ASIFA 50th Anniversary Logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

ASIFA Unveils its 50^th Anniversary Book: The Animation Art and The History of ASIFA

The ASIFA Publication is being released during the Annecy Animated Film Festival, 2011.

Annecy – June 6, 2011 – The Association Internationale du Film d’Animation  or International Animated Film Association (ASIFA) recently completed its tome going over its 50 year history as an international organization.

The 256 page hard-covered book is deep look into the ASIFA organization and what it has done of the years. The book contains a number of articles discussing ASIFA past, present, and future as well as ASIFA’s relationship with the many animation festivals. Many of the regional chapters of the organization also have documented within the book their beginnings as well as their activities.

Vesna Dovnikovic, ASIFA Secretary-General writes, “it will be a nice book which has been more than necessary for many years.” And Deanna Morse, ASIFA Contact Person for Education and Book Reviewer, writes, “I carefully proofread the whole book two times, and although it took many hours, I found it interesting, and a good overview of our past 50 years.”

The book is an amazing collection of articles that provide insight to an organization that has long been a part of the animation community.  The ASIFA 50^th Anniversary Book: The Animation Art and The History of ASIFA will be available throughout the Annecy Animated Film Festival in the ASIFA office located in the Bonlieu, the main festival venue.

To learn more about ASIFA visit http://www.ASIFA.net.

About ASIFA:

Association Internationale du Film d’Animation  (ASIFA) was founded in 1960. It is an international organization dedicated to the promoting the art and education of animation with over 30 regional chapters worldwide and members in more than 60 countries. ASIFA is an UNESCO entity.

Contact:

Nelson Shin

ASIFA

President@asifa.net

www.ASIFA.net

###

The winner of the poll is the film entitled Dimensions (Possibilities) in Dialogue / Možnosti DIALOGU by the Czech surrealist author Jan Švankmajer, realized in 1982. The film by Jurij Norstein THE TALE OF TALES / SKAZKA SKAZOK ranked second, thus repeating its success from the year 1984, when it won the Los Angeles Animation Olympics. The third place fell to the film THE HAND / RUKA by Jiří Trnka, which strengthened its position as compared to the 1984 poll’s results (it came in 4th then). An exceptional achievement must be noticed on the part of the Canadian cinematographers, who placed 9 films on the list, while the British and Polish authors entered 6 films each. The success of the Polish animation can be also measured by the two films that made it to the top ten: the Oscar-winning TANGO by Zbigniew Rybczyński – 4th place (advancing from the 20th back in 1984) and TUNING THE INSTRUMENTS / STROJENIE INSTRUMENTÓW by Jerzy Kucia – 8th place. The success though, is first and foremost a “historical” one, for the film by Jerzy Kucia is the only Polish film on the list that was made during the last fifteen years. As a matter of fact, the whole list proves that the last ten or fifteen years constitute a period artistically poorer in world animation. All the bigger the success of the 6 films then, created during the last fifteen years, which made their way into and up the list “ASIFA – 50 (51) for 50.”

Please find below the full list of the 51 laureates of the biggest, since 1984, poll to choose the most outstanding achievements in world animation.

“ASIFA 50 (51) for 50” – contest results

1. Wymiary dialogu

   / Možnosti dialogu / Dimensions (Possibilities) in Dialogue,

   

   Jan Švankmajer, CZECHOSLOVAKIA, 1982, 962 points.

2. Bajka bajek /

   Skazka skazok / The Tale of Tales/Сказка

   сказок / Le Conte des Contes,

   

   Jurij Norstein, USRR, 1979, 902 points.

3. Ręka / Ruka / The Hand,

   

   Jiří Trnka, CZECHOSLOVAKIA, 1965, 802 points.

4. Tango,

   

   Zbigniew Rybczyński, POLAND, 1980, 793 points.

5. Ulica krokodyli

   / The Street of Crocodiles,

   

   Stephen, Timothy Quay, UK, 1986, 765 points.

6. Harpya,

   

   Raoul Servais, BELGIUM, 1978, 704 points.

7. Człowiek, który

   sadził drzwa / Home

   qui plantait les arbres, L' / The Man Who Planted Trees,

   

   Frédéric Back, CANADA, 1987, 592 points.

8. Strojenie instrumentów

   /Tuning the Instruments,

   

   Jerzy Kucia, POLAND, 2000, 566 points.

9. Ulica / La Rue / The Street,

   

   Caroline Leaf, CANADA, 1976, 563 points.

10. Ryan,

    

    Chris Landreth, CANADA, 2004, 556 points.

11. Śniadanie na

    trawie / Eine murul / Zavtrak na trave / Breakfast on the Grass / Déjeuner

    sur l’Herbe, Priit Pärn, ESTONIA (USRR), 1987, 547

    points.

12. Pas De Deux, Norman McLaren,

    CANADA, 1968, 538 points.

13. Ojciec i córka

    / Father and Daughter, Michael Dudok de Wit, UK / NETHERLANDS

    / BELGIUM, 2000, 536 points.

14. Satiemania,

    Zdenko Gašparović, YUGOSLAVIA, 1978, 521 points.

15. ex aequo:

Repete,

Michaela Pavlátová, CZECH REPUBLIC, 1995, 484 points.

Zwierzo-zwierzenia / Creature Comforts,

Nick Park, UK, 1989, 484 points.

16. Balance,

    Christopher, Wolfgang Lauenstein, GERMANY (RFN), 1989, 422 points.

17. GDY DZIEŃ

    SIĘ BUDZI / When The Day Breaks,

    Wendy Tilby, Amanda Forbis, CANADA, 2000, 417 points.

18. Jeżyk we mgle

    / Hedgehog in the Fog (Mist) /Jozik v tumane,

    Jurij Norstein, USSR, 1975, 408 points.

19. Góra głowa

    / Atama Yama / Mt.Head,

    Koji Yamamura, JAPAN, 2002, 398 points.

20. Głód / La Faim / Hunger, Peter Fòldes, CANADA, 1974, 373

    points.

21. wIELKA IRYTACJA

    / The Big Snit,

    Richard Condie, CANADA, 1985, 371 points.

22. Jego

    żona kura / Hen

    his Wife / Его жена курица / Yego Zhena Kuritza, Igor Kovalyov, USSR, 1989, 370 points.

23. Labirynt / Labirynth,

    Jan Lenica, POLAND, 1962, 361 points.

24. Surogat / Substitute

    / Ersatz, Dušan Vukotić, YUGOSLAVIA, 1961, 359 points.

25. Nos / Le Nez / The Nose, Alexander

    Allexeieff, Claire Parker,

    FRANCE, 1963, 349 points.

26. FELIX NA WYGNANIU

    / Felix in Exile, William Kentridge, SOUTH AFRICA, 1994,

    312 points.

27. Krowa / Korova

    / Корова / The Cow,

    Aleksander Petrov, USRR, 1989, 303 points.

28. WIOSŁUJĄC

    PRZEZ ATLANTYK / Traversee de l'Atlantique a la Rame, La / Rowing across

    the Atlantique, Jean-Francois Laguionie, FRANCE, 1978,

    298 points.

29. Dwie siostry

    / Entre deux soeurs / Two Sisters,

    Caroline Leaf CANADA, 1990, 292 points.

30. Refleksy / Reflection,

    Jerzy Kucia, POLAND, 1979, 287 points.

31. Asparagus,

    Suzan Pitt, USA, 1979, 278 points.

32. Luxor

    Jr.,

    John Lasseter, USA, 1989, 277 points.

33. Dziewczęcy

    wolny wieczór / Girls Night Out,

    Joanna Quinn, UK, 1987, 272 points.

34. FARMA NA WZGÓRZU

    / The Hill Farm, Mark Baker, UK, 1989, 270 points.

35. DROGA W OTCHŁAŃ

    / Course a l'abime, La / Road to the Abyss,

    Georges Schwizgebel, SWITZERLAND, 1992, 246 points.

36. Hotel E,

    Priit Pärn, ESTONIA, 1992, 241 points.

37. Wściekłe gacie

    / The Wrong Trousers, Nick Park, UK, 1993, 240

    points.

38. Syzyf / Sisyphus,

    Marcell Jankovics, HUNGARY, 1974, 239 points.

39. Mleko / Milch

    / Milk, Igor Kovalyov, USA / RUSSIA, 2005, 234 points.

40. SCENARIUSZ /

    Screenplay, Barry Purves, UK, 1992, 233 points.

41. PEJZAŻ

    UMYSŁU / Le Peysagiste / Mindscape,

    Jacques Drouin, CANADA, 1976, 231 points.

42. UCZUCIA Z GÓR

    I WODY / Shan shui Quing / Feelings from Mountain and Water,

    Te Wei, Ma Kexuan, Yan Sanchun, CHINA, 1988, 228 points.

43. Słowa, słowa,

    słowa / Reci, Reci, Reci… / Words, Words, Words,

    Michaela Pavlátová, CZECHOSLOVAKIA, 1991, 227 points.

44. Latający człowiek

    / The Flying Man, George Dunning, UK, 1962, 223 points.

45. Frank Film,

    Caroline, Frank Mouris, USA, 1973, 214 points.

46. SROKA ZŁODZIEJKA

    / La Gazza Ladra Sinfonia / The Thieving Magpie,

    Giulio Gianini, Emanuele Luzzati, ITALY, 1964, 210 points.

47. Dojoji / Dojoji

    Temple, Kihachiro Kawamoto, JAPAN, 1976, 208 points.

48. Apel / The Roll

    Call / L’appel, Ryszard Czekała, POLAND, 1970, 206

    points.

49. The Public Voice

    / Den Offentlige Røst / La Voix Publique,

    Lejf Marcussen, DENMARK, 1988, 204 points.

50. Franz Kafka,

    Piotr Dumała, POLAND, 1991, 199 points.

Kraków, 19^th November

2010

Artistic Director

International

Film Festival Etiuda&Anima

Bogusław

Zmudziński

inspired by the 50th anniversary of International Animated Film Association

(Association Internationale du Film d’Animation – ASIFA)

This year, a significant group of artists, producers, festival directors, animation critics and viewers can celebrate the 50th anniversary of the creation of the International Animated Film Association (Association Internationale du Film d’Animation – ASIFA), an organization founded by Norman Mc Laren and other exceptional creators in order to unite animation artists from all around the world.

The head of the Association chose 2010 to be the year in which the 50th anniversary is celebrated. As people responsible for the International Etiuda&Anima Film Festival, which is the oldest Polish festival devoted to film education and international animation, we have decided to hold a competition together with ASIFA Poland. The international contest called “ASIFA 50 on 50” focuses on creating a list of 50 best animated shorts created during the 50 years that the Association has been active. The idea was welcomed by the ASIFA and honorary Patronage was provided by the Association President, Mr Nelson Shin from Korea, and Mr Raoul Servais from Belgium, the Honorary President of the celebration.

The story is worth remembering. In the 1984, the ASIFA Hollywood decided to celebrate the Los Angeles Olympics together with the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and conducted the famous “Champions of Animation” poll. The idea first occurred to the late Fini Littlejohn, an ASIFA Hollywood member, designer and illustrator working for the Disney Studios. She created the contest, which was a part of the broader context of the Olympiad of Animation, in order to remind the public of the best animated films that 2 “could be seen on festivals for decades, but then stopped being screened completely”. One hundred journalists, teachers, festival directors and program experts were invited to participate (and, in the end, 35 of them responded). In this way, 50 short animated films were selected out of the joint achievements of the international cinema.

Yuri Norstein’s film “Tale of Tales” (1980) became the unquestionable winner. The second place was taken up by “The Street” by Caroline Leaf (1976), with “The Yellow Submarine” (1968) by George Dunning in the third and Jiři Trinka with “The Hand” (1965) in fourth. Zdenko Gasparovic’s “Satiemania” (1978) was in the tenth place and holding the 20th place, was the only Polish film included in the list – Zbigniew Rybczynski’s “Tango”. The oldest film on the list was the 1914 “Gertie the Dinosaur” by Winsor Mc Cay, in the 44th place. Decades have passed, but the contest is still an important icon. Taking this into consideration, we have decided to organize a second one, this time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the ASIFA. We do not wish to test the historical results against new ones, but rather to update the list, believing, that the 1960s, when European national schools of animation were created and when Dušan Vukotic’s “Surogat” became the first non-American animated film to win the Academy Award, were a turning point in the history of animation.

Learning from the experience of our American predecessors, we decided to limit the number of experts and invite only true masters and animation specialists, with an extensive knowledge of both the history of animation and its current state. Mr Raul Servais advised us on the list. In the end it involved 25 experts from 18 countries, listed below, in alphabetical order.

Midhat Ajanović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Otto Alder (Switzerland) Margit Buba Antauer (Croatia) Alfio Bastiancich (Italy) Suzanne Buchan (Great Britain) Olivier Cotte (France) David G. Ehrlich (USA) Marcin Giżycki (Poland)3 Miriam Harris (New Zealand) Marcel Jean (Canada) Sayoko Kinoshita (Japan) Clare Kitson (Great Britain) Jiří Kubíček (Czech Republic) Marcos Magalhaes (Brazil) Ferenc Mikulas (Hungary) Philippe Moins (Belgium) Kosei Ono (Japan) Jayne Pilling (Great Britain) Igor Prassel (Slovenia) Thomas Renoldner (Austria) Nicole Salomon (France Stanislav Ulver (Czech Republic) Ulrich Wegenast (Germany) Paul Wells (Great Britain) Bogusław Zmudziński (Poland).

According to the rules of the poll, each expert could take part in two voting rounds. During the first round, he or she could suggest up to 100 films created between 1960 and 2010. We have decided that a film mentioned by at least three experts would be considered nominated and would enter the second stage. The overall number of submitted film titles was 852, while 237 met the established threshold.

During the second, decisive phase, each expert would vote again, but this time choose from among the nominees. According to the rules, they could create individual lists of 50 films, organized in a way that would reflect their opinion: the first film on the list would receive 50 points, the second – 49, and the last place would be awarded a single point. As agreed, the sum of all points awarded 4 by individual experts determined the final list – our result, the 50 best and most important animated films created during the period of ASIFA’s activity.

The final results will be presented in the form of a separate document during this press conference. Today, November 19th 2010, the day of the opening ceremony, they will be also published in the festival catalog. Any minute now, they will also appear on our websites, in specialist press and in other media devoted to culture. Also, best films will be screened during this year’s Etiuda&Anima IFF. The organizers have decided that together with the best 10 films from the new ASIFA “50 on 50” list, the films that were awarded first places on individual lists would be screened during the festival.

Even though we took precautions, we couldn’t avoid a situation in which two films gathered the same amount of points. Hence, two animations had to share the 15th place. The organizers decided that an extra film shall be added to take the 50th place. We believe it to be a very fortunate decision, not only because the final film was made in Poland. To be absolutely truthful, 2010 marks 51 years of ASIFA’s activity; remembering that a bit of flexibility can go a long way in situations like this, we have decided to rename the contest ASIFA “51 on 51”. As organizers of this contest, we wish to promote its results in the following months, that is, until the end of 2011. We will promote the winners on film festivals and events and do our best to publish an international DVD comprising all 51 films.

Cracow, November 19th 2010

IFF Etiuda&Anima
Artistic Director
Bogusław Zmudziński

Text coming soon.