About ReAnimania IAFCAFY

I AM ReAnimania IAFCAFY

ReAnimania International Animation Film Festival of Yerevan was founded by cartoonist, painter and animator Vrej Kassouny in 2008.
Armenia’s history in animation had begun 70 years prior, with the release of the first Armenian film, Lev Atamanov’s (né Levon Atamanyan) The Dog and the Cat in 1938.

In striving to honor the craft in both spirit and in name, the Festival has since reintroduced the art of animated filmmaking to Armenian audiences.

The festival includes a selection of highly anticipated non-commercial features and shorts with 15 in-competition and non-competition programs and a Market Forum for Animation Professionals (MARANI). The festival also offers an array of practical workshops, seminars, master classes and lectures presented by a host of global industry talent.

The festival has become a platform for development and promotion even beyond Armenia’s borders. As the largest event in the South Caucasus (and the most unique within its class), ReAnimania is playing an integral role in bridging east and west. It is becoming one of the most important emerging festivals, receiving over a thousand film submissions and attracting tens of thousands from around the world. In its 8th edition, ReAnimania is already becoming one of the most important young animation film festivals from all over the world, welcoming competitors, visitors and animation lovers from more than 75 countries.

Since the festival’s 2009 launch, Reanimania has welcomed roughly:

20,000 spectators
100 sponsors, partners, friends, supporters
90 industry judges, 28 junior juries
35 speakers
800 annual entries
350 annual screenings
200 participants in the festival’s complimentary professional workshops and master classes
ReAnimania has welcomed (to name but a few) many esteemed colleagues whose career contributions to the field have positively impacted the industry:

Max Howard, Exodus Film Group, President (President, Warner Brothers Feature Animation, Burbank)
Tiziana Loschi(Director, Annecy International Film Festival, France)
David Sproxton(CEO of Aardman Animation, UK)
Mark Shapiro(Head of Marketing and Brand, LAIKA Studios, Portland),
Michel Ocelot(Director, Studio O, France)
Susie Wilson(International Advisor, Scotland)
Max Howard, Tiziana Loschi and Charlie Sansonetti have also joined the festival as International Advisory Board members.

Among the world famous animation productions screen at ReAnimanian as Yerevan Premiere were: Cheating (Bill Plymton), Secret of Kells (Tomm Moore), Sita Sings the Blues (Nina Paley), Waltz with Bashir (Ari Folman), The Boy and the World (Ale Abreu), Rocks in my Pocket (Signe Baumane), Jack and the Cuckoo Clock Heart (Stephane Berla) and many others.

ReAnimania’s local partners and supporters include, but are not limited to, the Republic of Armenia Ministry of Culture, the National Cinema Center of Armenia, the Union of Armenian Cinematographers and foreign embassies to the Republic of Armenia.

Early on, ReAnimania established partnerships with international animation film festivals such as Annecy IAFF (France), Stuttgart Trickfilm Festival (Germany) and Encounters (UK). ReAnimania is looking forward to forming new partnerships, expanding its global animation market and, of course, welcoming a new wave of films, filmmakers, judges and honored guests to share in Armenia’s rich and ancient culture.

ReAnimania’s aim is to expand and extend the border of Armenia through the Art of Animation and Animated films.

ReAnimania’s motto is: “Life is a Picture, Make the Picture Come to life.”. .