News release
College of the Canyons is scheduled to host its third annual International Animation Festival on Saturday, March 15, to showcase the work of student animators at the high school and college level.
With no submission fee, the festival will provide an opportunity for undergraduate animators from around the world to exhibit their work.
“We are truly excited to again host this event and are thrilled to see even more interest in it than we saw in 2023 or 2022,” Jia-Yi Cheng-Levine, dean of International Affairs & Global Engagement at the college, said in a news release. “We received over 500 submissions from more than 60 countries and are overjoyed to be once again giving this platform to young animators all over the world to make their voices heard, engage in cross-cultural dialogue, and earn recognition for their achievements.”
Hosted by Cheng-Levine and Jeffrey Baker, animation program coordinator of the Media and Entertainment Arts department at the college, IAF is also designed to form connections between international peers, encourage dialogue on challenging topics that are timely and global by nature, and generate interest among faculty, students, and staff in the future of animation, the release said.
“This festival is about demonstrating again the power of animation to illuminate the world and change minds, as well as how it can lead to a great career in an industry that has captured the wonder and imagination of millions for decades,” Baker said in the release.
A special focus of the festival is climate change, a topic that has only become even more poignant to residents of the Los Angeles area in the wake of devastating fires in January, the release said.
“I am delighted to see so many aspiring animators addressing serious issues affecting our world, and doing so through a medium of artistic expression requiring significant skill, creativity, and talent,” Jennifer Smolos Steele, dean of the college’s School of Visual and Performing Arts, said in the release. “As the festival enters its third iteration on our campus, I remain thrilled with the level of student, community, and global engagement that this event brings to our campus.”
Scheduled 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., the event will include awards, film presentations, and panels on various topics in animation. The festival will be held on the third floor of Mentry Hall at the college’s Valencia campus.
For more information about the festival and to reserve a spot, go to tinyurl.com/mrwzy34n.
