Hiroshima International Animation Festival
Encyclopedia
The International Animation Festival Hiroshima is a biannual animation festival hosted in Hiroshima
, Japan
.
The festival was found in 1985 by Association International du Film d'Animation or ASIFA as International Animation Festival for the World Peace. The city of Hiroshima was one of the sights of nuclear bombings in 1945 at the end of World War II
and it was chosen to inspire thoughts of unity through the arts. The festival is now considered one of the most respected animated festivals, along with Annecy International Animated Film Festival
, Ottawa International Animation Festival
, and Zagreb World Festival of Animated Films
.
The first two festivals were held in odd years (1985 and 1987); since 1990, the festival has been held biennially in even years. In 2008, the 12th Festival takes place for 5 days (Aug. 7-Aug. 11). The city of Hiroshima co-hosts the festival, which takes place in Aste Plaza near the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
at the center of Hiroshima city.
The founding of the festival is largely credited to Sayoko Kinoshita and her late husband Renzo Kinoshita. The married couple were renowned figures in the independent animation world and also founders of ASIFA's Japan chapter. Sayoko Kinoshita has been the festival director since the first festival and is now also the president of ASIFA.
In the festival's first year in 1985, the Grand Prize was awarded to "Broken Down Film" by Osamu Tezuka
and the animator became one of the members of the jury for the following festival. This cycle has often repeated and many of the grand prize winners have become judges for the following festival.
In 2010, the Festival had nearly 1,937 entries from 57 countries and regions, and had more than 34,000 participants.
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
The festival was found in 1985 by Association International du Film d'Animation or ASIFA as International Animation Festival for the World Peace. The city of Hiroshima was one of the sights of nuclear bombings in 1945 at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and it was chosen to inspire thoughts of unity through the arts. The festival is now considered one of the most respected animated festivals, along with Annecy International Animated Film Festival
Annecy International Animated Film Festival
The Annecy International Animation Film Festival was created in 1960 and takes place at the beginning of June in the town of Annecy, France. Initially occurring every two years, the festival became annual in 1998...
, Ottawa International Animation Festival
Ottawa International Animation Festival
-History:In 1976, the Canadian Film Institute founded the biennial Ottawa International Animation Festival . First held August 10 to 15, 1976, the OIAF created a gathering place for North American animation professionals and enthusiasts to ponder the craft and business of animation...
, and Zagreb World Festival of Animated Films
Zagreb World Festival of Animated Films
Animafest Zagreb, also known as World Festival of Animated Film in Zagreb, is an annual festival dedicated to animated film held in Zagreb, Croatia. Initiated by the International Animated Film Association, the event was established in 1972 at the time when Croatia was part of SFR Yugoslavia)...
.
The first two festivals were held in odd years (1985 and 1987); since 1990, the festival has been held biennially in even years. In 2008, the 12th Festival takes place for 5 days (Aug. 7-Aug. 11). The city of Hiroshima co-hosts the festival, which takes place in Aste Plaza near the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
is a memorial park in the center of Hiroshima, Japan. It is dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to suffer a nuclear attack, and to the memories of the bomb's direct and indirect victims ....
at the center of Hiroshima city.
The founding of the festival is largely credited to Sayoko Kinoshita and her late husband Renzo Kinoshita. The married couple were renowned figures in the independent animation world and also founders of ASIFA's Japan chapter. Sayoko Kinoshita has been the festival director since the first festival and is now also the president of ASIFA.
In the festival's first year in 1985, the Grand Prize was awarded to "Broken Down Film" by Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka
was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
and the animator became one of the members of the jury for the following festival. This cycle has often repeated and many of the grand prize winners have become judges for the following festival.
In 2010, the Festival had nearly 1,937 entries from 57 countries and regions, and had more than 34,000 participants.
Grand Prize Winners
- 2010 - Angry Man - Anita Killi (Norway)
- 2008 – A Country DoctorA Country Doctor (film)is a 2007 anime short film by Kōji Yamamura.The film is a direct interpretation of Franz Kafka's short story "A Country Doctor," voiced by kyōgen actors of the Shigeyama house....
– Kōji YamamuraKoji Yamamurais a Japanese independent animator who, since leaving a career as a background artist at an animation studio, currently directs, writes, edits, animates, creates the model sheets and background art for and sometimes produces his own short films and has worked on many commissions such as music... - 2006 - Milch - Igor Kovalyov (USA)
- 2004 - Mt. Head - Kōji YamamuraKoji Yamamurais a Japanese independent animator who, since leaving a career as a background artist at an animation studio, currently directs, writes, edits, animates, creates the model sheets and background art for and sometimes produces his own short films and has worked on many commissions such as music...
(Japan) - 2002 - Father and DaughterFather and Daughter (film)Father and Daughter is a 2000 Dutch animated short film, made by Michaël Dudok De Wit. It won the 2000 Academy Award for Animated Short Film....
- Michael Dudok De WitMichaël Dudok De WitMichael Dudok de Wit is an animator, director and illustrator. In 1978, he graduated from the West Surrey College of Art with his first film The Interview. After working for a year in Barcelona, he settled in London where he directs and animates award-winning commercials for television and cinema...
(UK / The Netherlands) - 2000 - When the Day BreaksWhen the Day BreaksWhen the Day Breaks is an Canadian animated short co-directed by Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis.Produced by the National Film Board of Canada in 1999, the 9 min. 40 sec. film garnered numerous awards, including the Genie Award for Best Animated Short and the Short Film Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film...
- Wendy Tilby & Amanda Forbis (Canada) - 1998 - The Old Lady and the PigeonsThe Old Lady and the PigeonsThe Old Lady and the Pigeons is a 1997 French animated short film written and directed by Sylvain Chomet. It tells the story of a hungry policeman who dresses up as a pigeon and tricks an old lady to feed him. It was Chomet's debut film...
- Sylvain ChometSylvain ChometSylvain Chomet is a French comic writer, animator and film director.- Early career :Born in Maisons-Laffitte, Yvelines, near Paris, he studied art at high-school until he graduated in 1982. Chomet moved to London in 1988 to work as an animator at the Richard Purdum studio...
(France / Canada) - 1996 - Repete - Michaela Pavlatova (Czech Republic)
- 1994 - The Mighty River - Frédéric BackFrédéric BackFrédéric Back, OC, CQ is a Canadian artist and film director of short animated films.-Biography:Born in Saarbrücken, The Territory of the Saar Basin, he emigrated to Canada in 1948...
(Canada) - 1992 - The Sandman - Paul BerryPaul Berry (animator)Paul Thomas Berry was a stop-motion animator and director of the 1991 "Oscar" nominated short horror stop-motion animation film The Sandman. In 1992 the film was awarded the Craft Prize for Best Animation at Ottawa International Animation Festival...
(UK) - 1990 - Cow - Alexandre Petrov (USSR)
- 1987 - The Man Who Planted TreesThe Man Who Planted Trees (film)The Man Who Planted Trees is a 1987 Canadian short animated film directed by Frédéric Back. It is based on the story of the same name by Jean Giono...
- Frederic BackFrédéric BackFrédéric Back, OC, CQ is a Canadian artist and film director of short animated films.-Biography:Born in Saarbrücken, The Territory of the Saar Basin, he emigrated to Canada in 1948...
(Canada) - 1985 - Broken Down Film - Osamu TezukaOsamu Tezukawas a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
(Japan)