Dynamic line-up of films and workshops at the Cape Town International Animation Festival

The fifth annual Cape Town International Animation Festival kicks off this weekend at the River Club in Observatory, running from 18 to 21 February and showcasing some of the best animation talent on the planet, including Oscar nominees and the African premiere of Stick Man, adapted from world-renowned children’s author Julia Donaldson.

The festival is curated by Animation SA and will also include an exciting range of workshops with global industry leaders around topics such as animation, scriptwriting and production.

Take a look at the programme right here to see where and when the events are taking place. Undoubtedly, one of the highlights will be a masterclass from senior Dreamworks animator Nedy Acet on Friday 19 February from 10am to 4pm. Acet will focus on bringing your 3D characters to life and infusing them with emotion.

Festival Director Dianne Makings says “It’s a coup to have secured Nedy Acet, who is a 3D animator at Dreamworks studio. He has animated several of Dreamwork’s major productions including Kung Fu Panda 3, Peabody and Sherman and Madagascar 3. He will present an artistic workshop about 3dcharacter design. We are grateful to the French Institute of South Africa, who have enabled Nedy and Christine to be with us.”

There will also be a Q & A (via Media Cloud) with director Tomm Moore, whose film Song of the Sea has been nominated for an Academy Award. Another highlight is the Sunday afternoon workshop with world-famous Laika producer, Mark Shapiro, who has worked on films such as Coraline, Paranorman and The Corpse Bride. Laika celebrates its tenth birthday in 2016.

On screen, the African premiere of Stick Man promises to be unforgettable. The movie premiered on BBC One and was the fourth most watched programme in the UK on Christmas Day with 9.27 million viewers and 41% audience share. Michael Hogan of The Daily Telegraph called it “spell-binding, witty and wise”. Stick Man is another feather in the cap for local production house Trigger Fish Studios, who were animators on the project.

There will also be screenings of Cartoon Saloon’s Song of the Sea, directed by two-time Oscar nominee Tomm Moore, and recent Oscar nominee The Boy and the World, directed by Alê Abreu. The Boy and the World won the Cristal Award for Best Feature Film at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and the Grand Prix for feature film at the 2015 Animafest Zagreb.

Song of the Sea tells the story of Ben and his little sister Saoirse – the last Seal-child – who embark on a fantastic journey across a fading world of ancient legend and magic in an attempt to return to their home by the sea.

Screenings take place at the Labia Cinema in the City Bowl, while workshops are happening at the River Club in Observatory.

Book your tickets for screenings via Webtickets here

Book your tickets for workshops here.

The CTIAF is made possible thanks to generous support from sponsors the National Film and Video Foundation; Wesgro; Animation SA and the French Institute of South Africa, and through a partnership with Nickelodeon.