The war in Ukraine has hit the cultural sector hard, interrupting international cooperation and networks. In this solidarity panel, we will take a closer look at the current situation for Ukrainian animation festivals and industry. In conversation with animation scholar Olga Bobrowska, Anastasiya Verlinska (festival director of LINOLEUM) and Dmytro Lisenbart (director and producer) will give insights into how the war is impacting their work – and what the international community of academics and artists can do to support them. To receive the Zoom link and access to a LINOLEUM festival selection of Ukrainian animation films, please register until May 20, 10 AM CEST by email: ed.teatisrevinumlifnull@ekmilK.A.hpotsirhC
Anastasiya Verlinska, Festival Director
For ten years, Anastasiya Verlinska worked as a project manager of one of the biggest Eastern European film companies, FILM.UA Group, implementing projects to promote both film and animation in Ukraine. In 2014 she joined the team of LINOLEUM animation festival as a program coordinator and in 2016 became its director. Apart from the festival, Anastasiya organizes screening of both international and Ukrainian animation as well as educational projects that help to develop the local animation industry. LINOLEUM Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival is the biggest showcase of short independent animation in Ukraine. Launched in 2014 in Kyiv, each year the festival screens around 250 films from all over the world, offers workshops and lectures held by the field’s best players and a special program for children. LINOLEUM aims to support animation artists and promote Ukrainian animation worldwide as well as encourage and celebrate creativity among animators and media artists.
Dmytro Lisenbart, Animation Director and Producer
Dmytro Lisenbart studied painting at RHSSH Taras Shevchenko school (1986–1993) and, from 1991–1993, worked at the animation studio UKRANIMAFILM. He received a directing degree from the National University of Theater and Film Ivan Karpenko-Kary in 1998 and worked as chief designer of computer animation on a number of Ukrainian TV channels. In 2006, he founded the LISENBART ANIMATION STUDIO which by now has created more than 500 animated TVCs for Ukraine, Europe, and North America. In 2017, Dmytro Lisenbart co-founded the Ukrainian Animation Association (UANIMA) and, from 2017–2019, headed the state animation studio UKRANIMAFILM. His film Unnecessary Things (2020) won the Ukrainian competition at LINOLEUM in 2021.
Dr. Olga Bobrowska is an animation scholar and the director of StopTrik International Film Festival, she holds a PhD in film studies from Jagiellonian University (Kraków, Poland).
Organization:
Dr. Maike Sarah Reinerth
Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF | University of Cologne
Image credits: Unnecessary Things (2020) © Dmytro Lisenbart