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23rd December 2001

  From people all over the world.....   A Tribute to the great artist Faith Hubley
  From AFCA - ASIFA France   Obituary: Arcady Brachlianoff
  The annual ASIFA Prize.....   .....goes to Priit Pärn
  From ASIFA Board   New ways of Festival Cooperation decided
  From ASIFA Bulgaria   Plovdiv non-feature film festival  
  From ASIFA Croatia   Zagreb Films in Trieste, Italy  
  From ASIFA Israel   Animation Forum / Job offer / short news  
  From ASIFA Hollywood   Animation Events January/February 2001  
  From ASIFA Colorado   International Lectures at RMCA - Denver  
  From University of Southern California   Job Offer  

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  A Tribute to Faith Hubley - collected and sent by Karl Cohen (ASIFA SF)


ANIMATOR FAITH HUBLEY DIED DECEMBER 7

She was a remarkable spirit who inspired many of us. Her personal work has been seen throughout the world countless times, probably more often than any other independent female animator. When John died suddenly in the 1970ís it was Faith who was expected to leave us as she had a "terminal" cancer at the time. She survived and kept her vow to make a personal film each year for the rest of her life. Her latest/last film was shown at UCLA in December. She died of cancer on Dec. 7, a few days before the LA screening.

It was a real pleasure knowing her as she always had a sincere positive attitude. She was willing to talk at great lengths when I was doing research that concerned her past. After being with her or talking with her on the phone I always felt she was very sharing and honest. She really was a wonderful person and I always felt great after being in her presence. She was always so full of energy and life that it is hard to imagine I will not see her again.

Faith was the subject of at least two documentaries. A feature length film was recently completed and I assume it will be on PBS this year. As a memorial to Faith I plan to show part of a 25 minute documentary about her made in the 1990's for ITVS (and PBS) at our January meeting. K.C.


The following are comments about this wonderful person by others who knew her.

Jerry Beck, Los Angeles
"Faith was a unique artist who turned animated cartoons into her art. Her strong personal point of view is evident in every frame of every one of her films. She was a mentor to many young animators and a delightful woman."

Beck ran the following on his web site cartoon research.com. It is based on a notice sent to him by Bill Tessier. "Faith Hubley passed away in New Haven, CT this morning, Dec. 7th, from cancer. She taught a storyboarding class at both NYU Film School and Yale University. Her class opened the eyes and minds of her students to the limitless possibilities of animation. Her collaborations with her husband who passed away in the 70ís resulted in numerous animated shorts, several of which won the Academy Award for best animated short, including Moonbird and The Hole.
Since her husband's death she has maintained the production of one independent animated film per year - many of which deal with mythological or historical stories from cultures around the globe. Her work has been exhibited at the New York Museum of Modern Art and in numerous international festivals. Her personal work and the influence she bestowed upon her students mark her as an animator of the highest caliber. She will be missed.

Tsvika Oren, Tel Aviv
"I was a veteran Hubleys admirer and I was her guest many years ago. I guess I will always be indebted to Faith and John for enriching me and for having such a blessed influence on my 'animation thinking' which I hope I managed to pass on to many students and readers. "

Tom Sito, Los Angeles
first met Faith around the rime of John Hubley's death in 1977. He writes:
"The last time I talked to Faith Hubley was at a tribute to Dan McGaughlin at UCLA. She had been having funding problems with her latest film. At one point she said 'If things don't get better I'm going to Bartender School and become a Bartender!' Faith never lost heart, never stopped making films of both a personal and progressive nature. She was a shining beacon and inspiration to many and especially women to take up animated filmmaking. She will be missed but her films will live on. When I pass into the next life I hope Faith is there to great me, and Faith, I want a Stoli-Martini straight up with olive! "

Chris Robinson, he organizes Ottawa's fine animation festivals
"I didn't really know Faith (we met once in Ottawa and spoke on the phone a couple of times), but I must say I was always excited to talk to her. I found her fiery and blunt. No bullshit. Just Faith."

Chris Lanier, San Francisco
"The news about Faith Hubley was a very sad. I'm glad she committed herself to making one independent short a year, and I'm especially glad I got to meet her at that ASIFA screening about a year ago. She seemed like such a warm person. And that autobiographical film was a real gem. I'm glad she was able to make a condensed encapsulation of her life before it ended."

John Canemaker, New York City
"Faith and I had been close friends for several years. We traveled together to Bratislava and enjoyed many dinners/parties in NY and at my place on Long Island. She had wit, style and great taste in everything she did. Her intense work ethic and beautiful films inspire me. She was always encouraging to all independent filmmakers. She lived a full life of joy and creativity. I miss her and am deeply saddened."

David Ehrlich, Randolph, Vermont
"Faith was a lovely woman, warm, loving, forgiving and dedicated to humanity and expression of the best of it in her art. She once told me that creating one film every year was strengthening her and earning her continued victory over the illness that had threatened her life. Finally, after so many years of films in celebration of life, Faithís body has given out. What is left to us is the memory of that big embracing smile and the many cultures throughout the world that have been brought alive to us through her films. Iím grateful to have known her."

Borivoj and Vesna Dovnikovic, Zagreb
past and present Secretary Generals of ASIFA, Zagreb, Croatia
"We have lost a great artist and a wonderful person. The name Hubley is the symbol of the American and the world animation. It was Zagreb Animation Festival where we met Faith for the last time. We remember her smiling and having a wonderful time at the picnic, together with friends from all over the word. We will keep this nice picture in our memory forever."

Marcy Page, Montreal
"I'm so sorry to hear this but thanks for passing on the word. She was an extraordinary person and an inspiration to the independent animation community. I will certainly keep her in my thoughts.
I remember like yesterday when Fred Burns told me that John Hubley had died when I was assisting him on the Doonesbury special and how unfair it was that the good ones were taken from us (It feels like that again). I remember him telling me that despite the death of John, and Faith's incredible grief at the time, that the network had not given her a grace period on the production deadline. She was so incredibly strong to finish that one ...and to continue on with such prolific creation. We are lucky to have such a body of work from her and her family. She has certainly achieved her immortality."

Sayoko Kinoshita, Tokyo
"I truly regret the great loss of Faith Hubley who always loved peace, and who always loved our planet where various different cultures coexist. Such treasures were expressed in her very artistic animation shorts taking a broad vision in cosmic scale. I sincerely respect many many important things she taught us. For example, she taught us how to live your life as an independent filmmaker with your original art style, she taught us a great life of attempt and accomplishment.... and also her belief in animation as a media."

Below is a message by Faith Hubley, as the Honorary President of HIROSHIMA'94:
" It is with great delight that I acccept your invitation to be Honorary President of HIROSHIMA'94. I believe that the art of animation is beautifully able to enlarge understanding of the many, many cultures of Planet Earth. What better way to cultivate an appetite for the unfamiliar! Hopefully, animation will continue to evolve into the global language so desperately needed at this moment of time. There is much do be done!"

Her most recent film "NORTHERN ICE, GOLDEN SUN" is now being finished by her daughter Emily, and it will be premiered at MOMA on January 8th.


...to be continued on ASIFA San Francisco homepage:
www.asifa-sf.org

ASIFA San Francisco - Karl Cohen
>478 Fredrick, San Francisco CA 94117
Fax: +1-415-38 72 844; Phone: +1-415-38 61 004
E-Mail: karlcohen@earthlink.net




  In commemoration of Arcady Brachlianoff - sent by AFCA/ASIFA France / Mikhal Bak

We have just learnt that the French director Arcady passed away on november 12th, 2001.
Arcady Brachlianoff was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, on January 2nd, 1912, and studied at the Ecole Centrale in Paris where he obtained his degree in engineering. As a musician, he composed the music of Charles Trenet's first songs. He built his own camera animation stand and directed satirical propaganda cartoons : "Somewhere in Germany" and "Keep Your Mouth Shut, Be Alert" (1938-39).

He organized the Arcady team in Nice, to which the cartoonist Jacques Faizant contributed. During the 2nd World War, he directed the black and white animated cartoons "Kapok the Eskimo", "The Underwater Diver" and "Stars and Disasters", then founded his own studio in Paris where he undertook the production of art films and special effects. Owing to the efficiency of his cameras, he mostly shot the animation art of a lot of young animators and especially the films by Henri Gruel, such as "The Gioconda".

We owe two experimental animated films to his extraordinary technical versatility : "A Prelude for Voices, Orchestra and Camera" (1960) dedicated to Alexeieff and Bartosch, and "The Wavemaniac" (1961) combining live action and special effects.

AFCA - Association Francaise du Cinema d'Animation
French Animation Film Association
ASIFA-FRANCE

53 bis rue Rodier 75009 Paris France
Tél. : 33 1 40 23 08 13
Fax : 33 1 40 23 09 17
www.afca.asso.fr



  ASIFA Prize 2001 goes to Priit Pärn - sent by Heikki Jokinen

Estonian animation film maker Priit Pärn (b. 1946) received the Annual ASIFA Prize at the Ottawa International Student Animation Festival in October. The first ASIFA Award was given 1985 to Kichahiro Kawamoto and since that many other important film makers have received it due to their remarkable career in the art of animation.

This year ASIFA board decided to give the Award to Priit Pärn, because he is a film maker who combines highly personal style with socially relevant content. And what is a real achievement, is that he has been able to maintain his high quality and personal style both in former rigid and centralized Soviet Union and modern day commercially driven Estonian capitalism.

As a teacher of the Turku Animation School Priit Pärn has also given a significant input for teaching of animation.
The Award was a drawing of animation film maker Igor Kovaljov. It was given to Priit Pärn by ASIFA board member Heikki Jokinen at the festival's prize giving ceremony. Ottawa festival screened also a retrospective of Priit Pärn and he met audience in an intensive discussion.



  ASIFA Festival Information System / ASIFA Partner Festivals

ASIFA's new way of cooperation with International Animation Festivals has been discussed and decided by the ASIFA Board during the past months.

At the Annecy 01 meetings the "Festival Information System" was decided. The concept is to promote and to give detail informations about all international animation festivals, which fulfill a certain quality standard. By doing this the professional festivals shall be protected against the flood of low-quality festivals popping out of ground, and for the artists the information system shall be a kind of a 'consumer guide' and help in the decision to find the appropriate festivals.

Another intention in this new policy, replacing the former "Festival Patronage System", is that ASIFA wishes to open doors to more than just the traditional ASIFA Festivals.


After the ASIFA Board meetings in Portugal in November (after Cinanima Festival), also the proposal of ASIFA Partner Festivals was discussed and later accepted by all ASIFA Board Members.
With the term ASIFA Partner the particular festival and ASIFA express their intention of mutual support. An international organisation like ASIFA needs the cooperation of international festivals, in order to hold meetings, to be recognised by the professionals, etc.
For ASIFA it is a way to say 'Thank you' to the festivals, who on their side express their interest in ASIFA by using the label.


More information can be found in the FESTIVAL ZONE of ASIFA.NET;
about all new developements in that matter we will report in this "news" section.



  Plovdiv Film Festival - sent by ASIFA Bulgaria / Pencho Kunchev

Every two years there is the festival of the Bulgarian non-feature film in Plovdiv.
Since the festivals in Varna and Dobrich don't exist any more for financial reasons, the festival in Plovdiv is the only one where the newest Bulgarian animated films can be shown and judged by the jury.

From 10 to 14 October twelve animated films, made by authors like Todor Dinov, Anri Kulev and Soyan Dukov, were presented together with the latest Bulgarian documentary production.
The Grand Prix for the Best Animated Film received "Blue Eyed Moon" by Pencho Kunchev (on the photo). The film "And Pears We Were" by Krasimir Ivanov won the Prize of the Union of Bulgarian Artists.

On 10th December there was a session of the Commission to evaluate new animation projects. This Commission, together with the National Film Center, was founded by the Ministry of Culture on the beginning of ninetieths, with the aim to support the Bulgarian Cinema.
This month six animated films were financed, between others the projects by Zlatin Radev, Pencho Kunchev and Nikolai Todorov.


ASIFA Bulgaria

Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers
1504 Sofia, Kniaz Dondukov Blvd. 67,
Fax: +359-2-946 10 69
E-Mail: sbfd@bitex.com



  Zagreb Film Show in Trieste/Italy - sent by Vesna Dovnikovic

A comprehensive retrospective of the Croatian animated films produced by Zagreb Film (6 programs) was organised in Trieste, Italy, on 30 November and 1 December, 2001.

This manifestation was organised by the Cinema Section of Trieste Contemporanea, the organisation for Dialogues with the Art of Central Eastern Europe. It was held in the Auditorium of the Revoltella Museum, with the contribution of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Cultural Activities and Autonomous Region Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

The program was conducted by Carlo Montanaro, reknown film historian and critic, member of ASIFA Italia. The guests from Zagreb - Dragan Svaco, General Manager of Zagreb Film and President of ASIFA Croatia and Bordo Dovnikovic, filmmaker and one of the pioneers of Zagreb animation, answered numerous questions related to films, financing and recent situation with the animation production in Zagreb. Vesna Dovnikovic, ASIFA Secretary General, introduced ASIFA to the audience.

This successful event was accompanied with the catalogue, containing the short presentation of all films shown, as well as texts on Zagreb Film production by Carlo Montanaro, Dragan Svaco and Mato Kukuljica from the Croatian State Archive.



  Animation Forum, Job offer, festival news - sent by ASIFA Israel / Ruth Yoel

Animation Forum
http://www.tapuz.co.il/tapuzforum/main/forumpage.asp?id=271
Nir Hermoni, member of ASIFA Israel, has opened Animation Forum,
"...a web-based system that acts as a virtual meeting place for people. Apart from regular, linked messages, the forum can include links, articles, polls, galleries, chat, bulletins and files. We've only just started it, but already there seems to be a nice response." (Nir Hermoni, www.hermoni.com)


Job offer
Adventure Publishing in Tel Aviv are looking for LightWave character animators for immediate work.
Please send resume to fax 03-6822422 or email gil.b@adventure-publishing.com , or call 03-6820666, extension 103


Further actual news, including festival news (in Hebrew) are offered here in pdf-format.



  ASIFA Hollywood Animation Events - taken from Animation Alert

Friday January 18th 2002 - 7:30pm
ASIFA-HOLLYWOOD'S ANIMATION CENTER
A Special Panel Discussion
THE STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
Join moderator Bob Miller as he discusses the state of the animation industry with three leading pundits: Tom Sito, Jerry Beck, and Michael Mallory.
From drawn "cel" to CGI, from TV to theatrical feature films - where is the animation industry going? Who knows, but this panel has plenty of educated opinions.
Clips will be screened. Refreshments will be served!
ASIFA MEMBERS: $2.00 non-members: $5.00
For more info, call: (818) 842-8330



FEBRUARY 5, 2002
Melnitz Hall, UCLA Campus
Tribute to Walter Lantz
This Tribute expresses the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television's deepest appreciation to The Walter Lantz Foundation for it generous support, establishing the WALTER LANTZ DIGITAL ANIMATION STUDIO to help talented new generations of animators achieve their promise as artists.
The Walter Lantz Digital Animation Studio in Melnitz Hall is dedicated as a fitting tribute to Walter Lantz's extraordinary legacy.

6:30 p.m. Reception
Walter Lantz Digital Animation Studio Open House
7:30 p.m. Tribute and screening
of Lantz animated shorts
Hosted by Dean Robert Rosen and Animation Professor Dan McLaughlin
Admission is free.



FEBRUARY 7, 2002 - THURSDAY 7:30pm
ASIFA-HOLLYWOOD'S ANIMATION CENTER
Author MICHAEL BARRIER in person!
Join animation historian Michael Barrier as he discusses HOLLYWOOD CARTOONS! Barrier (editor and publisher of the lengendary animation magazine FUNNYWORLD) will sign copies of his acclaimed book (bring your own - limited copies will be available at signing for sale). Barrier interviewed over 200 animators in the 1970s & 80s, many who are now deceased, and has spent over 25 years reseaching the history of American animation. This book is loaded with facts - telling the story of the Hollywood cartoon with great insight and accuracy.
Rare Cartoons will be screened. Refreshments will be served!
ASIFA MEMBERS: $2.00 non-members: $5.00 For more info, call: (818) 842-8330
Pass us on! Have your friends check out our website and sign up for Animation Alert!
For information on other upcoming ASIFA-Hollywood events check us out on the web: www.asifa-hollywood.org

ASIFA-Hollywood
721 S. Victory Bd.
Burbank, CA 91502
info@asifa-hollywood.org



  International Lectures at RMCA Denver - sent by ASIFA Colorado / Edward Bakst

Over the first few months of existence, ASIFA-Colorado, with support of the RMCAD International Animation Program, has offered to its members and the public 5 monthly animated events,presenting films unavailable anywhere else.

Following is a list of the forthcoming events presented by the ASIFA-Colorado in collaboration with and support of RMCAD International Animation Program.

  Thur. December 13th. Gil Alkabetz retrospective @ JCC Mizel Center for the Arts.

  Thur. January 17th. Sean Burns: stop motion & CGI retrospective.

  Thur. February 14th Marcin Gizycki: Remembering Jan Lenica.

  Thur. March 28th. Giannalberto Bendazzi: a retrospective on Alexeieff.

  Thur. April 18th. Ishu Patel: a retrospective of his work @ Tivoli Theatre.


ASIFA-Colorado is thrilled to be able to introduce to the local community all of these international artists and a great variety of animation work, techniques, styles, ideas, attitudes, approaches to creativity and forms of expression.

Thus, as promised, ASIFA-Colorado fulfills its mission of bringing the creative world at large to Denver and its art, film, education and animation-oriented community. The above events, unless otherwise indicated, will take place at the RMCAD Design Center, at 6875 E. Evans Ave. (between Oneida & Monaco), in Denver.

ASIFA-Colorado - Edward Bakst
R.M.C.A.D.
6875 E. Evans Ave. - Denver, CO. 80224 (800)-888-ARTS
(303)-753-6046
Email: EBakst@RMCAD.edu
Website:www.asifa-colorado.org



  Job Offer - taken from ASIFA Hollywood 'Animation Alert'

Position: Animation and Digital Arts
Institution: University of Southern California
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA

Animation and Digital Arts: Open Rank, tenure track. Division of Animation and Digital Arts, School of Cinema-Television at the University of Southern California. Appointment date: July 1, 2002. Salary commensurate with experience. Experimental animator/artist with MFA or equivalent, and a record of achievement in innovative research/creative work. Prior undergraduate and/or graduate level teaching experience required, including experimental practice in traditional and non-traditional media, especially character, experimental and computer animation for film and video. In-depth practical and theoretical knowledge of contemporary animation/digital arts concepts and processes required, including 2-D and 3-D computer graphics. Knowledge of Alias/Wavefront Maya software and experience with emerging forms such as CDROMs, websites, multimedia performance/installation, and digital visual effects, preferred. Ability to address multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary issues within the context of an internationally oriented program, as well as the impact of digital technology on narrative and non-objective animation is necessary. Willingness to work with industry, academia and the fine arts in developing the program is essential. Prior administrative experience is helpful but not essential.

Application deadline: postmarked by February 1, 2002.

Submit a letter of application, full curriculum vitae, three letters of reference and portfolio samples to:
Vibeke Sorensen, Search Committee Chair,
Division of Animation and Digital Arts,
School of Cinema-Television, University of Southern California, 90089-2211;
Fax: 213-740-5869; Phone: 213-740-3986. USC is an AA/EOE.



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