A celebration of the talent and legacy of animation.
The history of Russian animation is very rich, but it’s not nearly as deeplyexplored as Western or even Japanese animation. That is why it is such a pleasure to hear from the much-loved Russian animator Konstantin Bronzit, the key person and an anchor of present-day Russian animation.
Twice nominated for an Academy Award for “Best Animated Short Film”, and the winner of numerous awards at international festivals, Bronzit has displayed incredible strength as well as commitment to the profession for many years; even though it can be difficult being an animator in today’s Russian film industry. Despite having a sense of skepticism, Bronzit has not lost his sense of humour, his directness, and his indispensable joy for life. It is this irony that characterizes Bronzit’s attitude towards his animation, allowing us to see his films not only as fabulous shorts but as narratives of the paradoxes of life that are both deeply personal and universal at the same time.
Students of animation: Be very afraid. Failure comes easily.
Image Credit: We Can't Live Without Cosmos © 2015 Konstantin Bronzit. All Rights Reserved.
SPEAKER
Konstantin Bronzit
Director // Independent
Konstantin Bronzit was born in Leningrad. He is a graduate of the Saint Petersburg Repin Institute of Fine Art in 1983. He worked as an artist-animator at the animated film studio Lennauchfilm (Studio of Popular Science Films), which created educational animations. It was there that he completed his first film, Merry-Go-Round or The Round-About, in 1988.
In 1992, he graduated from the V. Mukhina Leningrad Higher Art and Industrial Academy and in 1994 from the "Higher Courses in Scriptwriting and Directing in Moscow" under the tutorship of Fyodor Khitruk.
From 1993 to 1995 he worked as a scriptwriter, director and animator at the Moscow Animation Studio "Pilot", where he created several short films. From 1996-1999 he worked at the studio Pozitiv TV. In 1999 he completed his short film At the Ends of the Earth, which eventually gathered nearly 70 awards.
His 2007 short film Lavatory Lovestory won the Best Scenario Award at the 12th Open Russian Festival of Animated Film and got the 3rd-best rating among the jury and was nominated for an Academy Award for Animated Short Film in 2009. His film, At The Ends Of The Earth, was included in the Animation Show of Shows.
His 2015 short film We Can't Live Without Cosmos received many awards and nominations including the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at 88th Academy Awards. The film won the Grand Prix for best short film at the World Festival of Animated film - Animafest Zagreb.
MODERATOR
Keith Blackmore
Sr. Lecturer // Vancouver Film School
As an animation historian, Keith Blackmore has been a passionate cheerleader and a voice for all-things animated in the Vancouver area for almost 30 years. As one of the producers of the SPARK ANIMATION Festival and an active member of the local SIGGRAPH chapter, Keith has presented, interviewed and moderated at many festivals, local and national.
Since 1995, Blackmore has educated, entertained and inspired students in the history of animation and media studies at the Vancouver Film School. When he’s not reading, teaching or talking about animation, he’s watching it.
A celebration of the talent and legacy of animation.
The history of Russian animation is very rich, but it’s not nearly as deeplyexplored as Western or even Japanese animation. That is why it is such a pleasure to hear from the much-loved Russian animator Konstantin Bronzit, the key person and an anchor of present-day Russian animation.
Twice nominated for an Academy Award for “Best Animated Short Film”, and the winner of numerous awards at international festivals, Bronzit has displayed incredible strength as well as commitment to the profession for many years; even though it can be difficult being an animator in today’s Russian film industry. Despite having a sense of skepticism, Bronzit has not lost his sense of humour, his directness, and his indispensable joy for life. It is this irony that characterizes Bronzit’s attitude towards his animation, allowing us to see his films not only as fabulous shorts but as narratives of the paradoxes of life that are both deeply personal and universal at the same time.
Students of animation: Be very afraid. Failure comes easily.
Image Credit: We Can't Live Without Cosmos © 2015 Konstantin Bronzit. All Rights Reserved.
SPEAKER
Konstantin Bronzit
Director // Independent
Konstantin Bronzit was born in Leningrad. He is a graduate of the Saint Petersburg Repin Institute of Fine Art in 1983. He worked as an artist-animator at the animated film studio Lennauchfilm (Studio of Popular Science Films), which created educational animations. It was there that he completed his first film, Merry-Go-Round or The Round-About, in 1988.
In 1992, he graduated from the V. Mukhina Leningrad Higher Art and Industrial Academy and in 1994 from the "Higher Courses in Scriptwriting and Directing in Moscow" under the tutorship of Fyodor Khitruk.
From 1993 to 1995 he worked as a scriptwriter, director and animator at the Moscow Animation Studio "Pilot", where he created several short films. From 1996-1999 he worked at the studio Pozitiv TV. In 1999 he completed his short film At the Ends of the Earth, which eventually gathered nearly 70 awards.
His 2007 short film Lavatory Lovestory won the Best Scenario Award at the 12th Open Russian Festival of Animated Film and got the 3rd-best rating among the jury and was nominated for an Academy Award for Animated Short Film in 2009. His film, At The Ends Of The Earth, was included in the Animation Show of Shows.
His 2015 short film We Can't Live Without Cosmos received many awards and nominations including the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at 88th Academy Awards. The film won the Grand Prix for best short film at the World Festival of Animated film - Animafest Zagreb.
MODERATOR
Keith Blackmore
Sr. Lecturer // Vancouver Film School
As an animation historian, Keith Blackmore has been a passionate cheerleader and a voice for all-things animated in the Vancouver area for almost 30 years. As one of the producers of the SPARK ANIMATION Festival and an active member of the local SIGGRAPH chapter, Keith has presented, interviewed and moderated at many festivals, local and national.
Since 1995, Blackmore has educated, entertained and inspired students in the history of animation and media studies at the Vancouver Film School. When he’s not reading, teaching or talking about animation, he’s watching it.
