GLOOMY VALENTINE - an Animated Film (HOME)

GLOOMY VALENTINE - an animated film (HOME)

* OPENING NIGHT AT VOLKSBUHNE AM ROSA
The opening ceremony was at Volksbuhne am Rosa, a beautiful 1920s art deco theatre. Apparently it was built by the state as a theatre fior the people. The opening consisted of some speeches by the festival director, jury and some of the guests and filmmakers as well as selected film screenings from the festival program. Afterwards there were drinks in the lobby followed by a party at Roter Salon. I stayed for quite a few drinks and was also introduced to the other Australian filmmakers who are guests of the festival. This was followed by a few more drinks at White Trash Fast Food till I decided that bed was probably a wise option.

* OZ SHORTS
On wednesday was the first screening of the OZ Shorts program that Gloomy Valentine is part of. The program was well attended and I received some positive feedback from the audience after the screening. I was also approached by a woman interested in licensing the film for broadcast on mobile phones in Berlin. After the screening I met up with another Aussie stopmotion animator and had a big nerdy animation chat followed by many a beer at a pub down a little alley run by the Dead Chickens a robotics and puppetry group. The decor straight out of mad max and it had plenty of atmosphere.

* BRUNO BOZZETTO
Bozzetto, a legendary Italian animator, has a retrospective as part of the festival program. I had the pleasure of seeing him speak and watching the retrospective of his work. His animation was really funny and through the quality of the movement he injects a real sense of life and personality into his animated characters. When he speaks his attitude and good humour reflect some of the qualities that he creates in his characters.