NUR-SULTAN – The capital hosted the AMEN Animation Film Festival Dec. 11 featuring the work of young Kazakh artists.
Photo credit: @amen_aff Instagram account.
“This festival will be one of the significant actions that will contribute to increasing the animation potential of our country. Our goal is to create a community that respects the work of the older generation and supports the creative search of the younger generation,” said Makpal Zhumabai, one of the festival organisers, according to KazInform.
The event was named after director-animator Amen Kaidarov, who contributed to developing the country’s animation industry. His wife, Valentina Kaidarova, sent a video congratulating the participants and wishing for the young talents “to repeat the path of Amen.”
The festival is designed to promote national animation and support young talents, said organisers. The event included animation film studio and graphic comics exhibitions.
The festival received more than 80 submissions, 51 of which were selected for the competition. Participating studios included Anyz Film, Ara Studio, Astana Film, Dala Animation, Glen Animation Academy, Qgoo Graphic Training Centre, Qazart, Rio Animation and SAQ.
“Hurray! The brotherhood of Kazakh Disney is in one place in Astana (old name of Nur-Sultan)! We must raise our Kazakh animation to a new level of quality, so that our children can watch only our cartoons,” wrote Maxim Kodarov, one of the artists whose work was featured at the festival, on his Instagram account.
The event was held at the Saryarka Cinema Complex. Rukhani Zhangyru (Modernisation of Kazakhstan’s Identity) Moscow project office Director Ukibai Nurpeisov, OzgeEpic head Makpal Zhumabai and Kazakh animators Ernst Beiseitov, Galina Dusenko and Tamara Mukhanova attended the opening ceremony.
Applicants were considered for Best Professional Animated Film, Best Directorial work, Best Script, Best Production Designer, Best Student Work, Best Animated Series, Jury Prize, Audience Prize and Best Comic awards.
