The art of animation: Armenia’s Annual ReAnimania Festival

The Armenian animation, which is 78 years old, is quite rich in its history and legacy: it has passed through really challenging and difficult stages like cultural and political upheavals, revolutions, wars, economic crises all of which had their disastrous influence on the further development and preservation of the huge heritage it held.

However, due to its flexible nature and the innovative spirit of the torch bearers of those traditions, the Armenian animation is currently getting a second wind. The modern trends, the new technologies and the connections with world-renowned experts and professionals of this field are contributing to the fast-paced development of the modern Armenian animation.

“Life is a Picture, Make the Picture Alive.” This is the motto of ReAnimania International Animation Film Festival of Yerevan founded by cartoonist, painter and animator Vrej Kassouny in 2008. The results that the annual festival has achieved so far are quite impressive.

Here are some quick facts about it:

• More than 20.000 spectators since 2009.
• More than 100 sponsors, partners, friends, and supporters.
• More than 200 participants

Famous people in the industry having been enrolled in ReAnimania:

Max Howard ,Tiziana Loschi , Mark Shapiro, Michel Ocelot , Marc Boreal , Otto Guerra, Arnab Chaudhuri and others.

Noteworthy Yerevan Premieres:

The Red Turtle, Louise by the Shore, Adama, Cheating, Secret of Kells, Sita Sings the Blues, Waltz with Bashir, The Boy and the World, Rocks in my Pocket,  Jack and the Cuckoo Clock Heart and many more.

ReAnimania is a great occasion to assemble and show all the achievements and success that the animators have reached so far. It is a good place to share their experience, to hear the opinions of the professionals and to find a good motivation for self-perfection.

Moreover, this is an anticipated event for movie fans as well, since every year they have a chance to watch some impressive works including premieres and official selections from all over the world (and other world-renowned festivals too!).

So what else can a film festival offer to be called a success? Probably nothing much. This is just another proof of the fact that the innovative spirit and the creative mind of a country is not judged by its size or its geopolitical situation. In fact, it’s all about the people who live there. Innovation is embedded in the DNA of some populations and Armenians from all over the world inside and outside of Armenia are the bearers of those skills.