ANIMATION

The Community of the Mind

Born in 1972, the Zagreb festival this year was particularly intense. This year lots of aspects of animation were fully represented in just one week. For instance, a special Asifa prize for the theory and historical studies of animation was awarded to Giannalberto Bendazzi. And Asifa itself was the star with the glorification of one of its best representatives: David Ehrlich. Time after time in the history of animation we can recognize a mood that reflects the global spirit of the period. The diagnosis we have from a festival selection is accurate, as a bi-annual international festival represents an average production from all around the world — the mood is that of lack of human purpose. Although, some of the films were based upon humanity, or human feelings (Still Life with Animated Dogs, by Paul & Sandra Fierlinger), and some were even metaphysical (Father and Daughter, by Michael Dudok de Wit), no one gave us a project concerning humanity. Even Credo, a very good film by Jonas Raeber can’t really be considered as a »human proposition«. »Human proposition« may be interpreted as something that challenges us, an idea to change the world, even in a small way. For example, during the tribute to Paul Driessen and at the end of Air, Nicole Salomon said ’That’s a better film than any made by the ecologists on the problem of pollution’. Zagreb has been a great festival for the last 30 years. Despite all the difficulties the spirit that has always animated it is still there.

Olivier Cotte