Ottawa International Animation Festival 2019

The Ottawa International Animation Festival is an annual animated film and media festival that takes place in

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the c ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

. The OIAF was founded in 1975, with the first festival held from August 10 to 15 in 1976. Initially organized by the Canadian Film Institute on a biennial basis and with the co-operation of the International Animated Film Association, the Festival organization now remains in the hands of the CFI. It moved from a biennial to an annual festival in 2005. Today the festival is recognized as the largest animation festival in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

, and regularly attracts upwards of 25,000 attendees when it is held each September.

History

The Ottawa International Animation Festival was founded in 1975 by various figures in the world of Canadian animation, most prominently Bill Kuhns, Frederik Manter, Prescott J. Wright, Frank Taylor, and Kelly O'Brien. Many Canadian film and media institutions, such as the

National Film Board of Canada The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; french: Office national du film du Canada (ONF)) is Canada's public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary fi ...

, Télévision de Radio-Canada,

CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French- ...

, and Cinémathèque Québécoise also played a fundamental role in building the festival into its present state. Canada's national capital

was chosen as the host city due to its already strong film culture, being the former home of the NFB as well as many of Canada's first animation studios. Additionally, Ottawa was (at the time) home of famed Canadian animator and filmmaker

Norman McLaren William Norman McLaren, LL. D. (11 April 1914 – 27 January 1987) was a Scottish Canadian animator, director and producer known for his work for the National Film Board of Canada (NFB).Rosenthal, Alan. ''The new documentary in action: a caseb ...

, who went on to be recognized for his contributions to the field of animation by the festival as its first Honorary President. The OIAF experienced a brief change of location in 1984 when it was moved to

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

and subsequently to

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilto ...

in 1986 before settling back in Ottawa in 1990, where it has remained since. In 1999 the festival office suffered a fire, leading to many of the files from past years being lost. Nevertheless, the festival has continued to thrive. In 1997 the Ottawa International Student Animation Festival (SAFO) was founded and held in alternate years to the larger OIAF. In 2005 the OIAF moved from biennial to annual and as such the student categories became part of the main festival. In 2002 the festival premiered its business conference component, originally called the Television Animation Conference and now known simply as The Animation Conference or TAC. The Animation conference runs concurrently with the festival and is aimed more at industry professionals than the general public, providing those in the animation industry an opportunity to network with their colleagues. Today the OIAF continues to grow and is known in the festival world for its practice of pitting both commercial and independent projects in competition with one another, a strategy which leads to a wide breadth of styles and formats. The OIAF features traditionally-drawn animated films, animation made with

computer graphics Computer graphics deals with generating images with the aid of computers. Today, computer graphics is a core technology in digital photography, film, video games, cell phone and computer displays, and many specialized applications. A great de ...

, and more recently, even projects made in

virtual reality Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that employs pose tracking and 3D near-eye displays to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video games), edu ...

Grand prize winners

*2021 - Best Short: ''Honekami (A Bite of Bone)'' - Honami Yano (Japan) *2021 - Best Feature: ''Bob Spit: We Do Not Like People'' - Cesar Cabral (Brazil) *2020 - Best Feature: ''

Kill It and Leave This Town ''Kill It and Leave This Town'' ( pl, Zabij to i wyjedź z tego miasta) is a 2020 Polish adult animated psychological horror film created by Polish animator Mariusz Wilczyński, in his feature film debut, from a script developed alongside Agnieszka ...

'' - Mariusz Wilczynski (Poland) *2020 - Best Short: ''KKUM'' - Kang-min Kim (South Korea/USA) *2019 - Best Feature: '' On-Gaku: Our Sound'' - Kenji Iwaisawa (Japan) *2019 - Best Short: ''Don't Know What'' - Thomas Renoldner (Austria) *2018 - Best Feature: ''This Magnificent Cake!'' - Emma de Swaef, Marc James Roels (Belgium) *2018 - Best Short: ''Solar Walk'' - Réka Bucsi (Denmark, Hungary) *2017 - Best Feature: '' The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl'' - Masaaki Yuasa (Japan) *2017 - Best Short: ''Ugly'' - Nikita Diakur (Germany) *2016 - Best Feature: '' Louise en Hiver'' - Jean-François Laguionie (France/Canada) *2016 - Best Short: ''

J'aime les filles "J'aime les filles (si vous êtes comme ça téléphonez moi)" is a 1967 single by French singer-songwriter Jacques Dutronc. It reached number 1 in the French singles chart for two weeks from 6 May 1967. Court case In 1977, Dutronc and co-writer ...

'' -

Diane Obomsawin Diane Obomsawin (born 1959) is a Quebec-based author, illustrator and animated filmmaker, often known by her pseudonym, Obom. Some of her notable works have explored the issue of lesbian first love, including a 2014 graphic novel, published in ...

(Canada) *2015 - Best Short: ''Small People With Hats'' - Sarina Nihei, (UK) *2015 - Best Feature: ''

Over the Garden Wall ''Over the Garden Wall'' is an American animated television miniseries created by Patrick McHale for Cartoon Network. The series centers on two half-brothers who travel across a mysterious forest to find their way home, encountering a variet ...

'' -

Patrick McHale Patrick McHale VC ( ga, Pádraig Mac Céile; 1826 – 26 October 1866) was born in Killala, County Mayo and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that ca ...

, (USA, South Korea) *2014 - Best Short: ''Hippos (Hipopotamy)'' - Piotr Dumala, (Poland) *2014 - Best Feature: ''

Seth's Dominion ''Seth’s Dominion'' is a 2014 National Film Board of Canada animated/live action documentary directed by Luc Chamberland about the Canadian cartoonist Seth. Production ''Seth’s Dominion'' took Chamberland eight years to create, from concept ...

'' - Luc Chamberland, (Canada) *2013 - Best Feature: ''Tito on Ice'' - Max Andersson (Germany, Sweden) *2013 - Best Short: ''Lonely Bones'' - Rosto, (France, Netherlands) *2012 - Best Feature: '' Wrinkles'' - Ignacio Ferreras (Spain) *2012 - Best Short: ''Junkyard'' -

Hisko Hulsing Hisko Hulsing (born July 7, 1971 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch director, animator, composer, painter and storyboard artist. His animated films won many awards, including the Grand Prize for ''Junkyard'' at the Ottawa International Animation Film Fes ...

, (Netherlands) *2011 - Best Feature: ''Dead but not Buried'' - Phil Mulloy (UK) *2011 - Best Short: ''Moxie'' - Stephen Irwin (UK) *2010 - Best Feature: ''Goodbye Mister Christie'' - Phil Mulloy (UK) *2010 - Best Short: ''The External World'' - David O'Reilly (Ireland) *2009 - Best Short: ''Kaasündinud Kohustused (Inherent Obligations)'' - by Rao Heidmets, Estonia *2009 - Best Feature: '' Mary and Max'' -

Adam Elliot Adam Elliot (born 2 January 1972) is an Australian stop-motion animation writer, director and producer based in Melbourne, Australia. His five films have collectively participated in over seven hundred film festivals and have received over one ...

(Australia) *2008 - Best Feature: '' Terra'' -

Aristomenis Tsirbas Aristomenis (Meni) Tsirbas is a film director, producer, writer, editor, animator, concept designer, storyboard artist, and visual effects supervisor. He has directed two feature films, several national television commercials, music videos, and ...

(USA) *2008 - Best Short: ''Chainsaw'' - Dennis Tupicoff (Australia) *2007 - Best Feature: '' Persepolis'' - Marjane Satrapi (France) *2007 - Best Short: '' A Country Doctor'' - Koji Yamamura (Japan) *2006 - Best Feature: ''The Christies'' - Phil Mulloy (UK) *2006 - Best Short: '' Dreams & Desires: Family Ties'' - Joanna Quinn (UK) *2005 - Best Feature: ''

The District! ''The District!'' ( hu, Nyócker!) is a 2004 Hungarian caricaturistic animated film directed by Áron Gauder. Its original title is a shortened colloquial form of ''nyolcadik kerület'', the eighth district of Budapest, also known as Józsefvá ...

'' - Aron Gauder (Hungary) *2005 - Best Short: ''Milch'' - Igor Kovalyov (USA) *2004 - Best Feature: '' Raining Cats and Frogs'' - Jacques-Rémy Girerd (France) *2004 - Best Short: ''

Ryan Ryan may refer to: People and fictional characters *Ryan (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Ryan (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) Places Australia * Division of Ryan, an elect ...

'' - Chris Landreth (Canada) *2003 - ''Son of Satan'' - Jean-Jacques-Villard (USA) *2002 - Best Short: '' Home Road Movies'' - Robert Bradbrook (UK) *2002 - Best Feature: '' Waking Life'' -

Richard Linklater Richard Stuart Linklater (; born July 30, 1960) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is known for films that revolve mainly around suburban culture and the effects of the passage of time. His films include the comedies ' ...

(USA) *2001 - '' Dog'' -

Suzie Templeton Suzanah Clare Templeton (born 1967 in Hampshire, England) is a British animator. Her film ''Peter and the Wolf'' has won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2008. Early life Raised at Highfield in Sout ...

(UK) *2000 - ''Ring of Fire'' -

Andreas Hykade Andreas Hykade (born 1968 in Altötting, Bavaria) is a German animator, cartoonist, and voice actor. Before studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart from 1988 to 1990, he attended König-Karlmann-Gymnasium Altötting. He worked as an anim ...

(Germany) *1999 - ''Grace'' - Lorelei Pepi (USA) *1998 - ''The Night of the Carrots'' - Priit Pärn (Estonia) *1997 - ''We Lived In Grass'' -

(Germany) *1996 - ''Bird in the Window'' - Igor Kovalyov (Russia/USA) *1994 - ''

The Wrong Trousers ''The Wrong Trousers'' is a 1993 British stop-motion animated short film co-written and directed by Nick Park, featuring his characters Wallace and Gromit, and was produced by Aardman Animations in association with Wallace and Gromit Ltd., BBC ...

'' -

Nick Park Nicholas Wulstan Park (born 6 December 1958) is a British animator who created ''Wallace and Gromit'', ''Creature Comforts'', ''Chicken Run'', ''Shaun the Sheep'', and '' Early Man''. Park has been nominated for an Academy Award a total of ...

(UK) *1992 - '' Two Sisters'' -

Caroline Leaf Caroline Leaf (born August 12, 1946 in Seattle, Washington) is a Canadian-American filmmaker, animator, director, tutor and artist. She has produced numerous short animated films and her work has been recognized worldwide. She is best known as o ...

(Canada) *1990 - ''Hen, His Wife'' - Igor Kovalyov (USSR) *1988 - ''

The Man Who Planted Trees ''The Man Who Planted Trees'' (French title: ''L'homme qui plantait des arbres'') is a short story published in 1953 by French author Jean Giono. An allegorical tale, it tells the story of one shepherd's long and successful single-handed effort to ...

'' - Frederic Back (Canada) *1986 - '' The Frog, the Dog and the Devil'' - Bob Stenhouse (New Zealand) *1984 - ''Chips'' - Jerzy Kucia (Poland) *1982 - '' Crac'' - Frederic Back (Canada) *1980 - ''Ubu'' - Geoff Dunbar (UK) *1978 - '' Rowing Across the Atlantic'' - Jean-François Laguionie (France) *1976 - '' The Street'' -

(Canada)

Venues

The following venues host events and screenings during the Ottawa International Animation Festival: * Ottawa Arts Court * SAW Video * SAW Gallery * Ottawa Art Gallery *

National Gallery of Canada The National Gallery of Canada (french: Musée des beaux-arts du Canada), located in the capital city of Ottawa, Ontario, is Canada's national art museum. The museum's building takes up , with of space used for exhibiting art. It is one of the ...

* ByTowne Cinema * Strathcona Park * Pub 101 *

Château Laurier The Fairmont Château Laurier is a hotel with 429 guest rooms in the downtown core of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, located near the intersection of Rideau Street and Sussex Drive and designed in a French Gothic Revival Châteauesque style to compleme ...

National Arts Centre The National Arts Centre (NAC) (french: Centre national des Arts) is a performing arts organisation in Ottawa, Ontario, along the Rideau Canal. It is based in the eponymous National Arts Centre building. History The NAC was one of a number of ...

References

External links

Ottawa International Animation Festival
* {{cite news, last=Milligan, first=Mercedes, title=Meet Mr. Robinson, url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/people/meet-mr-robinson/, access-date=13 February 2012, newspaper=

Animation Magazine ''Animation Magazine'' is an American print magazine and website covering the animation industry and education, as well as visual effects. The print magazine is published 10 times a year in the United States. History and profile ''Animation Maga ...

, date=6 February 2012, format=Interview
Ottawa Announces Feature Contestants - Animation Magazine
Film festivals in Ottawa Animation film festivals in Canada Film festivals established in 1976 1976 establishments in Ontario