SPECIAL PROGRAMS
We are thrilled to announce our special programs for the 2016 GLAS Animation Festival! The festival takes place March 3-6 in Berkeley, California. We will be announcing the precise schedule after the new year. Stay tuned!
TRIBUTE TO SATOSHI KON
This year we are featuring three works from one of the most pivotal and transformative animation directors of all time, the late Satoshi Kon. These modern masterpieces, which include Paprika, Perfect Blue, and Tokyo Godfathers, not only blur the lines between fantasy and reality but radically exploit the cinematic art form to tell wild stories, vast in scope and ambition. Kon had a strong interest in lead female characters, idolatry, and sociopolitical issues, making him a crucial influence on the perception of mainstream animation as a medium to address serious themes. His legacy has served and will continue to serve as an inspiration to animators and filmmakers of every sort.
PERFECT BLUE (1997)
A retired pop-singer-turned-actress’ sense of reality is shaken when she is stalked by an obsessed fan and a ghost of her past.
PAPRIKA (2006)
When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patients’ dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist can stop it: Paprika.
TOKYO GODFATHERS (2003)
On Christmas Eve, three homeless people living on the streets of Tokyo find a newborn baby among the trash and set out to find its parents.
2D ANIMATION IN LIVE ACTION
In 2015, a number of major live-action directors have employed the art and vision of independent animators to further enhance the stories being told in their films. To celebrate this, we are taking the time to focus on two prominent examples – Diary of a Teenage Girl and and Montage of Heck. These two particular films highlight the strong aesthetic vision of animation directors Sara Gunnarsdottír and Hisko Hulsing. Each animation director will introduce their respective films, participate in Q&As following the screening, as well as provide us with behind the scenes presentations in each film.
MONTAGE OF HECK (2015)
An authorized documentary on the late musician Kurt Cobain, from his early days in Aberdeen, Washington to his success and downfall with the grunge band Nirvana.
BEHIND THE ANIMATION OF MONTAGE OF HECK
Hisko Hulsing, director of the award-winning film Junkyard, provides us with an in-depth look at the process of making the animation in Montage of Heck, the authorized Kurt Cobain documentary by Academy Award winner Brett Morgen. Hisko will delve into the mixture of classical and modern animation techniques, his use of oil paintings, and the integration of 3D and 2D animation. –This program is supported as part of the Dutch Culture USA program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York
DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL (2015)
A teen artist living in 1970s San Francisco enters into an affair with her mother’s boyfriend.
BEHIND THE ANIMATION OF DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL
Sara Gunnasrdottír, director of the unique animated documentary Pirate of Love, will guide us through the making of her beautiful animation in Diary of a Teenage Girl directed by Marielle Heller. Sara will discuss her career path which led to the collaboration on the feature film, share her personal films, and share with us behind the scenes imagery of the animation she created in Diary of a Teenage Girl.
COUNTRY IN FOCUS: THE NETHERLANDS
The Netherlands has had a long tradition of animated cinema with a strong reputation for the production of independent shorts. Postwar filmmakers such as Garrit Van Dijk, whose films often dealt with social issues, paved the path for the future generation of Dutch filmmakers. Holland Animation Film Festival‘s Gerben Schermer has curated two special screenings of Dutch animation providing us with a comprehensive overview of Dutch animated films from past to present including a unique selection of Dutch animated films from the 1980s and a collection of the best Contemporary Dutch shorts.
Dutch animator Hisko Hulsing, director of the multiple award-winning film Junkyard, will be joining us on our professional shorts jury and to provide us with an in-depth look at the animation he directed in Montage of Heck, the only authorized documentary about Kurt Cobain, directed by Academy Award winning director Brett Morgen.
This program is supported as part of the Dutch Culture USA program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York
HENRY SELICK
At GLAS 2016 we are proud to feature the work of an animator and director whose films have delighted and inspired a new generation of filmmakers: Henry Selick. As director of the films Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas, Selick has made some of the most internationally recognized animated films of all time. They were not only pivotal for the current resurgence of stop-motion, but helped transform the perception of what animation could be and what it could accomplish. His work showed general audiences that animation was not a form to be confined, but rather continuously explored in both its narrative and physical forms. Selick joins us after the screening for a discussion.
On Saturday we will be screening Coraline with a brief Q&A to follow with Henry Selick. On Sunday Henry Selick Joins us for an intimate conversation in which he will screen his personal shorts including Slow Bob In the Lower Dimensions and others. Henry will be joined with a few of his colleagues and afterward we’ll have a Q&A led by GLAS co-founder Einar Baldvin.
Keep an eye out for more details and information about this event which will be announced soon.
FESTIVAL HONOREE PAUL VESTER
Our festival honoree for the 2016 edition of GLAS is British-born Paul Vester, whose films Picnic, Sunbeam, In the Woods, and Abductees embody a lifetime of dedication to an independent vision we value at GLAS. His highly observational films carry a unique tone, often juxtaposing a playful use of the animated medium with serious critiques of war, violence, and the global political landscape. As an independent filmmaker, a pivotal figure in the Liquid TV generation, and as a longtime faculty member of the CalArts Experimental Animation Program, Paul’s contributions have made him an inspiration to the new generation of independent animators.
In addition to screening his animated films, we will be featuring Paul’s latest video projection Clock 02, a hand-drawn clock animation installation that measures the passing of time by counting forward with cycles of random lengths. Paul Vester joins us after the screening in a Q&A led by Jason Sondhi.
SPECIAL SHORTS PROGRAMS
PHIL TIPPET
Animator Phil Tippett discusses his pioneering career in visual effects, touching on influences and inspirations for his contributions to beloved films such as Star Wars, Robocop,Starship Troopers andJurassic Park, as well as contemporary additions to his filmography. Presentation to be followed by a screening of his auteur stop-motion projectMAD GOD, accompanied by commentary on the cathartic nature of developing a fully independent crowdsourced film. Q&A to follow.
JEREMY CLAPIN
Award-winning director Jeremy Clapin, best known for his recent shorts Skhizein and Palmipedarium, has been pushing the boundaries of animation for over a decade. Each film utilizes a memorable technique, but it’s the subtlety of the filmmaking, depth of character, and intricacy and emotion of the stories that stick with you. We are excited to present a retrospective of his work, including shorts, commercials and music videos, followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker moderated by Short of the Week Co-Creator/Chief Editor and Vimeo Curator Jason Sondhi joins us after the screening to lead a Q&A. Co-presented by Ambassade de France: Mission Culturelle et Universitaire Francaise aux Etats-Unis and Short of the Week
MUTATIONS AND TRANSGRESSIONS: THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA IN JAPANESE INDEPENDENT ANIMATION
Japanese independent animators no longer rely on the reputation of film festivals for wide exposure. Retaining their own unique styles, Japanese directors branch into comics, commercials, music videos and more. In this new era, independent shorts have become the place for artists to create their own unique worlds and nourish them. In this program, Chitose Airport Festival Director Nobuaki Doi provides us with an overview of this new era in Japanese indies. Ryo Hirano in person! Presented by the Japan Foundation
DUTCH ANIMATION PAST AND PRESENT
Holland Animation Film Festival’s Gerben Schermer has curated two special screenings of Dutch animation providing us with a comprehensive overview of Dutch animated films from past to present including a unique selection of Dutch animated films from the 1980’s and a collection of the best Contemporary Dutch shorts. – This program is supported as part of the Dutch Culture USA program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York
UNMENSCH: A WORKSHOP WITH PETER MILLARD
Hailing from the Malvern Hills, England, Peter Millard is unique in the world of contemporary animation. His films consist of sad men, driving ducks and even sadder bananas, and while his films appear childlike and simplistic there is a demented sophistication at work. Beneath the simplicity and apparent abandon there is a highly advanced use of editing whereby sound and structure are employed specifically to manipulate and shock the audience into laughter or despair. In this workshop attendees will have the opportunity to work with crayons on paper with “The Mad Man of Malvern,” resulting in a collaborative film.
INSIDE NICKELODEON’S TALENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Nickelodeon is always looking to the future, for both creative talent and the dedicated craftspeople that bring groundbreaking new ideas to life… BECOME PART OF THE TEAM! Join us and get the inside scoop on Nickelodeon’s Writing & Artist Programs, Animated Shorts Program, Internships, and Recruitment. Which program is right for you? How and when to apply? How to separate yourself from the pack? Find out the answers to your questions in this can’t-miss presentation! To sign up for this event, click HERE
NEWGROUNDS: EVERYTHING FOR EVERYONE
A celebration of Newgrounds, the first site to allow anyone and everyone to upload animated content. What followed was a revolution led by professionals, amateurs, teenagesr, trolls and some of the biggest animators on the web today. Newgrounds creator Tom Fulp will be joining us for a Q&A to follow the screening.
GHOSTING
Ghosting.TV is a hangout for experimental animators, video artists, and everyone else looking to interact with art and tech in unconventional ways. Ricky Jonsson Jr and Kristel Brinshot provide an exhibiting platform for participating community artists to do their thing IRL. Ghosting.TV is bringing Berkeley an exclusive collaboration with Electric Objects. Chill and enjoy an emersive instalation show casing work from radical Ghosting.TV artists and a special VR surprise. Be here. Presented by: Electric Objects
EXPERIMENTAL CGI
Foregoing the domination of esoteric computer science and large animation studios, the trajectory of CG in the last decade has been rapidly accelerated by artists and filmmakers. Experimenting with the possibilities and limitations of the technique, These artists approach CG as an expressive medium, utilizing the smooth glossy finish, automation and glitches to elevate, critique and celebrate the medium. This screening pulls together the work of the most exciting artists and filmmakers exploring CG today.
UNDERVOLT & CO.
Experimental video label Undervolt & Co. aims to make video art accessible to a wider audience outside the confines of the gallery world. This program focuses on various experimental animation techniques, with audio-visual gems from Yoshi Sodeoka, Sabrina Ratté, Jennifer Juniper Stratford, Adam Ferriss, Andrew Benson, Johnny Woods, Suzy Poling, Rick Silva, Eva Papamargariti, and more.
TECHNOLOGY & PARANOIA
Over the course of recent years we have seen a rise in films directly addressing connectivity and corresponding technologies. We have curated a special selection of films sharing a thematic similarity and desire to critique this fear of modern technology and connectivity in everyday life.
KIRSTEN LEPORE’S ADVENTURE TIME ADVENTURE
