Amsterdam-based TÜNDE VOLLENBROEK lives and breathes animation, 24FPS, 24/7. As co-founder of Studio Pupil she produces animated shorts, series, commercials and music videos, for off- and online platforms. As chief programmer at the KLIK! Amsterdam Animation Festival she curates thousands of animations a year and takes them on tours around the world. As chief European correspondent of animation’s #1 industry source Cartoon Brew she writes about the continent’s industry. Tünde holds a master’s degree in Animation from the HKU in the Netherlands and is a graduate from the prestigious European co-production training Animation Sans Frontieres. The only thing greater than her love for animation is her love for great Italian ice cream.

IGOR PRASSEL was born in 1971 in the Slovenian coast town Koper-Capodistria. He was a long time co-editor of the only Slovene comics magazine Stripburger. From 1998 he is running a monthly animation film program at the Slovenian Cinematheque. He is working as a freelance journalist, animation film programmer and board member for many different film and contemporary arts festivals in Slovenia and abroad. In 2011 and 2012 he served as a member of committees for the evaluation of short animated film production for CICLIC (France), La Poudriere (France – evaluation of student graduation films 2011/12) and Proimagenes (Colombia). He was a jury and program selection member at important international animation and short film festivals (Animafest Zagreb, I Castelli Animati, Stuttgart ITFS, SICAF Seoul, anim’est Bucarest, Balkanima Belgrade, Monstra Lisbona, Festanča Žilina, Animanima Čačak, 25 FPS Zagreb, Anifest Trebon, CICDAF Beijing, Animatou Geneva, Animfest Cyprus, Cinanima Espinho, Mecal Barcelona, Kecskemét AFF, AnimaSyros Greece, Primanima Hungary, FICAM Morocco, Anibar Peja, Fantoche Baden, Tabor ISFF, Krakow IFF, Anima Mundi Brazil, DocuTIFF Tirana). From 2008 until 2014 he collaborated with the World Festival of Animated Films Animafest Zagreb as programme adviser. He is a founding member of the Association of Slovenian Animation Film. From 2010 he is lecturing on the history and theory of animation film at the University in Nova Gorica. In 2012 the Slovenian Cinematheque published his book “The Filmography of Slovene Animated Film 1952 – 2012”. From 2013 he is the director of the Festival of Slovenian Film. From 2014 to 2016 he was appointed as commissioner for animation film at the Croatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC). In 2004 he founded the International Animation Film Festival Animateka (www.animateka.si), where he is the artistic director.

BOŽIDAR TRKULJA (1975.), graduated from the School for textile, leather and design, and studied theology at the Catholic University. Since 1997 he works as a journalist and film critic in newspapers (Vjesnik, Forum, Lider, Zapis…) and on Croatian television (Animatik, Posebni dodatci). He is a member of the Croatian Society of Film Critics. He worked in the jury (Pula film festival, Kratkofil plus, Banjalukanima), and the selection committee (Animafest, Days of Croatian Film, VAFI). He is author of stop motion puppet film “In the beginning of time”, and now he is currently working on another puppet film – “The last quest”. Co-author of the comic “The Academy of miracles” (Modra lasta) and author of the exhibition “From comics to animated film (and back)” and “Puppet in Croatian animated film”. Writes scripts for comics and animated films, and actively works to promote the animated film.

WINNER IN COMPETITION OF SHORT ANIMATED FILMS

DISTANCES ARE OVERCOME / Jelena Milunović, Serbia

Rooted in history through a voice-over recording that stems from the fifties, this film’s message is all the more relevant today. Through smart metaphors and a beautiful rhythm which complement and sometimes even transcend the voice-over’s powerful words, the director expresses both facts and feelings. In barely three minutes she managed to give us awareness in our minds, a fierce desire in our hearts and goose bumps on our arms.

SPECIAL MENTION IN COMPETITION OF SHORT ANIMATED FILMS

TRAVELLING COUNTRY / Vessela Dantcheva and Ivan Bogdanov, Bulgaria/Croatia

This visually exciting and fantastically animated fairy tale placed on the back of a huge horse reminds us once again that greed and stupidity can destroy every harmony and beauty, but in the end it allows us to believe that the search for freedom is not in vain.

HE WHO HAS TWO SOULS / Fabrice Luang – Vija, France

For its elegant and sensual approach towards the gender spectrum, which is an important theme that could use more filmic representation in our society.