Celebrating animation in Cyprus countryside
Returning for the 23rd edition is the Countryside Animafest Views of the World, set in the quiet village of Salamiou in the Paphos district. From August 9 to 12 an impressive selection of acclaimed films from the world’s most prestigious festivals, alongside new Cypriot productions will be screened in addition to parallel events, exhibitions, workshops and concerts.
Over the past 23 years, this dynamic and innovative event has continually evolved, consistently showcasing Cypriot premieres of the finest animated films from around the globe. For this year’s International Competition Programmes, Yiorgos Tsangaris and Gerben Schermer have curated a selection featuring 33 films from 14 countries, selected from a record 800 plus submissions worldwide.
This selection aims to introduce the Cypriot public to the most innovative international films, while also fostering and expanding the audience with works that embody universality and humanist values. The children’s competition programme, designed for younger viewers, includes 14 films from seven countries. The winner of this category will be chosen by a five-member jury of young school students.
What’s more, within the framework of the Cyprus programme, the Cyprus Association of Graphic Designers and Illustrators and Animafest Cyprus will present the results of the open call to Graphic designers and Animators for the creation of animated flip books based on the birds of the region. This project is organized in collaboration with the association of Birdlife Cyprus.
This year’s programme includes a tribute exhibition to Cypriot Photographer Charis Pellapaisiotis with the work Let The Dead Speak, co-created with Stefanos Stefanidis, along with parallel special screenings of Cyprus films.
The festival is also bringing back the popular zero-zero experimental stage, with after-midnight presentations by young Cypriot musicians and visual artists. Two special events are happening during the festival: a workshop collecting ethnographic material from the area, under the guidance of Nicoletta Demetriou in collaboration with the archive of Cyprus Music, and Story Typer where Yiorgos Papakonstantinou who will be writing stories on typewriter inspired by conversations by members of the public.
Workshops for children, and adults, will also give those interested the opportunity to try various handmade techniques of the art of animation.
And for youth interested in diving deeper into the animation industry, the 2nd International Animation Film Camp will connect young artists and students with international centres and festivals. For this year’s film camp, ten artists, selected through an open call, will participate in two four-day Animation Film Camps led by the acclaimed Canadian experimental animation film director Steven Woloshen.
In addition, the festival’s yearly exhibition by an acclaimed international artist will this year welcome acclaimed Croatian artist Marko Tadić.
Local artists will also be presented as six Cypriot bands and solo musicians take the festival stage. This year’s musical programme includes six outstanding concerts by Cypriot artists: Solo concert with Yannis Koutis, the distinguished Buzz Ayaz, Vlamis and the Suns, Maria Spivak, the jazz band Jassba with Ulas Oguc, William Scott, Manos Stratis and the four-member Pulsar Band with Maria Avraam, Stavros Savvas, Christos Politis and Konstantinos Harilaou. With less than a month to go until this 23rd edition, more parallel screenings and events are bound to fill the festival’s programme, published on the Animafest Cyprus website and social media channels.
23rd Countryside Animafest Views of the World
Annual animation festival with screenings, concerts, exhibitions and workshops. August 9-12. Salamiou village, Paphos district. www.animafest.com.cy