MIAF 2019

The Melbourne International Animation Festival returns on 13 – 21 July 2019.
Based at Treasury Theatre for 2019. With a couple special treats at other venues.

International Competition Programs 1-7

Facing It – Sam Gainsborough
(International Program #1)

The back-bone of the whole MIAF mission. SEVEN stunning programs showcasing the awesome diversity of animation made up from 4,000+ submissions. Every technique, every genre, every style – your annual window into the international indie animation universe.

International Competition Program#4: Abstract Showcase

_ImEdge – Huang Xiaowen
(International Program #4: Abstract)

MIAF prides itself on ensuring abstract and experimental animation stands tall as part of the mix of animation on show. As usual, our annual Abstract Showcase brings the best of this vibrant animation genre to the big screen.

Australian Animation

The Australian Showcase (Official MIAF Opening Screening)

The Australian Showcase (Official MIAF Opening Screening) Nobody screens more Australian animation than MIAF. We proudly open the festival each year with the Australian Showcase which surveys the incredible artistry and skill of Australian animators. And our Australian Student Showcase offers up an exciting window on Australia’s rising stars.

James Cunningham Retrospective

James Cunningham is a 3D CG animator of astonishing expertise. “Poppy” won a SIGGRAPH Grand Jury Prize in 2010, “Infection” was selected for screening in competition in Cannes, “Delf” was selected for the Saatchi & Saatchi new directors Global showcase – to name just a few highlights. His role as teacher and mentor has also seen him train a new generation of CG animators for some of the most demanding studios in the world. James travels to MIAF 19 to introduce his best films, talk about his work and answer your questions about the world of CG animation.

Window on Georgia

Sitting on the eastern shore of the Black Sea and sharing borders with Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, Georgia possesses a rich cultural history and an abundance of sombre inspirations anchored in its geo-polity. This program will carefully blend stunning early classics with the absorbing and challenging work of contemporary animators.

Paul Fletcher – Australian Master

Paul Fletcher needs little introduction to a couple of generations of Australian animators – he has trained a lot of them during a distinguished career at VCA. His personal art and animation practice is vast and – in truth – better known overseas than in Australia. Paul is a restless, prolific experimenter and innovator. His substantial body of experimental animation is as intriguing as it is beautiful and this showcase will bring a diverse and fascinating collection of these moving image artworks together and – if we can – we will coax Paul to take us through one of the most interesting of all Australian animation careers… his own. A long overdue spotlight on a wonderful Australian artist.

Bezalel – School of Focus

Israel’s Bezalel Academy of Arts & Design annually sends us one of the finest grad reels – there has not been a MIAF that has not shown several of their films. With a history dating back to the early 1900s, Bezalel is a comprehensive university of arts that has for more than a century produced some of the finest Israeli painters, sculptors and arts scholars. Their animation department draws from these deep reservoirs of inspiration and reaches for the same high bar. This program, curated during a visit to the Bezalel campus, will open with some iconic historical films before moving on to focus on the very latest graduating class.

Shorts From The “La Casa Lobo” Side

Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña have been making deliciously creepy stopmotion films for the best part of a decade. Bristling with the visceral intensity of the nightmarish lullabies that have been passed down through the ages, they create or utilise entire, life-size rooms as sets for spirits, characters and haunted furniture to channel visions from the other side of consciousness – often destroying them in the process of creating their films. Their first feature film “La Casa Lobo” is a prolonged journey through these worlds but this very special collection of their shorts films chart the sumptuously sinister course of their ascendancy as artists and riders of dark visions.

Character Animation for VFX Films

“Method Studios” (previously “Illoura”) is one of the ‘A-Lister’ animation studios with production facilities around the world and work that spans “Game Of Thrones”, “Christopher Robin”, “John Wick Chapter 3 Parabellum” and “Men in Black: International”. They are – quite literally – one of the animation and VFX studios that has redefined the field of animation in the 21st century.

Brothers McLeod – Masters of Mayhem

This Stratford-upon-Avon based studio, built from the ground up by Greg and Myles McLeod, must be one hell of an interesting place to work. Somehow they’ve harnessed the raw chaotic anarchy of their imaginations and built an award winning studio that continues to go from strength to strength while still turning out some of the best crafted, well thought out pieces of animated insanity this side of whatever’s hiding on the other side. This will definitely be a night to remember.

Imagination Studios [SOLD OUT]

If you’re a writer, an artist or part of a studio, come along to this dedicated workshop to find out what Cartoon Network looks for in a creative partner, and to find out how you can pitch to the Network too.

Get the lowdown on preparing your concept for a pitch, writing guidelines, the development process, and developing strong character concepts.

Hear from seasoned Cartoon Network and Adult Swim development executives about their experiences and the challenges they’ve faced when bringing shows to life.

Following the workshop, and armed with a bucket load of useful information, attendees will be invited to develop a project to pitch to the Cartoon Network team later in the year.

Saturday 13 July 2019 at 10:00am – 4:30pm
Schedule

Village Roadshow Theatrette
State Library Victoria Conference Centre

Register by Thursday 11 July.

Book tickets now – SOLD OUT!

Learning to Earning: Pathways to a Career in Animation

Our annual mini ‘pop-up’ conference for everybody wondering what a career in animation could look like. Short, sharp presentations, film screenings, case studies and keynote speakers.

Kids Program

An incredible program of films specially selected to spark the imaginations of our most special audience. Animation, like childhood, can be just full of wonder with the biggest pleasures being the simplest ones. This program carefully chosen for our youngest viewers strips away all the soft-sell toy ads and the over-the-top blockbuster-style special effects and just delivers up a program of wonderful films full of simple joys. Loved by adults as well, this program is truly exceptional.

Best of the Next

Loop Bar – FREE!!

Our mini ‘festival-within-a-festival’. THREE short, sharp back-to-back programs featuring the best graduate films drawn from more than 60 of the world’s leading animation courses.

Late Night Bizarre

Yep, it’s back. As if we’d leave it out. A dependably depraved screening of animated specimens from the wrong side of the tracks. MIAF’s annual cult moment!

Panorama: Short Shots

Just $10 per screening!

THREE non-competition programs that bring to the screen the films that missed the jury room consensus but are just too good not to be screened.

La Casa Lobo – Cristóbal León, Joaquín Cociña

A collection of TWO different feature films that askew all the traditional ‘three act play’ structures of most features in favour of showcasing what animation can really do when it’s cut loose in the longer form.

Best of the Festival: Closing Night Awards Screening

After All – Michael Cusack (2018 winner Best Of The Fest)

It all comes down to this. Judges have judged, audiences have audienced and the best of the best has emerged. This is the program that screens ‘em. Always popular so get tickets early.