Kunjanimation 2012 a celebration of the art of animation

This initiative aims to showcase and celebrate South Africa's emerging talents, while building bridges with the industry abroad.

Launched with success in 2011 the festival takes its name from the Zulu greeting, kunjani, combined with the word animation. As such, it's all about extending a hand in friendship to other proponents of this ever-changing art form from across the world, explains festival director, Daniel Snaddon. "In the festival's first year, our focus was really on creating a forum for industry professionals, and furthering dialogue between the French and South African industries. This year, we're casting our net much wider, with film viewings for the general public and learning opportunities for students and professionals at every level, as well as a more goal-directed platform for business."

Screening of animated movies

For its second edition in Cape Town, Kunjanimation will invite the public at large to take part in a celebration of the art of animation, with screenings of an incredible diversity of animated movies and short films at the V&A Waterfront's Cinema Nouveau.

On the business side, Kunjanimation 2012 looks forward to offering a platform for networking and collaboration between African and European animation professionals. The festival board will be collaborating closely with France's most prestigious annual industry event, the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, and its market MIFA, which have been associated with Kunjanimation since its inception in 2011.

"Annecy has done much towards forging closer ties between our industries," says Canda Kincses, Cape Town chairperson for Animation SA. "This is certainly the season for sharing between France and South Africa, and we are sure there is much that our young industry can learn from the great French tradition."

Skill-sharing a new focus

An important new focus for Kunjanimation 2012 is professional education and skill-sharing. To this end, the festival has lined up an impressive array of workshops, talks, and presentations, featuring leading South African studios such as Black Ginger, Triggerfish, Imaginari and Strikas Entertainment.

Most excitingly, Kunjanimation 2012 will also be offering a series of master classes on character animation, to be led by Dreamworks animator Alexandre Heboyan and facilitated by world-renowned French animation college Les Gobelins l'Ecole de l'Image, of which Heboyan himself is an alumnus. This is a first for South Africa, and a coup for the young festival. "Gobelins graduates are regularly snapped up by the world's best studios, including Disney and Pixar," says Snaddon. "We are thrilled to welcome their expertise to this forum."

The festival will run from Wednesday, 17 to Sunday, 21 October in Cape Town and Friday, 26 and Saturday, 27 October in Johannesburg. For the full schedule, go to www.kunjanimation.org.