7/13/2015

Ottawa International Animation Festival Announces Short Films

Theodore Ushev's Sonámbulo is among the Canadian titles at OIAF '15.
Here’s some news that I missed while I was at the cottage this weekend: the Ottawa International Animation Festival announced their massive list of shorts for the upcoming edition of the festival. OIAF 2015 once again features five competition programs of shorts, plus the Canadian and International Showcases, Student Showcases, and Kidstuff. OIAF 2015 brings a total of 144 short films to Ottawa, plus 3 features, and 4 programs of specialty screenings (titles TBA).


Among the Canadian films competing at OIAF ’15 are Sonámbulo, the newest film from animation favourite Theodore Ushev (Gloria Victoria), Pierre Hébert & René Lussier’s You Look Like Me; and TIFF ’14 oddity Mynarski Death Plummet, which was among Canada’s Top Ten last year. Mynarski’s fellow TIFF short Chain Reaction gets its Ottawa premiere at OIAF in the Canadian Showcase. The Canadian showcase also features Mia’, the latest short from First Nations filmmaker Amanda Strong (Indigo), who’s doing some of the most interesting work on the Canadian animation scene and gaining lots of traction.

On the international front, the OIAF shorts bring a double dose of Sylvain Chomet (The Triplets of Belleville) with his Simpsons Couch Gag and Stromae: Carmen. Also returning to the festival is Einar Baldvin, whose The Pride of Srathmoor was a festival highlight, with Out the Monster; while the ever-popular Don Hertzfeldt (It’s Such a Beautiful Day) returns with his acclaimed short World of Tomorrow. Paul Bush, of Babeldom notoriety, also  returns with 5 Minute Mountain. Finally, the fest includes one of the year’s most popular shorts from the awards circuit, the Dutch ditty A Single Life, which was an nominated for Best Animated Short at the Oscars this year. Single ultimately lost the prize to Feast, which was the top dog at OIAF last year in this blogger’s books: what’ll be best in show this year?

The Ottawa International Animatin Festival runs Sept. 16-20, 2015.
Please visit the OIAF website for the full lists of Competition Shorts and Showcase Shorts.