When did animation first start in the country?
The first Romanian film animation was ‘Pacala in Luna’ by Aurel Petrescu. He was the pioneer of Romanian film animation, and later founded a modern cartoon school in Romania, which I cant find information about anywhere! Cartoons of cartoonist Aurel Petrescu were influenced by American and French at the time. Made mostly with mixed technique and classic design, his cut cardboard characters that moved at the joints.
Is animation prominent in the country?
After conducting my research I have found there to be only a little animation market in Romania, and is mostly Bucharest-based.
‘We have little tradition in this area of the visual arts. Mostly, probably, because traditionally… it costed so much to produce.’- Virgil Mihailescu, Romanian animator 2012.
Companies in Romania such as ‘TinyCreatures’ and ‘Dacodac studios’ have closed due to financial difficulties in recent years, which does not present Romania well for a future in animation. However, with the launch of the festival ‘Anim’est’, there may be hope yet for Romania’s animation industry. It will hopefully grow in the future, and attract more Romanians into animation, and also attract animators from other countries to consider Romania. A film festival can inspire and entertain Romanian audiences, but what the country really needs is an actual film production. This requires expertise, resources and skilled hired producers. However, DSG, a Romanian animation studio has built a strong reputation in six years is one of the first studios in Romania to create the animation for a feature film, ‘Crulic- The Path and Beyond’. The BFI London Film Festival supported the premiere of the film, back in 2011. This gives DSG the knowledge to begin its own original projects in the field, and therefore may lead the way to more film successes and as a result heightening Romania’s prominence in today’s animation industry.
Are there any animation festivals?
Anim’est is an international film festival of animation held in Bucharest and established since 2006. Over the last five years it has become one of the most important cultural events in the capital and one of the most important animation festivals in Central and Eastern Europe. One of the competitive sections being best Romanian film. Last year, the animation ‘Scream’ by Sebastian Sickle, a very unique humorous animation that showed at the Monstra Festival in Lisbon.
Last year the festival was held in Chisnau in Moldova, around 3,500 spectators attended the projections carried out between March and November 2011. Ultra- winning films such as Sylvain Chomet’s ‘Illusionist’ and the ‘9’ directed by Vlad Ilicevici. The success of this Romanian festival in Chisinau has demonstrated that there is an animation hungry audience in Moldova and beyond.
Last year the festival was held in Chisnau in Moldova, around 3,500 spectators attended the projections carried out between March and November 2011. Ultra- winning films such as Sylvain Chomet’s ‘Illusionist’ and the ‘9’ directed by Vlad Ilicevici. The success of this Romanian festival in Chisinau has demonstrated that there is an animation hungry audience in Moldova and beyond.
Kinofest is the first and most well-known digital film festval in Romania, since 2007, and is one of the most significant in Central Europe. The competition has three sections, Animation, Fiction, and Micromovie. The festival’s specific goal of promoting young film-makers and artists. The festival also includes various events such as presentations and screenings of invited artists/films/festivals, music concerts and a gallery presenting ‘non-moving art’.
Are there any animation schools?
I have researched so hard to try to find any animation courses in Romania, but have been unlucky in doing so. I have found that during Anim’est there are organised workshops, for the different areas of animation, from storyboarding to stop-motion for children. However these only last for the few months the festival runs for. In November 2011, Kinofest the other international film festival started the project ‘Digital workshop’. They have developed a series of workshops in the Bucharest high schools. Bringing filmmakers to speak about their works, and explain some simple techniques. The aim of this program is to popularise the accessible digital techniques of film making among the young as a hobby or a possible future career.
Is there a nationally predominant animation medium?
With the main animation studios in Romania concentrating mainly on 3D or special effects animation for advertising. It maybe that it is easier to obtain quality with minimal resources in the digital era, and therefore the country with minimal resources concentrates mainly on 3D animation. Companies such as ‘Framebreed’ and ‘Genius Studios’ are the main companies doing advertising and are post-production studios for advanced animations and special effects. Another would be DSG’s ‘Crulic- The Path and Beyond’. which provides beautiful 2D artwork using collage and stop-motion, bringing a more traditional creative side to Romania’s animation.