While West Coasters are busy with Comic-Con activities this weekend, Brooklynites will be beating the heat with a fantastic program of shorts at the Sixth Annual Animaton Block Party (July 24-26). Thanks to the hard work and dedication of event founder and organizer Casey Safron, this East Coast toon shindig has become one of summer’s best toon events in six short years.
Safron and his talented team have scheduled a wonderful, eclectic three-day program this year, which showcases about 80 of the best commercial, experimental, student and award-winning projects from around the world. Highlights include:
Joan C Gratz’s Puffer Girl
Don Hertzfeldt’s I Am So Proud of You
Peter Ahern’s Down to the Bone
Smith and Foulkes’ This Way Up
Bill Plympton’s Horn Dog
Choom’s Rethink Happiness
Geza M. Toth’s Ergo
Luc Perez’s Shaman
Kirsten Lepore’s Sweet Dreams
Alex Dron’s FOT: The Next Big Thing
Robyn Yannoukos’ Alice’s Attic
The Brothers McLeod’s Cod Swallop
Jake Armstrong’s The Terrible Thing of Alpha 9
Uri Kranot and Michal Pfeffer’s The Heart of Amos Klein
Anders Michael Nielsen’s Catharsis.
The 2009 jury includes animation director JJ Sedelmeier, Perfectland creator Ben Meinhardt, Disney designer, Dan Haskett and NYU Animation’s Elizabeth Morringello.
The event opens on Friday, July 24, at Rooftop Films (Automotive High School, 50 Bedford Ave.) and features live music by Teengirl Fantasy, beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday night’s programs will take place at BAMcinematek (Peter Sharp Buildng, 30 Lafayette Ave.) To learn more about the festival and the featured projects visit www.animationblock.com/summerfest09
