Expotoons closed on Saturday 28th, with the special screening of Festival of Festivals, program with slected material from the main animation events: Annecy (France), PISAF (Puchon International Student Animation Festival, Korea), Ottawa International Animation Festival (Canada) and Future Film Festival (Italy), at Sheraton Libertador Hotel.

     It was also held an open meeting of animation professionals, called by AACA (Argentinean Association of Animation Film), the Argentinean chapter of ASIFA, the international association that intends to sustain and preserve the rights of animators and the art of animation. This non-profit organization is fighting for animation’s place within audiovisual industry in Argentina and promotes the activity.

      The meeting was led by Oscar Desplats, president of the Association, and also were panelists Aníbal Meneses, director of Image Campus; Mariano Villegas, 3D animator for Encuadre SA; Silvia Nanni, animator for Nannimación; and Liliana Romero, animation director (Martín Fierro – 2008; Los Cuentos de la Selva  - 2010).

     The focus was on Argentinean animators’ work, the recognition of the activity and the need of working united with producers, broadcasters, government agencies, aiming to give animation its space as an industry. Education and the liaison of schools and studios was another core issue. And it was set the purpose of creating inside the National Film Institute a specific space for animation, with its own budget, legal advisors and other benefits audiovisual industry has.

     Desplats celebrated the “mutual support” between Expotoons and AACA, highlighting the fact that Expotoons took AACA for being the place of expression for animation workers; at the same time the Festival gave AACA a unique importance in front of international visitors looking to know Argentinean animation.

     Closing the meeting, Rosanna Manfredi, Festival’s founder and current director, thanked everybody’s presence, and the support of sponsors and institutions. “The only way to build this is to work altogether. What’s essential is to get involved as a community, because we all love animation; that’s what encourages us and what will help us to keep on growing”, she said.


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See you in 2010!