Elokuva

Chris J.Robinson: Between Genius & Utter Illiteracy: A Story of Estonian Animation. Tallinn, Estonia: Varrak Publishing, 2003. 276 pages.

AWN (21.01.2004 - Heikki Jokinen) First of all, this is a good book, definitely worth reading. It is interesting, well written and gives a lot for both those who are knowledgeable about the subject as well as those who are unfamiliar with it.

Secondly, even though the author is a regular contributor and columnist of this very magazine, my statement is not solicited. Im not trying to please my good buddy, (which he even isnt).

The book Im writing about is called Between Genius & Utter Illiteracy: A Story of Estonian Animation. The author is Chris J. Robinson, a Canadian who is known as the artistic director of the Ottawa International Animation Festival.

Estonia is the little big man of animation, a nation of only 1.4 million inhabitants that boasts a long list of well-known artists and films in the world of animation. Remarkably, Estonia has produced many fine films both in the rigid Soviet Union state studio system and todays independent Estonia, which is one of the laboratories of laissez-faire neo-liberalistic capitalism. This is a kind of miracle to me.

Lue lisää: Estonian Animation X-rayed

Eteläafrikkalaisen William Kentridgen taide syntyy epävarmuudesta ja väliaikaisuudesta

HS (02.05.2000 - Heikki Jokinen) STUTTGART. "Kaikki työni alkavat piirtämisestä. Piirros on kaikkien ydin" sanoo eteläafrikkalainen taiteilija William Kentridge, yksi Afrikan tunnetuimpia taiteilijoita.

"Joskus kuvani laajentuvat elokuviksi, tulevat liikkuviksi. Parin viime vuoden aikana niistä on tullut myös teatterin elementtejä. Kauniit öljyvärityöt eivät minua kiinnosta." Johannesburgissa syntyneen Kentridgen (s. 1955) töitä on esitelty ahkerasti parin viime vuoden aikana nykytaiteen keskeisillä foorumeilla kuten Venetsian ja São Paolon biennaaleissa ja Documentassa.

Äskettäin Kentridgen animaatioiden retrospektiivi nähtiin Stuttgartin animaatiofestivaalilla. "Pari viime vuotta ovat olleet aivan hulluja", hän toteaa.

Lue lisää: Piirros on kaiken ydin

European feature animation producers and filmmakers gathered in Potsdam to discuss funding and distribution partnerships and deals. Heikki Jokinen reports on Cartoon's latest coup.

AWN (01.05.2000 - Heikki Jokinen) To make feature animation does not seem to have calmed down. This was proven at the Cartoon Movie event at the historical Babelsberg Studios in Potsdam, Germany. The place was well chosen; the first feature animation of all time, Lotte Reiniger's Die Gesichte des Prinzen Achmed (The Adventures of Prince Ahmed, 1926) was created at Babelsberg.

This annual co-financing forum for European feature animation was held March 23 25, 2000 for the second time. In three days 27 projects in development or production were presented. All 350 participants -- including 93 investors and distributors -- also had the opportunity to see six brand new features on the big screen.

Organized by Cartoon, the animation platform for the European Union, Cartoon Movie follows the format of the well-known Cartoon Forum event. Accepted producers have 40 minutes to convince participants to either invest money, or agree to television screenings or a distribution deal for the proposed movie project. Results vary; sometimes the producer will get his financial need fulfilled 100%, sometimes the most visible reaction is yawning. To present a project at Cartoon Movie does not guarantee that one day it will hit the screens.

Lue lisää: The Problem With Bad Teeth