Open Russian Festival of Animated Film
Encyclopedia
The Open Russian Festival of Animated Film is an annual animation
film festival
held in Suzdal
, Russia
. It is the only festival devoted to professional appraisal of domestic Russian animation. The festival takes place in late winter or early spring (in 2007 it was on the first five days of March) and accepts only animated films from the Russian Federation and (after a 1999 referendum) from Belarus
made in the last three years.
Alongside the in-contest and general film screenings, the festival organizes round-table talk sessions, press conferences, master classes and presentations.
called "Birch Grove" near the town of Tarusa
. Because of the extreme scarcity of Russian animation in the post-perestroika
era, submissions from the last three years were accepted. Along with auteur films, commercial reels, video clips and television bumpers
were allowed.
The prizes were handed out according to profession, and any member or guest of the festival was able to vote for their favourite film. The three leading winners were given wooden planks hewn by founder and president Aleksandr Tatarskiy
and signed by their colleagues. In addition to the festival, the location offered fresh air, skiing, and nearby historic sites. The festival in general was noted for its laid-back nature and served as a gathering for animators who otherwise had few opportunities to see each other in an era after the break-up of Soyuzmultfilm
. Andrey Khrzhanovskiy says that it was a partial replacement for the Soviet tradition of having yearly screenings and discussions of all films from all studios at the Cinematographer's Union (which was open to the best film critics of the country). The tradition stopped in the 1990s, leaving all studios (animation studios included) with no way to connect.
For the first number of years, the festival did not have an official name and was known simply as "Tarusoy" (Тарусой).
In 2002, the festival changed its location to Suzdal's tourist centre, where it is held to this day. The jury situation also changed, and since 2006 films have been judged by a panel of 33 respected Russian animation professionals representing many varied professions in the art. 2008 was the first festival held after the death of Aleksandr Tatarskiy, who had headed all the previous festivals. The artistic director in his place was Aleksandr Gerasimov.
Additionally, before 2009, the festival allowed internet users of Rambler Vision
to see the films first and vote for their favourites. The Prize of Audience Sympathies was awarded at the closing ceremony.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
held in Suzdal
Suzdal
Suzdal is a town in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, situated northeast of Moscow, from the city of Vladimir, on the Kamenka River. Population: -History:...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. It is the only festival devoted to professional appraisal of domestic Russian animation. The festival takes place in late winter or early spring (in 2007 it was on the first five days of March) and accepts only animated films from the Russian Federation and (after a 1999 referendum) from Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
made in the last three years.
Alongside the in-contest and general film screenings, the festival organizes round-table talk sessions, press conferences, master classes and presentations.
History
The festival was first held in 1996 at a boarding houseBoarding house
A boarding house, is a house in which lodgers rent one or more rooms for one or more nights, and sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months and years. The common parts of the house are maintained, and some services, such as laundry and cleaning, may be supplied. They normally provide "bed...
called "Birch Grove" near the town of Tarusa
Tarusa
Tarusa is a town and the administrative center of Tarussky District of Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located on the left bank of the Oka River, south of Serpukhov, northeast of Kaluga, and about south of Moscow. Population:...
. Because of the extreme scarcity of Russian animation in the post-perestroika
Perestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
era, submissions from the last three years were accepted. Along with auteur films, commercial reels, video clips and television bumpers
Commercial bumper
In broadcasting, a commercial bumper, ident bumper or break-bumper is a brief announcement, usually two to 15 seconds that can contain a voice over, placed between a pause in the program and its commercial break, and vice versa...
were allowed.
The prizes were handed out according to profession, and any member or guest of the festival was able to vote for their favourite film. The three leading winners were given wooden planks hewn by founder and president Aleksandr Tatarskiy
Aleksandr Tatarskiy
Aleksander Mihailovich Tatarskiy was a Soviet/Russian animation film director, script writer and producer, animator and an artist of Ukrainian origin...
and signed by their colleagues. In addition to the festival, the location offered fresh air, skiing, and nearby historic sites. The festival in general was noted for its laid-back nature and served as a gathering for animators who otherwise had few opportunities to see each other in an era after the break-up of Soyuzmultfilm
Soyuzmultfilm
Soyuzmultfilm is a Russian animation studio based in Moscow. Over the years it has gained international attention and respect, garnering numerous awards both at home and abroad. Noted for a great variety of style, it is regarded as the most influential animation studio of the former Soviet Union...
. Andrey Khrzhanovskiy says that it was a partial replacement for the Soviet tradition of having yearly screenings and discussions of all films from all studios at the Cinematographer's Union (which was open to the best film critics of the country). The tradition stopped in the 1990s, leaving all studios (animation studios included) with no way to connect.
For the first number of years, the festival did not have an official name and was known simply as "Tarusoy" (Тарусой).
In 2002, the festival changed its location to Suzdal's tourist centre, where it is held to this day. The jury situation also changed, and since 2006 films have been judged by a panel of 33 respected Russian animation professionals representing many varied professions in the art. 2008 was the first festival held after the death of Aleksandr Tatarskiy, who had headed all the previous festivals. The artistic director in his place was Aleksandr Gerasimov.
Prizes
Historically, the prizes have varied in different years; on some years the jury decided to not give out a Grand Prix and other years featured specific awards tailor-made to the films which were in the competition. In 2007, the prizes were: Grand Prix (also 2nd and 3rd place), Best Direction, Best Dramaturgy, Best Visuals, Best Animation, Best Sound, Best Student Film, Best Interstitial Animation and Best Film for Children.Additionally, before 2009, the festival allowed internet users of Rambler Vision
Rambler (portal)
Rambler is a Russian search engine and one of the biggest Russian web portals. It is owned by the Rambler Media Group, which has belonged to Prof-Media since 2006....
to see the films first and vote for their favourites. The Prize of Audience Sympathies was awarded at the closing ceremony.
See also
- History of Russian animationHistory of Russian animationThe History of Russian animation is very rich, but is so far a nearly unexplored field for Western film theory and history. As most of Russia's production of animation for film|cinema and television was created during Soviet times, it may also be referred to as the History of Soviet...
- KROK International Animated Films FestivalKROK International Animated Films FestivalThe KROK International Animated Films Festival is an annual international animation film festival. It is held in Russia on even years and in Ukraine on odd years. The festival takes place over the course of 12 days between September and October on the cruise ship Taras Shevchenko...
- List of regional animation festivals
External links
- Official website
- 2007 entries on Rambler Vision (46 out of the total 61 can be viewed, though some only partially)