Bill Plympton chooses Animayo for the Spanish premiere of “Slide”
Skwigly
Animayo International Animation, Visual Effects and Videogames Summit, the only animation festival in Spain designated “Qualifying Festival” by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Hollywood for the Oscar® Awards in two categories, adds another milestone in its long history throughout its eighteen successful years of existence. It is nothing less than the Spanish premiere of the latest masterpiece by the iconic animation director Bill Plympton, twice nominated for the Oscar® Awards and whose screenings took place on the islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife with the collaboration of `Filmoteca Canaria´.
Bill Plympton is a master of independent animated film, known for his versatility as a director, producer, cartoonist, animator and composer of his own films. With more than 40 awards at festivals around the world and 30 nominations, his work is recognized in the international industry, as evidenced by the Oscar® nomination he received in 1988 for the animated short film Your Face or the Oscar® nomination in 2005 for Guard Dog.
In June, Slide, a fascinating animated western that takes viewers on an unforgettable journey and promises to continue winning awards around the world, made its debut in competition in the `Contrechamp´ section of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France. The version of Slide that was screened in Annecy was 90% finished, so it was in the Canary Islands, in collaboration with the Animayo International Festival, where the updated and definitive version could be seen for the first time worldwide.
The premiere took place at `Filmoteca Canaria´, a cultural institution dedicated to the preservation, promotion and dissemination of cinema in the autonomous community of the Canary Islands. A close collaboration with the Animayo Festival and Bill Plympton himself, investing in technical, audiovisual and logistical resources to guarantee the success and quality of the screening in Spain, and thanks to which the public in the islands could enjoy this international gem, which took place on September 19 and 21 at the Guiniguada Theater in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and at the `Espacio La Granja´ in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Slide, produced in 2023, is a film that captivated audiences throughout its 80-minute running time. The film, inspired by Plympton’s childhood in Oregon and his deep love of country music, stands out for its comedic genre and surreal narrative that defies viewers’ expectations by immersing them in a unique cinematic experience.
Slide (Dir. Bill Plympton, image via Animayo)
As noted above, Plympton has been internationally recognized for his contribution to the world of cinema. Unmistakable and appreciated for his originality and distinctive style, he is known for his black, satirical humor and minimalist, expressive hand-drawn style, often featuring loose, cartoonish strokes. His characters and settings often have a flamboyant and exaggerated appearance, which contributes to the handcrafted and distinct look of his films, considered by many to be “masterpieces.”
Undoubtedly, a luxury ‘closing’ for an eighteenth edition of Animayo that broke its own record with more than 20,000 participants, and that more ambitious than ever, deployed an exquisite program in which, among other great highlights, added the presence of a Disney legend Andreas Deja, former animator of the mythical studio in whose hands unforgettable characters such as Scar, Jafar, King Triton or Lilo were born and came to life, not to mention films like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast or The Little Mermaid.
All in all, Animayo Gran Canaria 2023, with record participation in its on-site phase, once again turned the island’s capital into the epicenter of the audiovisual industry with the highlights of animation, visual effects and video games. Just the starting signal for ‘Animayo Itinerant’, a tour around the world through cities and countries such as Los Angeles, Madrid, Barcelona, Lanzarote, Portugal, Czech Republic, Brussels, Chicago, Mumbai, Prague, Colombia, Belgrade and Korea.