International Animation Day 2021: All you need to know
Every year on 28th October, the world observes International Animation Day. The day was first commemorated in 2002 by The International Animated Film Association (a member of UNESCO), popularly called ASIFA, to celebrate the emerging art of animation. ASIFA International is the most ancient global organization, committed to ensuring the welfare of art and artists, animation and creativity.
History behind the International Animation Day
The art of animation was officially born on 28th October 1892 at Emile Reynaud’s Theatre Optique in the French capital, Paris. In fact, this day was later recognised as the first ever public performance of animated (projected moving) images by more than 50 countries.
Significance of International Animation Day
Every year, on International Animation Day, ASIFA appoints an animation artist to design an original poster. This is how the association announces the event for that year. Each country, willing to participate, then borrows this idea and celebrates it in their own unique way.
On this day, several cultural institutions are also invited to take part in the celebration by featuring animated films, arranging animation workshops and exhibitions to promote the art of animation and consider animators as real artists.
Celebration of International Animation Day 2021
ASIFA India has decided to celebrate the International Animation Day, along with its own completion of 22 years by organizing a three-day animation programme, full of exciting events (VFX, gaming, classical animation), from 26th to 28th October. The Association has joined hands with sponsors like Unreal Engine, Creative Multimedia, DNEG, IACG, Dancing Atoms and Arena Animation for this.
ASIFA India is pioneered by President ‘Vani’ Saraswathi Balgam and her brilliant team of animation experts, namely – Sanjay Khimesara, Sesha Prasad, Ramakrishnan Vinod, Siva Kasetti, Ramakrishna Polina and Priyanka Ajit.
On 26th and 27th October, there were sessions by tech evangelist Arvind Neelakantan and head of VFX at DNEG, India, Jigesh Gajjar respectively.
Today, ASIFA has scheduled a major event to pay tribute to the founders of animation art in India, with a special programme led by eminent artist Glenn Vilppu. This will be a once in a lifetime event, where the classical animator, will deliver a live performance during a 90 minutes session. Vilppu has imparted his artistic knowledge to students at Disney and Marvel studios alongside numerous art schools across the globe, for more than 50 years. After the event, a handful of lucky followers and admirers will get a chance to personally meet the legend and even acquire signed books by him.