Kunjanimation Film Festival comes to Cape Town

In addition, a French animation delegation will be in Cape Town as part of the festival and the ongoing relationship between the South African and French animation industries. The delegation includes: Marie Soufflot, from Imaginove Animation Cluster, Véronique Encrenaz from the Annecy International Animated Film Market (MIFA), and Alice Riviere, from Emile Cohl Animation School, as well as other animation producers.

The Pop the Culture workshops will take place at the Animation School in Woodstock, and hosts will include the likes of author Lauren Beukes; director of Khumba Anthony Silverston of Triggerfish Animation Studios; Ricco Schacherl of Madam & Eve, and Richard Morgan Grenville of Strika Entertainment. There will also be a two-day master class with Justine Bannister from Just B in France about international strategy and talking about creating a brand and integrated marketing thinking.

The world's leading animated films

"Kunjanimaton is a rare chance to see some of the world's leading animated films," said Festival Director Dianne Makings. "The festival has not only provided access to these films, but has successfully created a platform for the development of the art and business of South African animation. This year we have taken that a step further, in our partnership with Pop the Culture, which will be hosting ground-breaking training workshops for the local industry."

"Pop the Culture is a content hub and talent incubator. We want to help build and promote the South African animation and visual arts sector from the ground up, using new media platforms and plugging into cutting-edge technology," said Wendy Spinks, co-founder of Pop the Culture. "These workshops are an incredible opportunity for students and professionals to engage with and learn from some of the best leaders in the industry. We are also delighted to be bringing global expertise to SA's doorstep with Justine Bannister's master class."

Five films

The five films to be screened this year tell captivating stories of love and fury; heartless kings; prophesying frogs and, for the younger viewers, battles and friendships between ladybird and ants.

All the foreign language films are subtitled and suitable for all ages.

Miniscule: Valley of the Lost Ants is fun for all the family. In a peaceful forest, the remains of a picnic trigger a ruthless war between rival ant colonies, obsessed with gaining control of the same prize: a box of sugar cubes! Amidst this struggle a young ladybug befriends a black ant and helps him save his people from the horrible red ants. (Screening schedule: 8.30pm Wednesday, 26 November and 11am Saturday, 29 November. No language used in film. All characters speak in sound effects).

Rio 2096: A Story of Love and Fury (Portuguese) won the Best Feature award at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival as well as the Audience Award at the Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival. It follows the story of a warrior who lives almost 600 years ago, seeking for the resurrection of his beloved Janaína. When he dies, he takes the form of a bird, and, for six centuries, the love of the couple survives during four key stages of Brazilian history. (Screening schedule: 8.30pm Friday, 28 November).

Le Roi et l'Oiseau (The King and the Mockingbird) is regarded as a masterpiece in the history of French animation. Its creation started in 1948, loosely based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep. It was a collaboration between director Paul Grimault and French poet Jacques Prévert, but due to production problems, the version they envisaged was only finished 30 years after they started it. (Screening schedule: 2pm Sunday, 30 November).

La Prophétie des Grenouilles (Raining Cats and Frogs) is an award-winning French traditional children's feature film. Loosely based on the story of Noah's Ark, it is about a group of frogs who predict an imminent disaster in which it will rain for 40 days and 40 nights. They tell a boy and girl who subsequently help save the animals in a zoo. The film was honoured at the International Festival of Animated Feature Films where it was awarded the prize for Best Feature Picture. (Screening schedule: 6pm Saturday, 29 November).

Mia et le Migou (Mia and the Migoo) (French) is about a young girl's search for her father in a tropical paradise, threatened by the construction of a gigantic hotel resort. The film won the European Film Award for Best Animated Feature at the 22nd European Film Awards. (Screening schedule: 8.30pm Saturday, 29 November).

Workshop schedule

Wednesday, 26 November:

• 9am to 10.30am: Where comics & animation meet: the process, the similarities and getting your story out there. With Lauren Beukes; Richard from Strikas and Rico from Madam and Eve; Moray Rhoda and Sean Isaakse, and Mike Scott;
  
• 11am to 12 noon: Lauren Beukes - Lauren tells her story and about how she got started in comics;
  
• 1.30pm to 5pm: Richard Morgan of Strika Entertainment - Grenville Comics to Greenbacks. Boom! Richard talks about the business side, branded entertainment and making money in comics.

Thursday, 27 November:

• 9am to 1pm: Moray Rhoda and Sean Isaakse Storytelling and collaboration for creating comic books;
  
• 1.30pm to 5pm: Ricco Schacherl- Madam & Eve Strip Show - "A few things I learned about graphic storytelling in over 20 years of drawing funny pictures."

Friday, 28 November:

• 10am to 12 noon: Susan Opperman and Roberto Millan How to create your own superhero;
  
• 2pm to 4pm: Mike Scott Starting from the Bottom Up: Character design, illustration, inking, background design, layout, compositing, key framing and animation. Talking us through the creative process.

Saturday, 29 November:

• 9am to 1pm: Anthony Silverston of Triggerfish Studios: Story and writing characters to care about;
  
• 2pm to 5pm: Daniel Snaddon of Triggerfish Studios: Storyboarding tips and tricks: A hands-on workshop. Graphic storytelling and techniques.

Sunday, 30 November:

• 9am to 12am: Lorraine Alvarez Posen Illustration - Character Design Fundamentals;
  
• 2pm to 4pm: Strika Entertainment - Nic Hoekstra, a creative practical workshop.

Saturday, 29 and Sunday, 30 November:

• 9am to 5pm: Master class Series with Justine Bannister from Just B in Paris, France: International Strategy - The Real Buzz. Creating your brand and integrated marketing thinking.

Screenings take place at the Labia Cinema in Orange Street, Gardens. Tickets cost R25 each.

Workshops take place at the Animation School, Cape Town Campus, 42 Searle Street, Woodstock.

Ticket prices for the workshops start at R175.A full festival pass for Pop the Culture workshops and screenings is R1900 and students pay R1000.

For bookings and information about the screenings and the workshops, go to www.quicket.co.za.