As in previous years, the programme will centre on the International Short Film Competition. It is in this section that the Animator Grand Prix, the Golden Pegasus, will be presented. For many artists, the award marks the first step on the path towards an Academy Award nomination. A review of the films selected for the competition reveals distinct thematic patterns. If animation is commonly viewed as an escapist medium, this year's programme firmly dispels that notion. The protagonists of the competing films confront loneliness, mental health crises, physical and psychological illness, ageing, and the inevitability of death. Stories of difficult childhoods and lingering traumas that refuse to fade over time also frequently reappear.

Light and Darkness

This year's festival programme resonates strongly with shared anxieties. The war in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip tragedy serve as points of reference for multiple filmmakers, alongside experiences of displacement and forced migration. Some films raise concerns surrounding the climate disaster, environmental degradation, and the ever-present nuclear threat. Once again, Animator proves to be finely attuned to current issues, reflecting anxieties that are near impossible to ignore.

Nonetheless, this is not to suggest that the competition is all doom and gloom. Many productions provide moments of respite that, although fragile, are all the more poignant. Tenderness, love, friendship, and the desire for closeness emerge as ways of pushing back against loneliness. Other stories explore fantasy and dreams, allowing their protagonists, if only briefly, to transcend the limits of human existence, rise above the everyday, or unsettle its delicate balance. One can't help but feel that Animator benefits from taking place in the summer - the Poznań sunshine serves as a welcome antidote to the emotional weight of some of what unfolds on screen.

All the more fascinating, then, are the films that take a somewhat different approach, employing humour, irony, and documentary observation. One such work is Innego końca nie będzie (There Will Be No Other Ending) by Piotr Milczarek. This filmmaker, a Poland native, delivers a social and everyday satire composed of five short acts. With a light touch and an engaging visual style, he turns a keen eye on our everyday failings, selfish impulses, and lapses in responsibility, delivering a sharp, acerbic commentary on contemporary life.

Equally striking is Bisou Sauvage by Bahija Jaroudi. This short, barely three-minute-long black comedy poses an uncomfortable question about indifference to global tragedy. As successive disasters and conflicts pile up, the characters are preoccupied simply with finding their next form of entertainment. Adopting a minimalist black-and-white aesthetic, Jaroudi explores the privilege of ignorance and the mechanisms that sustain the comforting illusion that all is fine.

The third title worth highlighting is the Polish animated documentary Maluję swój autoportret, a wychodzi mi moja siostra (I Paint My Self-Portrait, and It Turns Out To Be My Sister) by Helena Stańczyk. Devoted to Alicja and Bożena Wahl, twin sisters and visual artists, the film draws on Alicja's diaries as well as the artistic output of both sisters. It tells a story of closeness and shared creation, tracing a relationship that, over time, becomes the defining framework for both the personal lives and the artistic practice of its central figures. The documentary form of the project distinguishes it from many of the more metaphorical and fictional narratives submitted for the competition.

Competition, Classics, Backstage

The International Feature Film Competition promises to be equally engaging. The four productions selected for this strand form a surprisingly coherent view of animation as a socially engaged medium, open to diverse cultural perspectives. The competing titles take audiences from West Africa to Iraq, North Korea, and a futuristic outer space environment. Particularly prominent within the programme are themes relating to the culture and history of the Islamic world. Allah Is Not Obliged follows the story of a ten-year-old orphan drawn into armed conflicts in West Africa, while Flavours of Iraq draws on the family memories of Franco-Iraqi journalist Feurat Alani to reflect on memory, migration, and the contemporary history of Iraq. In addition, alongside the Korean The Square, a political thriller set in Pyongyang, comes the Canadian Space Cadet offering a more universal, music-driven meditation on memory, loneliness, and interpersonal bonds.

Traditionally, the festival also offers special screenings, retrospectives, and events dedicated to animation classics. Among the announced highlights are screenings associated with the cult series Beavis and Butt-Head, a showing of Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc, and a meet & greet with British voice actor Marc Silk. An important part of the festival remains Animator Pro - an industry programme held from 7 to 10 July, aimed at professionals and those interested in the behind-the-scenes realities of animation production. Among other matters, this year's sessions will focus on the impact of artificial intelligence and CGI technology on contemporary cinematic imagery. Guests will include Tim Allen, Greg Grabianski, Daniele Zannone, Krzysztof Rusinek, Marc Silk, and John R. Dilworth - the producer and creator of the cult series Courage the Cowardly Dog, selected episodes of which will also be shown during the festival.

Special Guest - Oscar Laureate

One of the key guests of this year's edition will be Maciek Szczerbowski - screenwriter, director, and animator associated with the Canadian duo Clyde Henry Productions, and this year's Oscar winner for The Girl Who Cried Pearls. The organisers have prepared an extensive retrospective of his work, encompassing both the studio's experimental beginnings and the films that brought him international acclaim, including the Oscar-nominated Madame Tutli-Putli and Higglety Pigglety Pop!. Szczerbowski will also take part in audience Q&As and Animator Pro events, with the highlight of his festival appearance being the awards gala on 11 July. That evening, audiences will be able to see The Girl Who Cried Pearls in a special screening accompanied by live music performed by the Animator Orchestra.

As tradition dictates, the festival is organised by Estrada Poznańska. Joanna Piotrowiak, Deputy Director of Estrada for Film, remarks enthusiastically: "This year's programme is exceptionally rich and diverse - as with any strong festival, it will likely overwhelm audiences with the sheer abundance of choice. She adds that Animator serves both an ideal introduction to short and feature animation for young viewers, and as a space for nostalgic revisits for the whole family, with screenings including Transylvania, Shrek, and Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.

Musical Encounters

Joanna Piotrowiak especially highlights events that fuse animation and music, stressing that Animator should be seen not only as a film festival, but also as a space for encounters between creators, industry professionals, and audiences. "I am a big fan of combining animation with music, which has accompanied Animator since its early days," she says, warmly recommending a series of distinctive audiovisual projects: Jakub Skorupa's concert Bez Odbioru, Primal by Genndy Tartakovsky x Krzysztof Dys with live piano accompaniment, Parakino - Expanded Cinema Performance & DJ set live, and a screening of music videos by students of the Poznań University of Economics and Business. She also points to the Animator Open Air section and the festival club at Ulotnie (ul. Ratajczaka 34) as vibrant spaces for meetings and sharing experiences, alongside Animator Pro, which offers opportunities to build new connections and hear from the festival's standout guests.

As is already clear, the 19^th edition of Animator goes far beyond celebrating animation. It will seek to engage with the most urgent anxieties and questions of today. And if the competition films live up to the promise of their compelling themes, be sure not to overlook everything beyond the cinema screens: the festival's rich accompanying programme, featuring thought-provoking discussions with experts, live music performances, and workshops and activities designed especially for younger audiences.

Adam Domalewski

translator: Krzysztof Kotkowski

International Animated Film Festival "Animator"
4-12.07.
Muza Cinema (Kino Muza), Apollo Cinema (Kino Apollo) and other venues
For further details, see: animator-festival.com