31. Dec
15:04
What remains?
WHAT REMAINS?
or
”DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY!”
(Because Animateka will definitely be back next year)
Animateka ended more than a fortnight ago. Just enough time to rest up and reflect on what remains after all the thunderous (and thundering) laughter, good mood, animated films and animators who visited Ljubljana, the Slovenian Cinematheque and Kinodvor in December for a week, bringing with them some desperately needed and anticipated sunshine.
Every time I visit the Slovenian Cinematheque, I’m still greeted by the happy Aki smile painted onto the doors leading to the theatre. His contagious cheerfulness got me thinking about what actually remains after the festival is over.
What’s left of the countless work hours the festival team invested in the event? What about the volunteers, guests, visitors and the rest of the animaholics involved? What – if anything – can remain nowadays, in a time when we’re constantly bombarded with “the next best thing”, which is always supposedly better and more interesting than what “is” and what “was”?
Have we already started thinking about next year’s festival or will we take some time out to at least count all the (numerous) smiles left in the wake of this year’s edition? What does remain? What can we gain from the festival? New knowledge and insights? New discoveries. New ideas. New acquaintances. New perspectives. New answers. New questions?
I hope it also leaves us with a wonderful, unique, unforgettable and priceless experience and above all with the kind of will and inspiration which make the last day the start and not the end of our interest, exploration and continued work.
We salute you, Animateka! See you again soon. As for this year, all that’s left are the acknowledgements.
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As the editor of the Festival Journal, I would like to thank everyone who contributed towards its realisation and helped make this year’s festival a success.
First of all, a big THANK YOU to the entire team of the 11th International Animation Film Festival for giving us another truly frabjous festival. Thank you also for making the festival accessible and interesting for as wide an audience as possible.
The next THANK YOU goes to the entire team of the 11th Animateka Festival Journal.
Thanks to Anja Banko and Petra Meterc, the Journal had a constant stream of interesting reading and excellent texts throughout the festival. Maša Katarina Brecelj and Kristina Kokalj bravely took their first plunge into the tempestuous sea of animated films and learned how to swim, providing their first contributions for the Festival Journal. Bojana Bregar also briefly rode the Animateka wave and provided a charming interview with Tjaša Križnar, a.k.a. Pirate Piška.
This year, Jernej Pribošič, Maja Ropret and Sanja Struna provided excellent translations of all the texts. Thank you for all your hard work and sleepless nights.
There was one shining star of this year’s Animateka we mustn’t forget. Lovro Smrekar, the (thirteen-year-old!!) Animateka wunderkind first made his own film at the production workshop, then officially opened the festival, conducted a few talks with the authors and still found the time to write three wonderfully honest articles. If you need a role model and inspiration, well look no further!
Dear readers, thank you for following us.
If your Animateka nets have yet to catch one or two of our articles, you are still more than welcome to read away. All the texts are still fresh and aren’t going anywhere. And we’re still a long way off from the 12th edition of the festival, which will take place between 7 and 13 December 2015.
Read you later!
Ana Šturm
Translation: Jernej Pribošič