From the intergalactic adventures of Rick and Morty, to the sensitive Loving Vincent that brought brushstrokes to the screen, animation is a medium that has sparked the collective imagination of people across the world. In India, somewhere in between watching The Jungle Book after school and the tribulations of adult life, we forgot we could seek comfort in an artform that stretches the limits of narration, imagination and art.
Whether the medium fascinates you or you are curious about what’s happening in the Indian animation scene, the Animators’ Guild India is all set for the very first edition of its homegrown animation film festival in Mumbai!
The AGI Fest 2022, will take place on the 26th and 27th of November this year. The event boasts 12 separate entry categories in the competition section of the festival, five special awards, selections from 15+ countries, workshops, panel discussions, talks and a plethora of art and design shops.
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In an effort to increase the visibility of the Indian animation scene worldwide, the festival’s founders, Rituparna Sarkar, Prateek Sethi and Snigdha Rao, all friends from NID, crafted this experience as a true labour of love.
“The potential is huge of course, and only marginally realized. Indian stories need a voice in animation, beyond the usual mythological tales. We also need to start telling our stories in a way that is inspired from within and not follow a ‘let’s ape what’s already been done elsewhere’ model. In other words, the sky’s the limit!”, says Rituparna Sarkar when asked about the potential of animation as a narrative medium in India.
The idea first began with a Zine that provided a platform for those doing interesting work in the field. They then expanded into a full-fledged festival after stumbling upon a treasure-trove of work obscured from popular view. “The appetite for animation has certainly grown over the years. Even though the exposure amongst the masses may still be limited, slowly but surely there is movement towards exploration of form and content both, with younger people coming into the fore.” Sarkar further added.
In addition to the official selections, AGIF2022 boasts the India Premiere of Peter Sluzka’s Hardboiled, a stop-motion film from Studio Hornet in New York that re-tells the classic American crime-drama with eggs. Sluszka is an award-winning multimedia director with strong roots in stop motion and over 20 years of perfecting his craft. He will also share his journey in-person during an interactive session. Tickets to the festival are available on their website.
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