MONSTRA 2024: A Celebration of Irish Animation and Creative Legacy

 

In 2024, we celebrate 23 years of MONSTRA with a special focus on the animation scene in Ireland – a country known for its creativity, resilience, and innovation. 

The spotlight falls on Tomm Moore, the creative mind behind the MONSTRA and MONSTRINHA 2024 posters. The director will host a masterclass during the festival and be part of the jury for the feature film competition. 

The festival includes retrospectives dedicated to Aidan Hickey, Don Bluth, and the works of Jimmy T. Murakami, an American of Japanese descent considered the pioneer of Ireland’s animation industry. 

His acclaimed film, “When the Wind Blows,” will be screened during the festival. 

Get ready for a showcase of feature films from Cartoon Saloon – nearly all of them Oscar-nominated – as part of our grand tribute to the invited country. We will host special sessions dedicated to Brown Bag Films, Boulder Media, and other contemporary Irish animation studios. 

Our program ties in with a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the April 25th Carnation Revolution through the production of “A Revolução.”  The film is a collaborative effort by students from national and international schools. 

As always, the extensive MONSTRA 2024 program includes competitions, workshops, masterclasses, retrospectives, and the presence of distinguished figures from the global realms of thought, creation, and animation filmmaking.

MONSTRA takes place on 7-17 march in Cinema São Jorge and other venues in Lisbon.