ReAnimania International Animation Film Festival of Yerevan was founded by cartoonist, painter and animator Vrej Kassouny in 2008 to become the new start for the animation industry in Armenia. The name of the festival refers to the “reanimation” of then 70-year old animation tradition (first Armenian animation film – Lev Atamanov’s “The Dog and the Cat” was released in 1938). From its very first year (first edition took place in 2009) the festival comes up with a fine film selection, practical workshops, seminars and lectures; hosts world class animation professionals and most anticipated non-commercial productions.
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia as well as one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country. It has been the capital since 1918, the fourteenth in the history of Armenia and the seventh located in or around the Ararat plain. The city also serves as the seat of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese; the largest diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church and one of the oldest dioceses in the world.
Animation is a method in which pictures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most animations are made with computer-generated imagery (CGI). Computer animation can be very detailed 3D animation, while 2D computer animation can be used for stylistic reasons, low bandwidth or faster real-time renderings. Other common animation methods apply a stop motion technique to two and three-dimensional objects like paper cutouts, puppets or clay figures.
Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located in Western Asia on the Armenian Highlands, it is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, the de facto independent Republic of Artsakh and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and Azerbaijan's exclave of Nakhchivan to the south.
The festival became a platform for development and promotion of the animation industry in Armenia and beyond its borders – being the biggest animation event in the South Caucasus region ReAnimania every year receives over 800 film submissions and attracts over 10 000 spectators, guests, and participants from all over the world. And those numbers continue to grow with each new edition.
15 competition and non-competition programs and MarAni (Market for Animation) Professional Forum take place in the frameworks of the festival every year.
The festival was launched in 2009, receiving over 400 competition entries from more than 35 counties on its initial year.
While in 2014, on ReAnimania’s 6th edition, the figures were quite higher, received over 1000 submission entries from more than 75 countries.
ReAnimania IAFFY, founded in 2007 by its director, Animator, Fine artist and director, Vrej Kassouny.
ReAnimania is proud to list some fact/figures registered during the last 6 years, since its beginning:
Since 2009 has attracted more than 20 000 spectators, More than 100 sponsors, partners, friends, supporters, 90 industry judges, 28 Junior Juries, 35 speakers overall, Over 800 entries received each year, More than 350 films screened each year, Around 200 participants in ReAnimania’s free professional workshops and master classes. ReAnimania has hosted industry professionals and celebrities from the international animation arena from around the world, who have a strong impact on developing and stimulating the animation field. Among them were: Max Howard (Exodus Group, President( former president of Warner Bros. Feature, and senior vice president of Disney Feature, USA)), Tiziana Loschi (Director, Annecy Festival, France), David Sproxton (Aardman Studios, UK, CEO), Mark Shapiro (LAIKA Studio, USA), Michel Ocelot (Director, “Studio O”, France), Marc Boreal (Animation director, France), Otto Guerra (Animator, Brazil), Nina Paley (Animator/Director, USA), Susie Wilson (International Advisor, Scotland), Dean English (Animator/Director, Canada), Arnab Chaudhuri (Disney India) and others.
It’s a great honor for ReAnimania that Max Howard and Tiziana Loschi, Charlie Sansonetti joined the festival as International Advisory Board members.
Among the world famous animation productions screen at ReAnimanian as Yerevan Premiere were: Cheating (Bill Plymton), Secret of Kells (Tomm Moore), Sita Sings the Blues (Nina Paley), Waltz with Bashir (Ari Folman), The Boy and the World (Ale Abreu), Rocks in my Pocket (Signe Baumane), Jack and the Cuckoo Clock Heart (Stephane Berla) and many others.
ReAnimania’s local partners and supporters include the ministry of culture of Armenia, National Cinema Center of Armenia, Union of Armenian Cinematographers, foreign embassies in Armenia and several national and international organizations.
ReAnimania is becoming one of the most wanted and important young animation film festivals around the world. Being the only and unique one in its class in the region, it is playing an important role of a bridge between East and West.
From its very first year ReAnimania established partnerships with prominent and well-established international animation film festivals, such as Annecy IAFF (France), Stuttgart Trickfilm Festival (Germany), Encounters (UK), and already has plans and takes steps towards establishing new relations and partnerships with other reputable international animation festivals, to successfully accomplish its goal to spread the word of Armenian Animation culture around the globe, as well as to invite the global animation market into Armenia.
There are also made invitations to international animation film experts, animators and animation filmmakers to exchange their experience with the Armenian participants, beginners and professionals.
ReAnimania's aim is to expand and extend the border of Armenia through the Art of Animation and Animated Films.
Therefore, ReAnimania’s motto is “Life is a Picture, Make the Picture Alive.”
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