The festival also hosts live drawing classes, business-to-business sessions, producer events, networking opportunities, and government panel discussions in addition to student competitions and an outreach programme.
The CTIAF is presented by Animation SA and is made possible thanks to generous support from sponsors the Department of Arts and Culture, the City of Cape Town, Wesgro, Nickelodeon, the High Commission of Canada, The Japanese Embassy and Consulate in Cape Town and the French Institute of South Africa. CTIAF has also partnered with Annecy International Animated Film Festival and Animate Africa.
“We have a stellar line up of speakers, featuring some of the best creative and business minds in animation, screenings of the world’s top animated films and a range of free events that are fun for the whole family,” says festival director Dianne Makings. “We are delighted to be collaborating with both our long-standing and new partners to bring you the best festival yet.”
Big Bad Fox, directed by Academy Award-nominated French director Benjamin Renner, will have its local premiere at the CTIAF. Adapted from Renner's own books Le grand méchant renard and Un bébé à livrer, the Hollywood Reporter called the film ‘wacky, heartwarming and wise’.
From the creators of BAFTA award-winning and Academy Award-nominated Revolting Rhymes comes The Highway Rat, a delightful animation of the popular children’s story by Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler. Produced by Magic Light Pictures and animated at Cape Town-based Triggerfish Animation Studios, The Highway Rat tells the tale of a ravenous rat who craves buns, biscuits, and all sweet things. Tearing along the highway, he searches for sugary treats to steal, until his sweet tooth leads him to a sticky end. The film premiered on BBC 1 in England on Christmas Day and stars David Tennant, Rob Brydon, and Tom Hollander.
As part of their centenary celebrations in South Africa, the Japanese Embassy and Consulate in Cape Town have partnered with the CTIAF for the second year. President and CEO of Polygon Pictures John Shuzo Shiota return to join the speaker line-up and there will be screenings of Japanese animated film Mary and the Witch’s Flower directed by Academy Award-nominated animator Yonebayashi Hiromasa. John Shuzo Shiota participated in the launch of Dream Pictures Studio in 1997 before he moved to Polygon Pictures two years later.
There will also be a workshop with animation artists including South African Manga group Umlando Wezithombe who won the Bronze medal at the 11th Japan International Manga Award. Manga is a popular art form in Japan. The handing over ceremony of the award will take place at the CTIAF 2018.
Pear Cider and Cigarettes was nominated for a 2017 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. It will be screened at the CTIAF and its creator, Canadian animator and visual graphic artist Robert Valley, attends the programme to talk about this brutally honest story of a turbulent relationship with a self-destructive, yet charismatic friend from childhood.
The 2018 CTIAF programme will also include a selection of screenings of work by international artists curated by the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.
Director Alexandre Heyboyan will also take part in CTIAF. He has animated characters on Kung Fu-Panda (2008) and Monsters vs Aliens (2009), worked at Dreamworks and he directed the CG movie Mune, the Moon Guardian, which was selected in Annecy film festival, and won the best feature in the Tokyo Animation Award Festival.
A special highlight for trade visitors, Lorna Withrington, director of creative affairs at Entertainment One will be sharing her insights, expertise and experience in the industry. With a career spanning Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam, and Peppa Pig, Withrington has worked with some of the biggest brands in children’s television and brings this knowledge to finding and creating the next generation of hit children’s TV shows.
Following the overwhelming response last year to the CTIAF Outreach Programme at the Isivivana centre in Khayelitsha, there will again be screenings of films, drawing classes with Animate Africa, and various workshops to teach the fundamentals of animation.
“There are a number of free events to be enjoyed – from the Artists Alley showcasing the work of some of SA’s most talented graphic artists, to drawing and stop-motion workshops for children aged 7-12 years and free screenings and drawing workshops at the Isivivana centre,” says Makings. “Students also have the opportunity to bring their portfolio to the artist alley for free advice from our industry experts.”
The popular CTIAF student awards programme celebrates both team and individual projects across various categories. For the incredible third year, Nickelodeon is sponsoring the phenomenal opportunity for one student to do an internship at Nickelodeon in the USA as part of the student competition. The winners will be announced at an event on Saturday, 3 March 2018.
“Other exciting events in our packed programme include a virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) component again, Adobe demo sessions and talks from our supporters such as the Department of Arts and Culture and the City of Cape Town. Thanks to the award-winning team at Muti who have created our innovative look for the CTIAF 2018 design.”
“CTIAF would like to reassure our visitors – the City of Cape Town is open for business, and events like these are being run in a water-wise way, but we remind you, our delegates and visitors to live like a local – 50l a day, and together we will push back #DAYZERO,” adds Makings.
Visit www.ctiaf.com for the full programme details.
