Jury
Anca Damian studied Cinematography at at the Academy of Theatre and Film Arts where she also got her doctorate in Arts, Cinema and Media. After graduating, she worked as a director, screenwriter and producer for several documentaries on art-related topics, and also as a director of photography for two long feature films. In 2012, she released Crulic – The Path to Beyond, which was very successful. The movie got more than 35 international prizes, among which the Cristal Award in Annecy. Her other films include Very Unsettled Summer (2013), The Magic Mountain (2015), Moon Hotel Kabul (2018) and The Call (2018), which travelled around the globe, through several film festivals and won many prizes. Damian was also the first to receive the Audentia Award in 2016 offered by Eurimages.
Graduated in Cinema (specialization in Production) at the Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema, in 2001, he has been, since March 1990, a Film Programmer at RTP (RTP2 and RTP Memória). In the 1980s, he worked as a film technician (Production Assistant, Head of Production and Assistant Director in several films and television films) and directed several tv documentaries. In the 90s he directed “100 Anos De Cinema” (1995) broadcasted on TV2, “Inova” (2000, 17′), and “O QUE DinIS MACHADO” (2001). In 1985 and 1986 he published his research “Alguns Aspectos da Actividade Cinematográfica: A Exibição (1942/1984) e a Produção” (190 pp.) funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
After having worked for various production companies in the nineties, Karin Vandenrydt joined Folioscope, organiser of ANIMA – the Brussels Animation Film Festival, one of the most prominent European animation film festivals in 2000. She developed the Flemish speaking branch of the festival and is a member of the selection committee and programme team. Since the summer of 2020, she has been the director of the festival, together with Dominique Seutin. She was invited by several international festivals to serve as a jury member or a member of the selection committee. She is a member of the Flemish Film Rating Commission. Until 2020 she was a member of the Flemish Film Commission and taught Animation History and Contemporary Animation at the LUCA – School of Arts in Genk, Belgium.
Pablo Pico is a French composer and musician known for his soundtracks. He has composed many scores for animated films including Cesar nominated feature film ADAMA directed by Simon Rouby and MARONA’S FANTASTIC TALE by Anca Damian. Regularly rewarded for his musical contributions to short films, feature films or documentaries, Pablo Pico has recorded with artists such as Alexandre Tharaud, Oxmo Puccino, Arthur H, Isabel Sörling or Luzmila Carpio. In 2020, he won the Best Soundtrack Award of the MONSTRA Lisbon Animated Film Festival and he has been nominated to the Lumières Awards 2021.
Vasco Sá was born in Porto in 1979. After spending his first eighteen years in Trás-os-Montes, he moved to Porto, where he did a BA in Sound and Image in School of Arts from UCP. Here he meets David Doutel, with whom he has worked on many projects in Animation Film, namely in the shorts O Sapateiro (2011, PT/ES), Fuligem (2014, PT), Agouro (2018, PT/FR) – which have been awarded in Portugal and abroad – and Garrano (PT/LTU), currently in a production stage. In addition to directing, he has been working with Portuguese film producer Bando à Parte since 2011, joining in several film projects by different authors, both as artistic director as well as production manager. In 2018 he becomes a founding member of BAP Cooperative, where he works on film making and production with David Doutel. He likes to look at the hills in front of him.
Arturo Cardelús is a Spanish-American composer based in Los Angeles. One of his recent scores, Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles, won Best Score at Annecy Film Festival, and was nominated for a Goya Award (Spanish Academy Award) an IFMCA Award, and the Hollywood Music in Media Award. Cardelus’ music is known for his evocative scores and memorable melodies. His scores blend his classical background with his Hispanic heritage, often featuring melodies played by Spanish guitars, incorporating tango and other Hispanic genres. One of his most known pieces, Con Aire de Tango, was commissioned by the Berlin Philharmonic Soloists and released by classical label NAXOS along other chamber music pieces by Cardelús. Cardelús’ contributions to the world of concert music were recognized when he was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in 2016.
Abi Feijó was born in Braga in 1956 and graduated in Graphic Arts and Design by the Porto University Fine Arts College. In 1984 he does an internship at the NFB in Canada, and directs his first film “Oh que Calma”. Back to Porto, he founded the studio Filmógrafo(1987). In 2000 he creates Casa da Animação, a cultural center dedicated to Animation Film and, in 2002, Ciclope Filmes, a new production company behind the short “Tragic Story with a Happy Ending” by Regina Pessoa. As a director, he explores different animation techniques: “Os Salteadores” (93), “Fado Lusitano” (95), and “Clandestino” (00) are his most relevant films. Besides all this he is also a producer and an art consultant, he supervises internships and trainings a bit everywhere around the world, but mostly workshops with children. He was a Professor at the Catholic University and at the ESAP. He was both President of ASIFA (00-02) and Vice President of ASIFA Workshop Group (95-01).
Lia Bertels is an animation film director from Brussels. After an internship in illustration at St.Martin School in London, she decided to begin animation studies at ENSAV La Cambre in Brussels, where she quickly found her mode of expression – a personal, sensitive and contemplative style influenced by her observation of humanity. She directed “Tiny Big”, “Nuit Chérie” and “And Yet we’re not super heroes” selected for numerous festivals and won a number of prestigious awards. She also make music videos. She is currently working on a feature film called “Ogresse” with the singer Cecile Mc Lorin Salvant.
Sandra Varatojo Amor, a graduate in marketing and with training in design, developed her professional activity in creative multimedia and marketing. She has a 20-year experience in brand management, integrated communication and marketing solutions with special focus on children, a segment to which she dedicated herself as manager of the ZIG ZAG brand. She is currently part of the development team behind children-oriented content for RTP.
Soetkin Verstegen is an independent film maker and animator from Brussels. Her films Mr Sand (2016) and Freeze frame (2019) traveled to numerous festivals and received jury awards at Clermont-Ferrand, Ann Arbor, Annecy, Fantoche and Animafest Zagreb. She was a fellow at Akademie Schloss Solitude, Germany, Saari residency, Finland, ZHdK’s artists-in-labs, Switzerland and AniDox:Residency, Denmark. Next to personal work, she freelances as a stop motion animator for the belgian studio Beast Animation, is experienced in giving animation workshops and now teaches at Luca School of Arts, Brussels.
Joan Gratz is an Academy Award winning director of animated short films and commercials. Her films range in content through painterly expressions of poetry, improvised abstraction, and animated social documentary. The technique she pioneered is “Claypainting.” Working directly before the camera, she applies bits of clay, blends colors and etches fine lines to create a seamless flow of images. Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase, an animated history of art, won the Oscar in 1992.
Otto Alder is working as a program curator and is serving at juries and selection committees for festivals. Starting off in animation organising Stuttgart Int. Animation Festival (1987 till 1992) he later rendered his services as the director of the animation programme at the Leipzig Festival (1992 – 2005). Alder is co-founder and was co-director of Fantoche International Animation Festival (1994 – 2004). In addition he directed the animation programme at Black Night Film Festival in Tallinn (1999-2002) as well as the Animation Festival Tough Eye in Turku (2001-2003). 2009 he was selected Honorary President of the Ottawa International Animation Festival. Furthermore Alder was founder and artistic director of Lucerne International Animation Academy 2009 (LIAA – https://animation-luzern.ch/2020/02/19/liaa/). In 2011 he became member of the Swiss Film Academy and APSA (Asia Pacific Screen Academy, Brisbane). Besides creating his own films, photographs and installations. From 2002 till 2019 he was teaching history of moving images and animation history as professor at the animation departement of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and was the departments co-director from 2004 till 2010. He is member of ASIFA (director of board 1993 –1998).
Regina Pessoa was born in Coimbra and graduated in Painting in the Faculdade de Belas Artes, Porto. In 1992, she began working in animation as an animator for the movies “Os Salteadores”, “Fado Lusitano” and “Clandestino”, all directed by Abi Feijó. In 1996, she began directing her own animated films: “A Noite” (1999), “História Trágica com Final Feliz” (2005), “Kali o Pequeno Vampiro” (2012) and “Tio Tomás e a Contabilidade dos Dias” (2019), those of which would grant her great recognition and win her a number of awards in major festivals and world events (Annecy, Annie Awards, Hiroshima, … ). She would become an essential reference in Portuguese Animation and recently recognized as part of the Top 3 best world directors in the last 25 years (Animac’2021). Three of her films are part of the films list of the Plano Nacional de Cinema and are studied in Portuguese schools. In 2016, she became Senior Lecturer at the German Animation School Filmakademie and in 2018 was invited to be a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Hollywood.
Born in Sofia, graduated from the National Academy Of Theatre And Film Arts with a M.A. in animation directing and specialized in Film & TV Cinematography. Conducted a series of lectures on animation design in the Varna Free University, Bulgaria. Illustrator and designer of various books and magazines. Member of ASIFA and the Union of Bulgarian Film Makers. Since 2011 she is an art director and design manager of the World Festival of Animated Film, Varna. Directed the animated films The Gardener’s Weed (in production), Paper Kite (2019), Love with Occasional Showers (2016), The Piano Player (2012), Mente (2001), Genesis (2003), Extazy (2003), Concentration (1999).
David Doutel was born in 1983 in Porto. He has a BA in Sound and Image specialized in Animation by the School of Arts from UCP. He has developed his career in author animation film, working as director, animator and producer. As member in artistic and production teams, he has contributed for the creation of several animation shorts, selected and awarded in international film festivals. He has been working all along with Vasco Sá with whom he shared the experience of directing 3 animation shorts: The Shoemaker (2011), Soot (2014), Agouro (2018). He is currently co-directing the short Garrano, co-produced with Lithuania. He is one of the founders of BAP – Animation Studios, where he works as producer and director.
Isabelle (Iza) studied Animation film at KASK HoGent (Master Audiovisuele kunsten) and teaches animation film at Academie voor Beeldende Kunst Gent since 1994. Since 1989 she works for the Raoul Servais Foundation by teaching animation through Workshops (W.a.f!) for children of all ages in Belgium and abroad (AWG and ASIFA member). She had the honor of working on the backgrounds and coloring of two Raoul Servais films, “Taxandria” and “Papillon de nuit” (1994/1997). In 2003 she worked on the stopmotion of the series ‘Hocus Pocus’ from Brigitte Minne for Ketnet (Belgian TV) After her short film Gloria she just finished, Iza is planning on a new short about the emotion of Happiness.
Carolina Ramos was born in 2004, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and lives in Portugal since 2017. She is a student in the Languages and Humanities course at Escola Secundária de Camões,. At school, she is part, since 2019, of the “Filhos de Lumiére” film workshop, project Erasmus Edu4U, and she is a member of the Student Association.
Born in 2000, in Almada, Pedro Paiva is finishing senior year in the Multimedia Technician Professional Course at EBS Francisco Simões, in Almada. He has been organizing and joining in several group exhibitions, such “Sexta-feira: Os Binóculos Do Futuro”, which ran this June at the Oficina de Cultura de Almada, with the participation of choreographer Cláudia Dias and musician João Miguel Fonseca. He has also been in the organization of several cultural events, and creating graphic, photographic and video art objects.
I’m 18 years old and I’m from Amadora, Lisbon, Portugal. Since I was little, I always liked to play with imaginary friends and make stories with them. Later, I started drawing and creating little comics. When I learned that cartoons were created by real people and not television gods my life changed completely. Now, I study animation to bring my ideas and the worlds I have drawn on pieces of paper to life. Not just for me, but for all the people who share the same passion for animation.
Alexandre Siqueira was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1980. In 1988 he moves to Portugal with his family and in his teen years he is into music and visual arts, entering several painting competitions and exhibitions. In 1996 he joins Escola Soares dos Reis, in Image and Communication. In 2000, he co-directs “Sopa Fria”, as part of the course in stop-motion animation at CITEN/ Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, in Lisbon. In the same year he starts working in Porto, at Filmógrafo studios. In 2008, Alexandre joins French school La Poudrière to get a degree in Animation Direction. His student short «Viagem ao Campo de Girassóis» is well received in several international festivals. Since then, he has been working and collaborating in several short and feature films, animated series and music videos. “Purpleboy”is his most recent animated short film.
Frank is a direct descendant from Ambiorix, Prince of the Eburones who defeated Caesar in 57 BC. Frank is also an independent artist/director/producer graduated from “De Academie for beeldende kunst Gent”. After his graduation film “A Night On Gor”, he worked for one year on an animation mashup “Bug’s Club” inspired by “Hell’s Club” by Antonio Maria Da Silva AMDSFILMS. In 2017/2018 Frank Produced his short film “Alpha”. Currently Frank is working on Video art using Neural Style Transfer techniques and is producing a sequel to Alpha “The Voyage Home”.
Otto Guerra studied Philosophy but graduated in Digital Media. At age 22, he founded his own studio, Otto Desenhos Animados, one of the pioneers of animation in Brazil and the only one almost exclusively for mature audiences. His first short-film was “O Natal do Burrinho”, in 1984. In 1995, Guerra released the feature “Rocky & Hudson – Os Caubóis Gays”, based on Adão Iturrusgarai’s comics. In 2006, he launched “Wood & Stock: Sexo, Orégano e Rock’n’Roll”, the first brazilian animated feature to receive an “NC-17” rating by the country’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security. In 2013, Otto Guerra launched “Até que a Sbórnia nos Separe”, based on the comedy musical duo Tangos & Tragédias. He is one of five brazilians to be mentioned in the book “Animation Now”, published by the German art book publisher Taschen.
Born in April of 1955. Graduated at Escola Superior de Educação pela Arte (National Conservatory). With a background in documentary cinema in Portugal, and in Paris/France by Ateliers Varan; was a student at FBAL (Sculpture). Reader of Instituto Camões in Mozambique, Nampula (training elementary school teachers). He was also part the Art Intervention Teams for the Ministry of Education /DREAL). He directed video documentaries the ME in Adult education and for the SEC in the Audiovisuals Department and for some ONGs. In the last sixteen years he has been working as a teacher librarian in various schools, as a book advocate in reading and writing, in close connection with the arts. He is also a promoter and curator for children’s film at schools.
Pedro Basílio is from Lisbon, but he left for Caldas da Rainha in search of a better life quality. He works in the Municipality of Óbidos’ Education Service, where he develops and organises Óbidos Anima, a project he co-created in 2011 to promote this art among schoolchildren in this municipality. He also develops animation workshops for diverse groups and events. He also organises the Atelier Criativo, a multi-disciplinary space where students can create their own projects and ideas. He has been taking Óbidos’ kids to Monstrinha since 2015 , and in 2019 he took Monstrinha to Óbidos. He has a background in Multimedia from School António Arroio, and he is passionate about photography and music.
Graduate in Visual Arts and Photography in the School of Fine Arts of U. Lisbon, she has had group and solo exhibitions, at home and abroad since 1998. She began working in Animation in 2008 as an animator, illustrator, character concept and layouts designer, art finisher and editing, which she still does today. She has worked in author shorts, children’s shows for Portuguese and Spanish Television, commercial and institucionals ads, visuals for plays and stage shows. In 2010 she was a guest lecturer at ESAD. In 2013 she began working in television and in 2017 coordinating Motion Graphics at the Cofina group. In 2019 she returns fully to Animation. Passionate about books and illustration, she also authored several books.