No international experts at Toonz Animation annual do this year

Our eFE Bureau in Thiruvananthapuram

Toonz Animation, India’s first advanced ink animation studio, has decided to skip its annual rendezvous of the international animation experts since many of the guests have turned flight-shy. Instead, the Studio will spread out its bouquet of screenings of South East Asian (IN.SEA) films.

According to the revised schedule, the IN.SEA competition screenings of Japanese, Korean and Indian films, Children’s animation workshop screenings, Masters Animation Celebrations (MAC) India Awards Ceremony and the India premiere of the 3-D animated blockbustor Shrek will be held, here, from October 31 to November 2. Instead of the European masters, members of ASIFA (Association of Internationale Du Film D’ Animation) will attend the show. Of the 200 films from South East Asia vying for selection in three categories, Harvey Deneroff (director, Week with Masters), Tom Knott (Warner Brothers) and Bill Matthews (Disney) have shortlisted 42 films for the IN.SEA screening.

Toonz, an award winner at the World Animation Celebration 2000 in Los Angeles, had been banking on roping in UNICEF and British Council to bring in maestros like Oscar-nominated British animator Barry Purves. However, concerns triggered by the September 11 events have seen most of the European and Hollywood animation experts avoiding air travel. “Unlike many others in software, it’s not our cash-kitty that has been hit hard by the New York tragedy, but only our festival plans,” Toonz Animation CEO and former head of animation division, Walt Disney Studio, Bill Dennis told a press conference, here.

While businesses at most companies of the Thiruvananthapuram Technopark campus have taken a severe beating after the recent international developments, Toonz foresees a possible spurt in the entertainment business.