The ReA International Animation and Comic Art Festival has once again welcomed film industry professionals, animators, directors, producers, and art lovers for its 16th edition. The opening ceremony took place at the Yerevan Cinema House.
The festival promises a vibrant parade of animated films, workshops, masterclasses, exhibitions, and presentations with the participation of top experts in the field. It offers new opportunities for Armenian animators and industry professionals. Over the course of a week, ReA will be the focal point of Yerevan's animation scene.
The official opening ceremony on October 20 gathered international guests and experts, as well as representatives from governmental and international organizations.
“The festival has not only a cultural but also an educational component," said Deputy Mayor Levon Hovhannisyan in his opening remarks. "For the second year in a row, Yerevan Municipality is the festival's general sponsor. Our cooperation has contributed to the expansion of the festival’s scope and the growth of its content, as reflected by the list of this year’s guests and animation works. This success significantly impacts the festival’s international recognition and visibility.”
The hall at the Cinema House was packed during the opening, which was also highlighted by the Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of RA, Daniel Danielyan: "Animation is the branch of cinematography where creators can tell stories and tackle challenging topics, and even uniquely present our country and culture. Culture, after all, knows no physical boundaries. Armenian animation has taken on positive and exciting new tones in recent years, thanks in part to ReA Fest. It has been bringing Armenian animation to various countries while showcasing the best international practices here in Armenia."
Welcoming remarks were also delivered by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Armenia Olivier Decottignies, and Tomasz Ostropolski, Acting Head of the European Union Delegation to Armenia.
"ReAnimania today is the primary platform for the dissemination of animated films both in the region and beyond. This is a major achievement for Armenia. We are happy that since the very foundation of the festival, the French Embassy has supported ReA, and we continue to stand by it today," stated Ambassador Olivier Decottignies.
In his speech, Tomasz Ostropolski added, "ReA Festival is a great representation of the country’s culture. It showcases diversity, imagination, creativity, and belief in human potential. These values align with what we cherish in the EU. It is therefore no coincidence that the EU supports Armenia in the field of culture. In this spirit, we have launched an initiative of a roadmap to reinforce this engagement. Today’s festival attests to this EU commitment."
Kassouny Vrej, Founding Director of the ReA Festival, noted, "Every year, the festival’s opening feels like the first, even when it’s the 16th edition. It’s a deeply emotional moment to see so many people from the animation industry gathered under one roof. I am thankful to all our partners, whose support makes all this possible."
The 16th edition of ReA offers a special program with new faces, new films, and new opportunities. A significant component of the festival is the MarAni Market of Animation. According to Kassouny, the MarAni platform provides exclusive opportunities for Armenian professionals in the field.
"We are developing the MarAni platform with special focus, particularly the CoReAct co-production platform, which allows Armenian creators to present their projects to international producers and gain co-production opportunities," Kassouny added. He also mentioned that Disney directors Kirk Wise and Aaron Blaise will be conducting masterclasses and workshops as part of MarAni.
MarAni Market of Animation will take place from October 21 to 24 at AGBU. The platform will host international guests from France and other European countries, who will discuss the use of AI, VR, and other cutting-edge technologies in animation during workshops and masterclasses, sharing their professional secrets and knowledge. The festival will host guests and representatives from France TV, Cartoon Media, and other prominent organizations.
More than 300 films from 45 countries will be featured this year. The program includes 7 feature films in competition which have been screened at Cannes, Annecy, San Sebastián, and Berlin Film Festivals, along with Armenian-produced short animated films. The Armenian audience will also have the chance to experience the magic of Disney. For the first time in Yerevan, Cinema House will host exclusive screenings of three legendary Disney films: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and The Beauty and the Beast.
Georges Schwizgebel, one of the great names in animated cinema and the creator of this year’s official festival poster, was also present at the ReA opening ceremony. Schwizgebel is visiting Armenia for the second time; his first visit was also as a guest of the ReA festival 10 years ago. Vrej Kassouny presented Schwizgebel with the official festival award in recognition of his support of the festival and his esteemed career in animation.
Additionally, as part of the ReA festival, the ReA Comics Art exhibitions will also be held at the Artists Union of Armenia. As part of the festival, two comic books—Missak, Meline, and the Manouchian Group (Missak, Mélinée & le groupe Manouchian) and The Boxer— have been translated, and their presentations will take place during ReA Comics Art. Additionally, the exhibition of the Sasuntsi Davit comic book – one of last year’s winning projects – will also take place on the same day.
It is worth mentioning that tickets for the festival’s screenings are available on tomsarkgh.am.
