Animation Festival 2009! This will be your only opportunity in Australia to see such a comprehensive line-up of current animated short films in competition and specially curated programs that highlight recent productions and absolute gems from the archive. MIAF aims to challenge and inspire audiences with thematic, visual and technical diversity from award winners, outstanding industry veterans and those wonderful newcomers who are exploring their talent on screen for the very first time.

We take a collection of the hottest films from competition, mix them with some of our favourite classics from the special programs, add in a glimpse of the top new Australian films and round out the whole shebang with a couple of surprises that won’t be screening in any other part of MIAF09.
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YOUR UP TO DATE SNAPSHOT
International Competition Screenings

La Vita Nuova | Christophe Gautry, Arnaud Demuynck | Belgium, 2008, 12'00

The backbone of the festival line-up and your up-to-date snapshot of the incredibly diverse, eclectic and vibrant independent animation scene. In addition to 6 ‘open’ International Competition screenings there will also be programs in competition that focus specifically on Australian talent, the digital community, the purely abstract, long form, new Croatian releases, the sublime technique of animating sand (our 2009 technique focus), highlights from SIGGRAPH Asia 2008, and for the very first time, the cult program Late Night Bizarre will be open to official voting!
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Our special guest this year is one of the true legends of the modern creative animation scene, Chris Landreth. He will talk about his films to date, giving particular insights into how he melds his uniquely creative visions with his highly technical approach to produce them.
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HIGHLIGHt - a truly stunning program
Technique Focus - Sand Animation

Traverser | Hugo Frassetto | France, 2008, 5'00

Each year MIAF focuses on a specific technique. In 2009 we take a closer look at the sublime art of sand animation which involves an animator placing and moving coloured sand, salt and other powders on a light box and using hand brushes, air brushes and an array of other tools to create thousands of wonderfully textured pictures that make up the finished film.
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HIGHLIGHts - celebrating croatiAn animation

Zagrebfilm Tribute

Dusan Vokotic’s | Surogat/Ersatz | Croatia, 1964

Zagreb Film has been creating superb animation since the early 1950’s. Predominantly hand-drawn, these films form one of the most significant collections of work existing in the world of creative animation. This tribute screening will include Dusan Vokotic’s 1964 Academy Award winning Surogat/Ersatz, along with films from some of Zagrebfilm’s top directors including Dovnikovic, Grgic, Dragic and Mimica.
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New Croatian Animation Panorama

Unplugged | Stjepan Mihaljevic | Croatia, 2007

Complimenting the historical focus of the Zagrebfilm Tribute screening, this program of recently released Croatian animation (one of our Competition Programs) shines a spotlight on the new generation of filmmakers. Inspired by the rich history of animated films passed down to them from Zagreb Film, they make the most of the advantages offered by the latest technology to create stunning new works.
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HIGHLIGHts - best of british talent - 4 big programs

London’s Calling

Varmints | Marc Craste | UK, 2008

London is one of the true wellsprings of original ideas. It is home to some very special independent animation studios and these two programs scratch the surface of that bubbling cauldron.

The Channel 4 (UK) 25th Anniversary Collection

City Paradise | Gaelle Denis | UK, 2004

For 25 years, Channel 4 has been charming, perplexing and occasionally infuriating prime time television audiences with short creative, auteur animation - and Clare Kitson was the woman orchestrating this rather unique experience and she agreed to curate this program of her favourite films from the Channel 4 archive.
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Studio Focus - The Mill

Housed behind an unheralded blue door in Soho sits one of the most respected effects and animation houses in the world. The Mill produces commercial animation work that has consistently reaped awards and is among the most esteemed this side of the pork pie.
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HIGHLIGHTS: the motherlode of all things digital
Siggraph Asia 2008 Highlights -
International Showcase & Asian Showcase

Kudan | Taku Kimura | Japan, 2008, 9’30

Our annual look at SIGGRAPH returns to MIAF 09, but this time with a twist. This year MIAF Director Malcolm Turner was lucky enough to be invited to sit on the jury for SIGGRAPH Asia. From this outstanding vantage point he created this comprehensive double collection of International and Asian highlights, prize winners and a few overlooked gems which missed the jury concession..
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presented by

HIGHLIGHt
Best Of The Next:
The International Graduate Animation Festival

Seconde Classe | Boris Belghiti | France, (Emile Cohl), 5’30

Building on last festival’s sold-out ‘Best Of The Next’, this one-night festival of four distinct programs of animation from more than 60 schools provides a special platform for young and emerging animators from Australia and around the world. The first screening starts at 5pm and there is a new screening each hour on the hour.
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HIGHLIGHt
Pritt Parn Special

Life Without Gabriella Ferri | Pritt Parn, Olga Parn | Estonia 2008, 44'00

Priit Parn is truly one of animation’s living treasures and we're delighted to screen his new film 'Life Wthout Gabriella Ferri', made with his wife Olga.The program will open with Priit and Olga’s first collaboration: ' I Feel A Lifelong Bullet In The Back Of My Head'.
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sensational local talent

The Australian Panorama

Reach | Luke Randall | 2008

One of our most important programs, the Australian Panorama will once again bring together a collection of films from Australia’s established and emerging animators. Head to the Club afterwards for the Australian Filmmakers Forum.
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Best of the Next: Australian Student Panorama

Beware of the Black Dog | Frank Candiloro | 2008

Building on last festival’s sold-out ‘Best Of The Next’, this one-night festival of four distinct programs of animation from more than 60 schools provides a special platform for young and emerging animators from Australia and around the world.
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women in film & television presentation
WIFT Screening & WIFT Forum

The Conservatory | Matilda Tristram | UK, 2008, 2'00

Each year Women In Film & Television (WIFT) independently create their own screening from submissions in which a woman played a major role (Director, Editor, Producer). Afterwards a special Forum will be held in the MIAF Club.
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Welcome to MIAF’s first International Panorama series! This is a chance to show films that are just too good to be left out, films that didn’t get the consensus nod in the jury room, arrived too late for Competition selection, or simply films the MIAF Director, in his wisdom, thought you should see.
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Careers in Animation Forum – FREE

Members of the Melbourne animation community will describe their approach to establishing a career in animation and discuss these issues in an open forum with the audience. If you – or your daughter or son – are contemplating a career in animation, this is a great place to start to get some illumination about the path forward.
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Animation 101's
Short, sharp, informative mini-lectures focusing on a specific animated topic and accompanied by a brief screening relating to the lecture. Scheduled at 5.15pm on every afternoon between Tuesday and Friday, so it can be a MIAF ‘taster’ for folks on their way home from work, or an entrée to a full night of animation.
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Women in Film & Television (WIFT) Forum:
Women in Production
After the WIFT Screening join us in the MIAF Club for a behind the scenes workshop at our Women in Production Forum. Susan McMinn (Melbourne based Director), Annette Ringrose (Manager and Props Maker for The Props Store) & Fiona Edwards (plasticine colourist on the recent production of 'Mary & Max').
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AND HEAPS OF OTHER GREAT PROGRAMS!

Kids Program & Kids Club: Pixel Pinkie

Miriam’s Colours | Jelena Girlin, Mari-Liis Bassovskaja | Estonia, 2008

A very special program of films selected to spark the imaginations of our most special audience. Heaps better than Saturday morning TV and not a toy ad in sight.
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Late Night Bizarre

I Live In The Woods | Max Winston | USA, 2007

Pretty much what it says on the can – a compendium of the strangest or funniest (not always the same thing) films drawn from the 2000+ submissions we received.
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Freaky Fridays – Tank Girl

...look closely at the wonderful ‘comicy’ styled animation that links critical scenes in this feature and informs just about all of the live action design.
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Situated at the bottom of the escalators just inside the Flinders St entrance, the MIAF Club is the spot to relax before or between screenings, have some animated discussions and enjoy some refreshments.
Programming includes:
Music Video Competition
Installation Animation Competition
WIFT Forum
Kids Club: Pixel Pinkie, presented by Blue Rocket
Australian Filmmakers Forum: Meet the Filmmakers

Best Of The Festival!!!
The whole week wraps up with a collection of films chosen by panels of judges, audience votes – and maybe one or two by the Festival Director. This screening always sells out and is repeated later in the evening.
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