THE 23rd ANNUAL ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS

The ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS – the premier North American showcase for animated short films –  is proud to present its 23^rd annual edition, with screenings at over 100 theaters and campuses in the U.S. and Canada. Featuring 14 award-winning films by some of the most acclaimed directors in the world of animation, the program offers the rare opportunity to see 11 rarely screened classic masterpieces that have won Grand Prizes at international festivals around the world. From Michaël Dudok de Wit’s poignant Oscar-winning Father and Daughter, to a hidden gem by the “King of Indie Animation,” Bill Plympton, to three all-new shorts from Croatia, Switzerland, and the U.S., the 23^rd ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS is an incredible retrospective of some of the best animated shorts of the last 30 years, as well as a peek at a new generation of filmmakers. 

For those used to streaming animated series or watching animation online, the exquisite craft and deeply felt concerns of the filmmakers represented here – and the experience of seeing their work projected in a theater on a large screen – will come as a revelation. Whether utilizing drawings, stop-motion, CG or – as in the case of renowned experimental filmmaker Steven Woloshen – painting directly onto a three-hundred-foot-long piece of negative film, all of the works in the show reflect the uncompromising vision of their makers.

Before the world discovered Wes Anderson, Anthony Hodgson explored a similar kind of endlessly inventive and whimsical narrative style in his multiple-award-winning 1994 short Hilary. And 16 years before Disney released Pixar's Coco, René Castillo’s Hasta los huesos used the same song to evoke the Day of the Dead, because it's the perfect song to express our sadness at having lost someone we loved. In recognition of their singular artistry and visual achievements, Hillary and Hasta los huesos will be presented in newly restored2K and 4K digital remastered versions, respectively.

“Animation is a natural medium for dealing with abstract ideas and deeply felt concerns – as well as the absurdity of the human condition – and the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS has always strived to scour the world for the most affecting and engaging films,” says founder and curator Ron Diamond.

With films from a diversity of countries – including Croatia, Germany, the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands, Mexico, the UK, and Switzerland – this retrospective of the first 16 years of the Animation Show of Shows reveals empathetic narratives dealing with death, love, fear, passion, loss, reverence, denial,  and joy. It’s a cinematic journey well worth taking.

The 14 animated short films will be presented in the following order:

• XI – Vuk Jevremovic (Croatia/Germany)

• Volgens de vogels (According to Birds) – Linde Faas (Netherlands) Discovered at ITFS

• Cameras Take Five – Steven Woloshen (USA)

• Hillary – Anthony Hodgson (UK) 2K Digital Remaster

• The Record – Jonathan Laskar (Switzerland)

• John and Karen – Matthew Walker (UK)

• I'm Hip – John Musker (USA)

• Santa, The Fascist Years – Bill Plympton (USA) 2K Digital Remaster

• The Centrifuge Brain Project – Till Nowak (Germany)

• Hasta los huesos (Down to the Bone) – René Castillo (Mexico) 4K Digital Remaster

• Requiem for Romance – Jonathan Ng (Canada)

• When the Day Breaks – Wendy Tilby & Amanda Forbis (Canada)

• Overtime – Oury Atlan, Breakbot & Damien Ferrié (France) 2K Digital Remaster

• Father and Daughter – Michaël Dudok de Wit (Netherlands)

Funny, moving, engaging, and thought-provoking, the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS not only has something for everyone, but is a remarkable and insightful microcosm of our world.

For 25 years, the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS has been presenting new and innovative short films to appreciative audiences at animation studios, schools and, since 2015, theaters around the world. Over the years, 41 of the films showcased in the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS went on to receive Academy Award® nominations, with 11 films winning the Oscar®. Founded and curated by producer Ron Diamond, the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS is funded by major studios, companies, schools and hundreds of animation lovers around the world.

FOR HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGES AND INTERVIEWS CONTACT: RON.DIAMOND@ANIMATIONSHOWOFSHOWS.ORG