Ottawa International Animation Festival 2017: Weird, Wonderful and World Famous BY AL L I S ON WHAL EN
Some of the biggest names in film and TV had their eyes on this year’s Ottawa International Animation Festival. The 2017 OIAF received a total of 1992 entries, selected 105 short films and five feature films from 85 different countries. The animation world is a multicultural and inclusive community with a massive variety of stories to tell. “I’m focused on the unsung voices … the stuff that challenges people’s perception of animation, pushes the boundaries and takes more personal risks,” says Artistic Director Chris Robinson. He’s refined his selection process over the last 26 years to create thoughtful and effective film playlists for each short competition, the ultimate mix tape of the best of quirky, cuttingedge animated filmmaking that attracts tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world. The festival hosts many interactive activities, from a synesthetic pubcrawl to a perception-expanding virtual reality exhibit. The latter allowed attendees to experience innovative animation through Oculus Rift technology. Emmy-winning Dear Angelica (Saschka Unseld, 2017) allows the individual user to dissolve into a spectacular alternate reality, while Academy Award nominee Theodor Ushev’s Blind Vaysha creates a thought-provoking visual dilemma.
The Nelvana Grand Prize for Independent Short went to Nikita Diakur’s Ugly, a simulated short film about two beings trying to find peace in a dystopian neighbourhood. The Grand Prize for Features went to the surrealist romantic comedy The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl, directed by Masaaki Yuasa, who made OIAF history by becoming the first filmmaker to have two nominations in the features category. This is a world class festival not to be missed. Stay tuned for OIAF 2018!
OTTAWA FILM OFFICE Murray Street in the Byward Market
Research shows filmmaking is important for tourism, too. “By seeing a physical space you connect to a storyline, to the city where you feel it’s a reality,” explains Ottawa Film Commissioner Bruce Harvey. Choose any profession and Harvey will tell you how it translates to work in film and television. Just watch the credits roll at the end of your favourite show to see a list of positions. He uses the example of an electrician who can gain a unique learning experience by working alongside other talented individuals, like a cinematographer or sound
technician. Having an inside understanding of the way things work on set can lead to new opportunities in the business (not to mention good dinner-table conversation). The capital has attracted Hollywood due to the low cost of production. Zed Filmworks produced several features in the Ottawa area with big names attached. The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2017), which premiered at TIFF and starred Emma Roberts, was shot in Kemptville. Netflix thriller I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016) was filmed entirely in Eastern Ontario including
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Youth are encouraged to get involved and think critically about cartoons. Robinson emphasizes the importance of nurturing and inspiring future artists with activities like Family Day at the festival, showing kids how to make their own GIFs, and the Young Audience Competition.