ANIM18: A CELEBRATION OF BRITISH ANIMATION
AT VENUES ACROSS THE UK | APRIL TO NOVEMBER 2018
FILM HUB WALES AND CHAPTER (CARDIFF) LEAD MAJOR ANIMATION CELEBRATION
www.anim18.co.uk
www.twitter.com/anim18uk
A celebration of animation across the UK showcasing the best of British talent will be launched in April. From childhood favourites to experimental shorts, Anim18 will run right through to November, with screenings, workshops and pop-up events that aim to put British animation – past, present and future – firmly in the spotlight.
Anim18 will be launched at Chapter (Cardiff) as part of the Cardiff Animation Festival in April, with satellite launches around the UK. Working with the BFI Film Audience Network (FAN) and partners such as Into Film, it will take in a vast number of venues and a further 12 festivals including Belfast Film Festival, Birmingham’s Flatpack Film Festival, Leeds Young Film Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Encounters in Bristol, and Manchester Animation Festival.
There will be events right across the UK including celebratory screenings of classics such as Animal Farm and Watership Down, new releases such as Aardman’s Early Man, and Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs, which was made in the UK. Brand new commissions will also be unveiled.
Led by Film Hub Wales and Chapter (Cardiff) with a wealth of project partners, the programme will explore the history of British animation, from early techniques to modern technologies such as gaming and VR. It will complement BFI Animation 2018, the year-round celebration of animation.
Audiences will have the opportunity to see newly remastered films from the BFI National Archive’s unique animation collection and get involved in pop-up activities such as anijams and gamejams. They will even be able to smell their way through Scratch n Sniff screenings, and experience live soundtracks and singalongs.
Anim18 is supported by the BFI, awarding funds from the National Lottery, and by the British Council. The initiative aims to generate renewed interest in British animation, bring classic titles back to the big screen, and support innovation and experimentation by emerging UK animators.
The UK-wide celebration will explore four main strands:
Anim18 will showcase and celebrate inclusion, with special projects focusing on Women in Animation, a partnership with the BAME in Games network, and events for young audiences and curators. It will be the first UK-wide programme to work in tandem with the newly launched BFI FAN Access for All, Inclusive Cinema Strategy led by Film Hub Wales, and will bring together a newly developed network of industry expertise, exhibition partners, and community focused organisations. There will be a newly commissioned trailer to celebrate the season, featuring original animation by Only Motion (www.onlymotion.co.uk).
Hana Lewis of Film Hub Wales explains:
“Audiences will have the chance to discover diverse new voices and techniques breaking into the industry and enjoy British animated classics, such as Animal Farm and When the Wind Blows, in superb cinema settings across the UK.
“It’s an opportune and exciting time for the BFI Film Audience Network to celebrate the historic culture of British animation in the UK and explore the future. From commercial, to cult, pop-culture and children’s programming, British animation can appeal to all ages.”
Anim18 Project Manager, Rebecca Goldsmith says:
“Animation is like magic – it captures the imagination in a unique way, bringing characters and stories to life on screen. The UK has a strong heritage in doing this well, and we are excited to be shining a light on the animators and studios who have produced work at the forefront of innovation since the early beginnings of animation”
Ben Luxford, Head of UK Audiences, BFI, says:
“This hugely exciting and compelling programme showcases the striking and unique animation that has been produced in the UK since the early 9201900s. In a year which sees the BFI celebrate all aspects of animation we are especially happy to support Film Hub Wales in bringing this varied and fascinating work to new audiences across the whole of the UK.”
Anim18 will launch with an event in each of the four UK nations. The main launch event will take place at the brand new Cardiff Animation Festival at Chapter (Cardiff) from 19-22 April. This four-day showcase of animation will include a preview of Oscar-nominated feature The Breadwinner and a huge programme of 99 short animated films.
The festival in the Welsh capital will also celebrate Chuck Steel: Night Of The Trampires – the independent stop motion feature film everyone is talking about, made in a warehouse in Bridgend by Animortal Studio. Director Mike Mort will give audiences an exclusive look behind the scenes of the film, with the chance to come face to face with the incredible Trampires puppets, amazingly detailed miniature streets of LA, and meet the hero himself, Chuck Steel.
Sally Griffith, Director of Cinema at Chapter and Director of Film Hub Wales, says:
“Chapter and Film Hub Wales are very proud to be leading on this initiative and we are proud to launch Anim18 at Chapter. Cardiff has long been recognised as a home for animation, from the early outings of Jerry The Troublesome Tyke to animators such as BAFTA-winning Joanna Quinn and Clothcat Animations, working today to surprise, challenge and entertain audiences. We’re pleased to be able to celebrate that heritage and play a part in developing its future.”
Further launch events will happen in England at Birmingham’s Flatpack Film Festival, in Northern Ireland at Belfast Film Festival, and in Scotland in partnership with Edinburgh International Film Festival.
Anim18 organisers are inviting audiences to join in and contribute to a digital hub; a space to share film titles and resources, showcase activity that is happening across the UK, and celebrate the best in British animation www.anim18.co.uk.
“Anim18 is like a dream come true! Special Animation screenings and events all across the country! Even better – this spring there will be special screenings of animation by women. What a perfect time to be celebrating the wonderful contribution women make to the world of animation.” – Joanna Quinn, Award-winning Animator (Beryl Productions).
For more information, please contact Jane Thomas on hello@janethomaspr.com
or 07967 351 827. More information and listings below.
Launch Events:
|
Type |
Venue/Partner |
Content |
Location |
Date |
| Main Launch | Cardiff Animation Festival & Chapter | A chance to hear more about how Anim18 will be working with a host of partners across the UK to showcase the best of British animation – past, present and future.
Exclusive content from ‘Night of the Trampires’ – British animation in the making – plus special guests.
‘Breaking Boundaries’ strand. |
Chapter, Cardiff
(Wales) |
Friday 20th April
6-7pm (TBC)
Free but ticketed. |
| England Launch
|
Flatpack
Film Festival |
A Conversation with Anne Wood – Founder and Creative Director of Ragdoll Productions.
Screenings and discussions on creating work for children and young people.
‘Young at Heart’ strand. |
MAC, Birmingham
(England) |
Sunday 22nd April
1:30-3pm |
| NI Launch | Belfast Film Festival | A screening of new release ‘The Breadwinner’ with accompanying event.
‘Connections’ & ‘Politics & Persuasion’ strands. |
Moviehouse, , Belfast
(Northern Ireland) |
Thursday 19th April |
| Scotland Launch
|
In partnership with Edinburgh International Film Festival | A screening of new release ‘The Breadwinner’ with introduction from BAFTA-nominated animator Iain Gardner.
‘Connections’ & ‘Politics & Persuasion’ strands. |
Filmhouse, Edinburgh (Scotland) |
Sunday 22nd or Monday 23rd April TBC |
Projects:
| Dates | Partner |
Location |
|
| 6th – 9th March | Into Film – Spring Screenings (for children and young people) |
UK-Wide |
|
| 26th March – 5th April | Leeds Young Film Festival |
Leeds |
England |
| 19th-22nd April | Cardiff Animation Festival |
Cardiff
|
Wales |
| 20th June – 1st July | Edinburgh International Film Festival |
Edinburgh |
Scotland |
| 2nd June – 11th June | Theatr Clwyd |
Mold |
Wales |
| 18th – 21st September | Wicked Wales Festival |
Rhyl |
Wales |
| 25th – 30th September | Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival |
Bristol |
England |
| 28th – 30th September | Kotatsu Festival |
Cardiff |
Wales |
| 29th September – 6th October | Sensoria Festival |
Sheffield |
England |
| 4th – 7th October | World of Film Festival |
Glasgow |
Scotland |
| 14th – 16th November | Manchester Animation Festival |
Manchester |
England |
Activity throughout the season:
| Venue |
Location |
|
| Chapter | Cardiff | Wales |
| Small World Theatre | Cardigan | Wales |
| Flicks in the Sticks | Pop-up locations | England & Wales |
| MediaActive | Shropshire
|
England |
| Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) | Birmingham
|
England |
| HOME | Manchester | England |
| Watershed | Bristol | England |
| Brewery Arts Centre & Lakes Comic Art Festival | Kendal | England |
| Courtyard Hereford | Hereford | England |
| Glasgow Short Film Festival | Glasgow & on tour | Scotland |
| Screen Tiree | Argyll & Bute | Scotland |
| BFI Film Hub Northern Ireland | Various locations | Northern Ireland |
| Nerve Centre, Derry/Belfast | Derry & Belfast | Northern Ireland |
| Sol Cinema | Mobile Cinema | TBC |
| BFI FAN Young Programmers Network | UK-wide | |
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Chapter is one of Europe’s largest and most dynamic arts centres with cinemas, theatres, exhibition spaces, studios, a café, award-winning bars, over 60 cultural workspaces and more.
Chapter has an international reputation for excellence, innovation and collaboration. It offers an ever-changing programme of the best performance, films and exhibitions from Wales and from around the world.
Film Hub Wales aims to bring more films, to more people, in more places around Wales. Along with its independent member venues, FHW regularly develops inventive ways for people in Wales to go to the cinema. Film Hub Wales (FHW) is one of eight UK wide ‘hubs’ funded by the BFI (British Film Institute) to form the Film Audience Network (FAN), with Chapter appointed as the Film Hub Lead Organisation (FHLO) in Wales. We aim to develop the exhibition sector through dedicated research, training and audience development project support. Since Film Hub Wales set up in 2013, we have supported over 150 exciting cinema projects, reaching over 274,000 audience members. In partnership with our member cinemas, arts centres, community venues, societies, festivals and wider film practitioners, FHW aims to celebrate and support the vibrant cultural film sector here in Wales, working together to expand and increase choice for audiences, regardless of where they live.
The BFI is the lead body for film in the UK with the ambition to create a flourishing film environment in which innovation, opportunity and creativity can thrive by:
The BFI is a Government arm’s-length body and distributor of Lottery funds for film. The BFI serves a public role which covers the cultural, creative and economic aspects of film in the UK. It delivers this role:
Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by Royal Charter.
The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Josh Berger CBE.
The BFI Film Audience Network (FAN) was established in 2012 to build wider and more diverse UK cinema audiences for British and international film, FAN achieved over 1,600,000[1] audience admissions from 2013-17, 40%[2] of which were new audiences.
FAN is a ground-breaking initiative that gives audiences across the UK the opportunity to see a diverse range of films in a cinema setting. For filmmakers, getting films onto cinema screens is a highly competitive business, particularly for specialised films, which include archive, documentary, independent and foreign language films. The BFI FAN aims to change this.
Over £4million of National Lottery funding per year until 2022 will enable BFI FAN to continue its broad range of activity to encourage greater engagement with independent and British film across the UK. With increased decision-making responsibility, 8 UK Hubs will now support local film festivals as well as back innovative audience development activity, enabling them to meet the specific needs of their local exhibitors and audiences. Hubs will deliver greater choice and access to a diversity of content to audiences everywhere, with a focus on reaching 16-30 year olds.
Chapter is the Film Hub Lead organisation for Wales (Film Hub Wales).
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. The British Council creates friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries.
www.twitter.com/BritishCouncil
Cardiff Animation Festival is run by the team behind Cardiff Animation Nights, who have been running animation events in Cardiff since 2014.
Over four days, from 19 – 22 April 2018, Cardiff Animation Festival (CAF) will showcase some of the best animation from all over the world for adults, families and filmmakers, with a broad selection of animated short films, features, masterclasses, workshops, filmmaker Q+As, retrospectives, an education program, behind the scenes screenings, industry events, panels, networking events and parties.
Held at Chapter, the Welsh capital’s vibrant arts hub, CAF will provide a brand new focal point for Cardiff’s thriving animation community, and a meeting place for industry, independent animators and enthusiasts from the wider animation world. CAF will provide a new platform in Wales for the best of British and international animation, and will welcome independent filmmakers, exciting new talent and established industry greats to Europe’s youngest capital city.
Animortal Studio is a purpose-built 24,000 sq ft stop-motion animation studio based in Bridgend, South Wales, whose mission is to create original, high-end animated content for television, film and online. Animortal’s first feature film Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires directed by Mike Mort is due for release in 2018.
www.twitter.com/AnimortalStudio
Cloth Cat Animation is a Cardiff-based studio and the largest animation production company in Wales. Cloth Cat Animation specialise in creative, inventive, design-rich projects with a strong technical grounding for all audiences via broadcast series, film, commercials, games and web content.
Beryl Productions is run by Oscar-nominated director Joanna Quinn and producer/writer Les Mills, and specialises in individually hand drawn character animation. Founded in 1987, Beryl Productions’ raison d’être is to produce high quality, accessible animation using humour as an essential element.
