Animators Festival May 24–25, 2014

Istanbul Modern Cinema hosts the second Animators’ Festival, organized by the Canlandıranlar Association. With the slogan “over one hundred films, one hundred percent animation,” the festival focuses on Italian productions, featuring a selection of contemporary Italian animated films. Also included are selections from major international festivals such as Annecy, O!pla, and View, as well as a selection of films by the environmental activist and animal rights defender Frederic Back, in his memory. A panel discussing the place of animation in contemporary art will also take place.

The guest for this year’s festival is director Alessandro Rak who earned acclaim with his film The Art of Happiness (L’arte della felicità) which premiered at the 70th Venice Film Festival in 2013. Contemplating on concepts such as life and reality and shuttling between Far Eastern philosophies and the Western dilemmas of the individual, The Art of Happiness sets a new example, proving that animation can treat of serious adult matters and the individual’s quest for meaning in a dynamic fashion. The film will be screened on Sunday, May 25, followed by a conversation with the director.