Film Festival Laurels - updates!

Yes! My film "Papa Pasquale" has been selected to screen in the Footcandle Film Society's Children's International Film Festival in North Carolina.

The true story of Folino family's migration from Italy to Canada in the 1950's has collected a few laurels since it's release.

Stream Papa Pasquale here.

More news: my recent short film "HONESTY" (featuring the irrepressible PickleWeasel) has made Official Selection in the VAFI & RAFI 9th International Children and Youth Animation Festival, Croatia.

PickleWeasel has to learn how to listen to his conscience: should he be honest or run away?

Stream HONESTY here.

If you're making little films and you want to get them out there, entering them into festivals is so much more viable now than it used to be. Everything goes online; no more sending hard copies and filling out complicated forms. Many festivals are free to enter, and some cost a little. If you're considering a festival tour for your film, get yourself a budget, research the festivals that showcase films like yours and narrow down which ones you think are a good fit. Check out FilmFreeway and WithoutABox to get started.

Support independent film, go to a film festival.

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HONESTY laurels!

My short film that I animated for kids to learn about honesty, has picked up a few more festival screenings and one award. So I figure it's time I update the credentials, because my fleet of personal assistants have yet to materialize.

Collecting laurels is fun.

Here we go:

• Ajayu International Animated Short Film Festival 2017, Peru - Official Selection.
• The World Animation Celebration 2017, Los Angeles - Official Selection.
• Canada Shorts 2017, St John NB - Official Selection, WINNER Award of Distinction.
• Providence Childrens Film Festival 2018, Pawtucket RI - Official Selection.
• KidFilm Festival 2018, Dallas - Official Selection.
• Athens AnimFest 2018, Athens Greece - Official Selection, European premiere.

HONESTY was specifically animated with kids in mind, so I entered it into a few childrens film festivals. I'm especially pleased that it got into KidFilm and wow, delighted it made it into Providence - that is such a cool festival, they really care about the filmmaker and give valuable feedback. That Providence Children's Film Festival runs from Feb. 16-25, so if you in the Pawtucket Rhode Island area, get your tickets here.

Thus far this film is entered into about fifty festivals, and I've got twelve rejections and six selections. Rejections hurt, but they help you figure out what festivals your film is right for. I learned this while doing the festival run on my last film, "Papa Pasquale". Celebrate the laurels!


Once I finish my graphic novel, "Ball", I'll set my sights on my next little film. I can't wait to get back to animating.

Support indiefilm for $4 : HONESTY is available for streaming on Teachers Pay Teachers. 

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A laurel for HONESTY

My new little film "HONESTY" has made official selection in The World Animation Celebration. This festival is presented by Animation Libation Studios and Animation Magazine and hosted by Sony Pictures Animation in Culver City, California. These are serious industry voices and players; it's an honour for me as an artist, for my TeachersPayTeachers distribution presence, and for PickleWeasel.

It's the first laurel for HONESTY, but I'm especially excited because I used to read Animation Magazine back in the early '80s. Man, I was doing ink & paint in those days! That's how long I've been in this industry.

My film explores the inner struggle we may face on the pathway to choosing honesty. Animation and video are valuable tools for teachers of many subjects, including life skills and character education. See HONESTY here on Teachers Pay Teachers. 

I don't know yet which program my film will screen in at the WAC, but for animation fans there will be some real gems; they're selecting from 45 countries! FUN.



The World Animation Celebration takes place at Sony Pictures Animation: 9050 W. Washington Blvd. Culver City, California. ​ Doors open 11:00 am Sat & Sun. Tickets available here on FilmFreeway.

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"Papa Pasquale" - Awards and Official Selections.

Happy! My film "Papa Pasquale", the true story about an adventurous young man who immigrates to Canada from Italy in the 1950's, has made the rounds of a few festivals and won a couple of awards.

Here's the updated list:

• Anim!Arte 2015, 12th International Animation Festival of Brazil, Official Selection.
• Canada Independent Film Festival 2016, Montreal - Official Selection, WINNER, Best Animation.
• The Humboldt International Film Festival 2016, Arcata CA - Official Selection.
• WINNER Ledo Matteoli Award For Best Film With An Immigration Theme.
• SOHO International Film Festival 2016, NYC - Official Selection.
• The Italian Contemporary Film Festival 2016, Canada - Official Selection.
• Athens Animfest 2016, Greece - Official Selection.
• USA Film Festival 2016, Dallas, Texas - Official Selection, Finalist.
• Salento International Film Festival 2016, Italy - Official Selection.
• INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION AWARDS 2016, Rio de Janeiro - WINNER, Short Film Competition
• Montreal International Film Festival 2016 - Official Selection.

• Detroit International Festival of Animation 2017 - Official Selection.

The Detroit festival is coming up on April 7th and 8th, wish I could make it, but alas! I cannot (sad face).

Otherwise I'm pleased as punch.

And ...since the topic of immigration is important right now, I'm making the film available for download through Teachers Pay Teachers. Good fit for social studies and history. There's a very small fee to help me towards my next animation project, "Flowers", so please enjoy!

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"Papa Pasquale" festival selections.

"Papa Pasquale", my animated short about the amazing life of Italian-Canadian Pat Folino and his twelve siblings, has been honoured by two more festival selections.

Official film poster with laurels, yay!

The 49th Annual Humboldt International Film Festival has chosen my film in the animation category; it will screen in Arcata, CA, April 20th to 23rd 2016.  I think this festival is cool because not only have they been going since 1967, but they seek films that inspire social and environmental change. AND they have a special award called the Ledo Matteoli Award for Best Film with an Immigration Theme. Hurrah! Fingers and toes crossed for that.

I'm also thrilled to announce that "Papa Pasquale" has been officially selected by the Italian Contemporary Film Festival! It's an annual celebration of Italian heritage, arts and culture, taking place June 9 - 17, 2016 in a number of Canadian cities including: Toronto, Vaughan, Niagara, Hamilton, Montreal and Quebec City. Since I'm half Italian (the top half), this selection means so much to me. I'm excited about the film potentially screening in multiple locations. More people should know about the Folinos' amazing story.

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Papa Pasquale Wins Best Animation at CIFF16.

So there was a film festival on the weekend, that was not the Oscars: the Canada Independent Film Festival. My little film, "Papa Pasquale" won an award - Best Animation.

Here's some pictures.

The award was presented to me by this little darling...

 ...which was totally sweet.

I was smiling ALOT. This picture was taken by my friend Julia Chiarella-Genoni AKA Ask Mama Moe. I was really happy because a bunch of my family and friends came out to cheer for me.

Ralph Zarboni came to the screening; it was he who brought me the story of Papa Pasquale (Pat) Folino, and who made the film possible. Awesome.

The award is really quite pretty...crystal. It's heavy...and sharp! Don't drop it on your foot.

This was the inaugural event of the CIFF - Congratulations to them! I'm so honoured; and what a thrill to see one of my films on the big screen.

Comments are here.

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Shortlisted.

"Papa Pasquale" has been shortlisted for selection in the 58th Rochester International Film Festival 2016 - the world’s oldest continuously-held short film festival. Amazingly, they actually take the time to give a considered critique of the films. This is rare.

Here's an excerpt from their supernice letter:

"Papa Pasquale was well received by a group of thirteen viewers. It is the iconic story of immigration that many people can related to in one way or another. (One viewer expressed his wish though that the story line engage a twist, turn or conflict, beyond a simple retelling of this experience.) A lot is packed into the 4:23 minutes with images that are clever, tender and humorous. Viewers especially noted the boot of Italy kicking the donkey as well as the scenes of the factory/beauty salon and travel modes. The Tarantella provides a cute “refrain” that nicely structures the transitions in the story."

Valuable feedback people!

*smiling*

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Anim!Arte laurel for "Papa Pasquale".

Proud, pleased, thrilled, delighted and totally gobsmacked over here: my new film Papa Pasquale has been accepted for the Official Selection of the 2015 Anim!Arte 12th International Animation Festival of Brazil. It will be screened in the International Professional category of World Cultures; the schedule's not available yet but the event runs from December 1-6, 2015.

Papa Pasquale is the true story of an Italian immigrant who comes to the west in the early 1950's and makes a life for himself as a hairsylist, eventually bringing over all of his twelve brothers and sisters. You can read more about it here.

A personal detail: the film was made possible by my wonderful cousin, Ralph Zarboni. He came to me with the idea of the film as a way of paying tribute to his friend Pat Folino, and I couldn't resist it. We had a private screening at a gala celebration in Toronto to honour Pat and his family in September. There were some dignitaries present, including the charming former Senator Consiglio Di Nino, who I got to meet, and the (then) Minister of Finance Joe Oliver who gave a really nice non-partisan speech. The best part about the screening was not the standing ovation - WHY YES THERE WAS A STANDING O - it was getting to finally meet all the people I'd been drawing for two months. Awesome.

The screening at Anim!Arte will be the World Premiere for Papa Pasquale. It's entered in a few more festivals so the film is not out on the Innerwebs yet. Having said that, I'd like to make it available for my fans and friends so if you want to see it / review it, be sure to reach out and I'll get the private link/password to you.

I have no idea about how to do film festival laurels so I just put it on all four stills.

YAY.

Comments are here.

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Montreal gets an International Animation Festival.

In 1983 I was infected by the animation bug. I got a job inbetweening on a tv show, worked like a dog, drank like a fish and attended every screening and I could. Decades flew by.

I'll be honest with you: I lost my taste for animation festivals a couple of years ago while attending the Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF). Let's just say I was unable to stomach continuing to fork out for the ticket, the travel and the hotel for the privilege of viewing films selected by a single person, whose taste and demeanor differed so vastly from my own. I did miss the camaraderie of seeing old friends, but we only ended up complaining the whole time about the terrible films and the "selection committee of one", so it was just a downward spiral of facepalm.

Animator facepalm.

I went rogue; the cash I'd normally throw at animation festivals was redirected to blogging conferences - a whole 'nother world. I had way too much fun, and though I never quite fit in on account of being "an animator who blogs with drawings", I did manage to carve out a tiny niche for myself. And made a few rock solid friendships along the way.

Still...I'm kinda starved for animation. And not the kind you can see on the innerwebz.

I don't know how we missed it, but neither myself, nor my animation friends here in Montreal knew about Le MIAFF: The Montreal International Animation Film Festival until it was a week away. Just by chance I flipped the car radio from NPR to the CBC and heard an interview with the festival director, Laurie Gordon. And I'm like wtf, an animation festival in my hometown?

I missed the deadline to submit any of my recent films, but there's always next year. I'm still not sure who else (of my circle) is going to Le MIAFF, but I'll be there and I'm especially looking forward to the He(art) screening, with Don Hertzfeldt's multiple-award-winning World of Tomorrow.



Le MIAFF starts tomorrow, April 16 - 19, 2015, at downtown Concordia.  If you see me, please come say hi.

Comments are here.

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