Tomorrow, 26th August, at 19:45, the second edition of the ABIFF – Animation Bucharest International Film Festival starts at the Peasant Museum Cinema in Bucharest, with the screening of the animation “Journey to Yourland” (Journey to Yourland, Czech Republic – Slovakia, 2022), directed by Peter Budinský, an ambitious project in terms of visual and narrative approach, aimed at family audiences.
“Journey to Yourland” tells the story of Riki, a ten-year-old boy, who ventures on a great journey into two different worlds: ” Yourland” is a fantasy world, a place where everything is possible and where dreams and wild ideas come true, but also a place of fierce battles. The other world is Riki’s real world – cold, grey and shrouded in difficult family issues. But time will show that all problems can be solved if we choose the right path.
The film “Viktor Robot” will have a special screening on behalf of ABIFF Animation Bucharest International Festival within the Ukrainian Focus at Buzau International Arts Festival – Saturday, August 27, from 18:30, in Crâng Park, Obelisc area in Buzau.
The comedy “Gulliver Returns”, based on an original idea by Volodimir Zelenski and made by the team that created Zootopia, Moana and Toy Story 6, will have its Romanian premiere on Saturday 27th August at 17:00. The legendary Gulliver returns to the Kingdom of Lilliput, but he is no longer the giant the people remember. The film had its world premiere at the Shanghai International Film Festival in 2021.
The ABIFF 2022 International Animated Short Film Competition features 11 films from 10 countries competing for three awards: the Best Short Film Award worth €1000, the Best Director Award worth €600 and the Best Thematic Film Award worth €600, with ABIFF focusing on the theme of the relationship between minorities and the majority and how this theme can be translated artistically.
The short films can be seen in all partner cinemas, with the screening at the Peasant Museum Cinema preceded by a presentation of Ukrainian animation films by Mirona Radu, ABIFF’s artistic director.
The jury of the short film competition is composed of Radu Nicolae (Romania), Mariia Makarova (Poland) and Vivek Kalyan (India).
Radu Nicolae – director, producer and screenwriter, creative director for advertising agencies (nominated at the Portoroz Festival in the Packaging section). His animated short film “Miriam”, released in 2021, has been selected in 50 festivals and won 10 awards for Best Animated Film.
Mariia Makarova – writer and producer. She studied at the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School (Katowice, Poland). Organiser of the Polish film festival “Vistula” in Kazan (Tatarstan).
Vivek Kalyan – animator and producer. He has been involved in the production of hundreds of short and feature films such as Garfield: The Movie.
The closing gala of the festival will take place on Sunday, August 28, 19:30 at the Peasant Museum Cinema with the announcement of the winners of the ABIFF 2022 short animated film competition and the Romanian premiere screening of the film awarded the Jury Prize at the 2022 Annecy Animation Film Festival – “Forbidden to Dogs and Italians”, directed by Alain Ughetto.
Early 20th century – Ughettera, Northern Italy, Ughetto family. Life in the region has become very difficult and the Ughetto family dreams of a better life abroad. Legend has it that Luigi Ughetto crossed the Alps starting a new life in France, changing the destiny of his beloved family forever. His grandson travels back in time, revisiting his entire history. The film is conceived as a fictional dialogue with Cesira, the director’s former grandmother, whom he asks everything he would like to know. A testimony to the experiences of these generations of Italian immigrants and a tribute to courage. With poetry, the film gives this personal story a universal dimension.
Tickets: https://bit.ly/3ChQkL8
The second edition of the ABIFF festival is organised by ABI Foundation, Mockra Productions and Creatrix Fama, with the support of UPFAR ARGOA and DACIN SARA and will run from 26 to 28 August in the following cities and cinemas: Bucharest (Cinema Muzeul Țăranului, Cinema City AFI Cotroceni), Pitești (Cinema Trivale), Sinaia (Cinema Carpați), Cluj Napoca (Cinema City Iulius Mall), Timișoara (Cinema City Iulius Mall), Brașov (Cinema City AFI), Arad (Cinema City), Bacău (Cinema City), Brăila (Cinema City), Buzău (Crâng Park, Obelisc area, single screening ABIFF – Viktor Robot as part of the Buzău International Arts Festival), Constanța (Cinema City Park), Galați (Cinema City), Ploiești (Cinema City Shopping Center), Târgu Mureș (Cinema City), Suceava (Cinema City).
Programme and tickets:
Cinema Muzeul Țăranului (Bucharest) – https://eventbook.ro/festival/festivalul-de-film-de-animatie
Cinema City (Arad, Bacău, Brașov, Brăila, Buzău, Cluj Napoca, Constanța, Galați, Ploiești, Târgu Mureș, Timișoara, Suceava): https://www.cinemacity.ro/#/buy-tickets-by-cinema
Trivale Cinema Pitesti: https://www.cinematrivale.ro/extras/bilete/
Cinema Carpați Sinaia: https://cinemacarpati.ro/cinema/
Media partners:
Radio Guerrilla, Itsy Bitsy, AGERPRES, Zile și Nopți, IQads, Spotmedia, Cărturești, Ziarul Metropolis, Liternet, Observator Cultural, Cinemap, AARC, Filme-carti.ro, movienews.ro, Cinefan, PRwave, Iqool, Gokid, Qbebe, suntparinte.ro, SMARK.
Logistical partners:
Fan Courier, Logic Computer
Details:
www.abiff.ro
https://www.facebook.com/FestivalAbiff