GKIDS, the producer and distributor of animation in the USA, Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and Variety magazine have announced the launch of ANIMATON IS FILM, an annual animation film festival in Los Angeles.
The first edition is going to run from 20th to 22nd October at the TCL Chinese 6 Theater in Hollywood (Mann’s Chinese Theater) with a showcase of 20 programs including feature films in competition, special presentations, retrospectives and short film programs.
Aims of the new festival are to fill a gap in the US market by establishing an animation festival on par with the major events in Europe and Asia, and locate it in the world capital of animated filmmaking. The Festival is expected to be a vocal advocate, in the heart of Hollywood, for excellence in animation, and for filmmakers who push the boundaries of their art to the fullest range of expression that the medium is capable of.
They announced that the Festival’s mission is to:
- Present a highly selective, annual showcase of the best new works of animation from around the world, with programs for both adults and families.
- Champion and support filmmakers who use animation to pursue unique cinematic visions and who are unconstrained by conventional notions of what animation is capable of.
- Champion and support women filmmakers.
- Champion and support filmmakers from a wide range of cultural, economic, national and geographic backgrounds.
- Support communication, understanding and positivity in the world.
