EVERY NIGHT IS GIRLS NIGHT OUT AT THE OIAF

Summary: The Ottawa International Animation Festival is putting the spotlight on female animators at this year’s event. Highlights will include a screening of the controversial Persepolis co-directed by Marjane Satrapi

The Ottawa International Animation Festival is putting the spotlight on female animators at this year’s event. Highlights will include a screening of the controversial Persepolis co-directed by Marjane Satrapi; retrospectives on award-winning Joanna Quinn and Janet Perlman; a special tribute to the late Helen Hill; and in conjunction with Ottawa’s Ladyfest, a program on Women in Animation will be screened at Ottawa's famed Barrymore's nightclub.

The Festival Kicks off with Satrapi's Persepolis, which is among the finalists in the OIAF’s Animated Feature competition. It's an autobiographical tale of a spirited Iranian girl who’s coming of age intersects with the oppressive Islamic revolution of 1979. The film caused a slew of controversy when it screened at the Cannes festival due to protests from the Iranian government.

Two leading women animators will be the focus of the retrospectives this year. Joanna Quinn and Janet Perlman have both made a name for themselves as independent and commercial animators. Although Quinn received an Academy Award nomination for Famous Fred in 1998, she is best known for her sassy working class character named Beryl who has been the star of Quinn’s acclaimed films: Dreams and Desires (the OIAF 2006 Grand Prix winner), Body Beautiful and Girls Night Out. Joanna Quinn, who will also serve as a member of the OIAF’s International Jury, will be in attendance at this year’s festival. Perlman, a well-known Canadian filmmaker and author has produced a quirky and always-hilarious body of work highlighted by her ode to the kitsch My Favourite Things that I love (winner of the Best Bad Taste award at OIAF 1994). Perlman is perhaps most famous for her love (obsession?) of penguins. The programme will feature her Oscar nominated The Tender Tale of Cinderella Penguin and her women’s prison films parody, Penguins Behind Bars.

The animation world lost many people in 2007, but none has been more tragic than the death of Helen Hill. In January, Hill 's life was tragically cut short by a random act of violence in New Orleans. The OIAF will celebrate her work by presenting a screening of one of Hill’s films before every competition screening.

The OIAF is excited to collaborate this year with Ottawa's Ladyfest to present the Women of Animation. Animators Signe Baumane (whose film Teat Beat of Sex is in this year’s competition), Joanna Quinn, Janet Perlman, Ruth Lingford (a member of the OIAF’s international jury) and Ottawa’s own Jessica Borutski will be on hand at Barrymore's Nightclub to introduce and present their films. The screening will be followed by a line-up of female comics.

OIAF 07 will be held September 19 – 23, 2007 in Ottawa. Events at the OIAF include screenings, panels, workshops parties and the Television Animation Conference. The OIAF is a leading competitive animation film festival, featuring cutting edge programming, catering to industry executives, trend setting artists, students and animation fans. For more information about the OIAF and this year’s programming, please visit www.animationfestival.ca.

Wednesday, September 19th
Feature Competition Persepolis: 7pm (Bytowne Cinema)

Thursday, September 20th
Joanna Quinn Retrospective: 11am (National Gallery)

Saturday, September 22nd
Joanna Quinn Retrospective: 1pm (NAC)
Janet Perlman Retrospective: 3pm (Bytowne Cinema)
Feature Competition Persepolis: 7pm (Empire Theatre)
Women in Animation: 7pm (Barrymores)

Sunday, September 23rd
Joanna Quinn Master class: 9am (NAC 4th Stage)
Janet Perlman Retrospective: 3pm (NAC)

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