2009

Ottawa International Animation Festival

Ottawa International Animation Festival: Part Four

“Mary and Max”, “$9.99″: I committed to not rating any of the films I saw at the Ottawa International Animation Festival, electing instead to simply watch the films and take in their merits over their faults. I made this decision in order to get at the heart of what the festival is trying to achieve, which is a showcase of extraordinary, unique talent from around the world. All of the work I have seen looks incredibly painstaking. One doesn’t animate a film as simply as one points a camera and shoots. These filmmakers have put outstanding efforts into what they are attempting to accomplish, part of which is to convince others that their stories can be told no other way…

Ottawa International Animation Festival: Part Three

David Silverman, “Coraline”: After getting up early to see “Where the Wild Things Are” at South Keys I made my way back downtown and got on a shuttle headed for the Museum of Civilization, where I was promptly far too early to see writer/director David Silverman in conversation as part of the Ottawa International Animation Festival. In addition to co-directing Pixar’s “Monsters Inc.” and Dreamworks’ “The Road to El Dorado”, Silverman is best known for his directorial work on “The Simpsons”, where he has 23 episodes to his credit in addition to “The Simpsons Movie”…

Ottawa International Animation Festival: Part Two

“Edison and Leo”: Now that I’ve seen a stop-motion animated character sport a woody, I’m wondering how I might otherwise be surprised as the Ottawa International Animation Festival continues. I caught Neil Burns’ “Edison and Leo” at the Rideau Centre showing. It’s Canada’s first stop-motion feature film and it’s a doozy. It also further demonstrates the point that this isn’t kid-friendly fare being screened…

Ottawa International Animation Festival: Part One

“Life Without Gabriella Ferri,” “Entering the Mind Through the Mouth”: Partway through Jin Sung Choi’s “Entering the Mind Through the Mouth”, the animated short that opened Priit and Olga Pärn’s “Life Without Gabriella Ferri”, I began to rethink my strategy for covering the Ottawa International Animation Festival. My original plan was to attend all seven feature length films contending for the jury prize. I had my schedule all worked out. I was excited to dive into my first film festival. But then it struck me – animation is some pretty heavy stuff. I didn’t even know I was going to be watching Choi’s short, which would be worthy of a column alone, let alone the Pärns’ work and “Mai Mai Miracle” later on the same night…