Prepare for the annual Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) from Sept. 25–29. This year’s festival takes place across various venues in downtown Ottawa and will provide workshops, screenings and entertainment highlighting some of the world’s best in animation.
Artistic Director of the festival, Chris Robinson, says that the OIAF showcases a different world of animation than what audiences usually expect.
“It’s a bit more poetic, and personal and strange.”
OIAF 2023. Photo by Petr Maur.
The OIAF will host events at the Bytowne Cinema, Arts Court, Club SAW, Strathcona Park, the National Arts Centre, Château Laurier and the Ottawa Art Gallery where audiences and members of the animation community alike can check out short films and feature films competitions, animation workshops and even mingle at a few parties.
This festival, which began in 1976, is also one where industry and artistry come together, and something that Robinson says is unique, especially in the short competition.
“If you look at our short competitions, which is the core of the festival, it’s been there since we started,” he says. “We’re unique in that we mix together narrative films, non-narrative commissioned work [and] student work all in one screening. It’s a nice way to bring these diverse worlds together.”
OIAF 2023 Meet the Filmmakers. Photo by Petr Maur.
The screening selection for the festival is done by jury, and the process usually begins from March 1 until the end of May. Robinson says he goes through all of the submissions to sort through the films that might not fit—this year, there were approximately 2,300 submissions.
“I go through everything, and weed out the stuff that I know is not going to fit,” he says.
After this, the submissions make it to a second round where Robinson and a few colleagues make further cuts.
OIAF 2023 reception. Photo by Petr Maur.
“And then, during the festival, we have a three-person jury for the short competitions, and one for the features,” says Robinson. “So they’ll sit with the audience, and watch the films with them and make their decisions.”
Usually, jurors are made up of people who represent festival directors, producers and animators worldwide. The jurors this year are Neil Hunter, Dahee Jeong and Thomas (Johnson) Volda for the feature competitions, and Jonathan Djob Nkondo, Anastasiya Verlinska and Ivana (Bošjak) Volda for the short competitions.
As for the parties, Robinson says it’s a huge part of the OIAF and a chance for animators and people in the industry to let loose and offer networking opportunities, too.
“We’re known as a fun, film-maker friendly festival,” he says. “Parties are where people can get to know each other as well.”
OIAF 2023 Animator Picnic. Photo by Petr Maur.
Robinson says that some of the key social activities are the animator’s picnic at Strathcona Park on the Friday afternoon of the festival, and there is often a pumpkin carving competition that sometimes gets more heated than the film competition.
Robinson also says that while the OIAF has many different venues and screenings, and not to be afraid to check out something new.
“You get anywhere from 10-15 short films, student films, music videos, commercials, mixed with more experimental stuff, and narrative stuff,” he says. “It’s a great place to see what’s going on in animation around the world.”
The OIAF will take place from Sept. 25–29 at various venues across downtown Ottawa, including the ByTowne Cinema, Arts Court, Club SAW, Strathcona Park, the National Arts Centre, Château Laurier and the Ottawa Art Gallery. Click here for OIAF ticket information and passes. Check out their online schedule for screenings, workshops, talks and other festival activities here. You can also check out their screenings and special screenings for all categories here. For more information about the OIAF, you can visit their website.