NYC Gets Animated: Inaugural Festival Gathers Global Interest
– The New York Short Animation Festival (NYSAF) recently concluded its debut year, attracting an impressive 500 submissions from creators across 40 nations.
– Eschewing the typical stiff-lip approach, NYSAF throws more spotlights than a disco ball party, by promoting every single submission through its official platforms. This reflects a uniquely democratic and inclusive business model.
– Bucking trends further, NYSAF divided the gathered animated goodies based on age and category to ensure a fair flight for the contestants.
– NYSAF was held in The Bryant Park Hotel, NYC, where presumably, the function rooms were more Buzz(ed) with Lightyears of animation talent than a Pixar movie.
Judges? We Don’t Need No Stinking Judges!
– The Festival also shunned traditional judging methods, instead favoring a simplistic “like” system on its official platforms to determine winners. This undoubtedly led to several producers furiously creating bot accounts to assist their quest for “likes”, but hey, all’s fair in love and animation!
– In a similar vein, the Festival showed admirable grit, rejecting charges for submission. The door was thus wide open to penniless Picassos, allowing even cash-strapped creators to showcase their brilliance.
Animation Domination: Bold New Model Creates Animation Nation
In the end, what stands out is the NYSAF’s commitment to break away from traditional practices, promoting a model of fairness and global exposure. It’s a welcome addition to the animation event calendar, providing a platform for burgeoning filmmakers to submit their animations for free and potentially win laurels – or at least, a boatload of digital “likes”.
My hot take? Well, in conclusion, the NYSAF is like an all-you-can-eat buffet for the artistically inclined, and a Film Festival that finally supports starving artists…literally. It’s a refreshing change, like replacing drab spinach with a sprinkle of Pop Rocks candy. And honestly, I’m all for it. I can’t wait for the Internet’s servers to buckle under the weight of global animation awesomeness next year. Let’s get ready for NYSAF 2.0: The Animated Uprising!
The New York Short Animation Festival (NYSAF) made a remarkable starting year with 500 entries from 40 different nations. It breaks the norms of typical festivals by publicizing all participant films on its official platforms and categorizing entries according to age and genre for a balanced competition.
The festival was conducted at the prominent Bryant Park Hotel in New York City, swiftly earning the reputation of one of the most welcoming and rapidly growing animation platforms globally.
An International Fiesta of Artistic Brilliance
The introductory edition showcased a wide range of animation techniques, including hand-drawn, stop-motion, 3D, and experimental works, attracting entries from reputed studios and budding artists.
Key contributors included Miyu Distribution, The Animation Project (TAP), Asians in Animation, Interlochen Center for the Arts, PROJECT FRAME from CINANIMA, and groups like Constituting America, Light House Studio, and VANIMA.
Esteemed artists Aaron Blaise, Malcolm Lamont, Mark Roberts, and Kate Bush teamed up with rising talents Jorge Baldeón, Sijin Liu, and Morgan Young to deliver extraordinary narratives and visual craftsmanship.
The festival concluded by announcing its Annual Championship Winners:
- Snow Bear – Aaron Blaise
- Foil Guy vs ANVIL – Malcolm Lamont
- Hept – Jorge Baldeón
- Sakura Gansha – Sijin Liu
Other screenings included noteworthy films as I Took My Avocado to Aspen Colorado (Mark Roberts), Rubber on the Ropes (Erim “Xolo” Cetinel), The Corridor (Kourosh Mohammadi), Boys Night in Sidera Institute (Adam Musa Othman), and the concluding film Stoned for Christmas (Morgan Young).
Transparency and Spotlight for All
Pioneered by Wallis Liu, a New York-based digital artist and international animation jury member, NYSAF’s foundation lies in fair exposure of all animation works.
NYSFA differs from traditional festivals by guaranteeing every submitted film has an equal chance of being noticed. Each film gets featured and promoted on the festival’s social media channels, presenting students, professionals, and independent creators with several visibility opportunities throughout the year.
The four-season competition format of the festival further increases opportunities: each quarter announces its winners, who then compete in an annual championship in New York City.
As a creator and a jury member, I am acutely aware of the hard work put into each frame. At NYSAF, we assure that every film warrants an audience — my hope is for this festival to open new doors for animators globally.
Wallis Liu, Co-Founder & Executive Director of NYSAF
Liu’s jury experience at various international animation festivals directed the formation of NYSAF’s unbiased and inclusive format, an approach increasingly acknowledged for its creator-centered vision.
Global Collaborations & Partnerships Growth
After a successful debut, NYSAF aims to expand to ten screenings in 2026, thus amplifying its global presence.
Through a recent partnership with Cine Universitario UACJ in Mexico, selected films will gain additional screening chances abroad, with other potential partnerships being explored across Europe and Asia.
Shaping the Future of Animation Festivals
NYSAF blends a seasonal structure with year-long promotion and unbiased competition, resulting in a novel approach to the organization of animation festivals — one that considers accessibility, ongoing engagement, and global connectedness.
The innovative model, led by Liu’s direction, symbolizes a transition towards festivals that uphold transparency and offer genuine opportunities for all creative artists.
Original article: https://www.skwigly.co.uk/new-york-short-animation-festival-launches-with-bold-new-model-for-fairness-and-global-exposure/