What is ASIFA

What is ASIFA

By Nicole Salmon with illustrations by Borivoj Dovnikovic.

ASIFA was formed in 1960 by a group of professional animators to co-ordinate and further the interest of this dynamic medium.

From a modest start its individual membership now numbers approximately 1,200 from 50 different countries. The Association has three official languages: English, French and Russian.

ASIFA is an affiliated member of UNESCO, an associate member of The International Short Film Conference and is associated with JICA (Journees Interna tionales du Film d’Animation) and ICO— GRADA (The International Council of Graphic Design Association).

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Since its formation in 1960, ASIFA has given its patronage to major inter¬national festivals in:
Annecy, Zagreb, Ottawa and Varna. It also provides support for other festivals in Lucca (Italy), Espinho (Portugal), Cambridge (England) and Genk (Belgium).

ASIFA co-operates in Symposiums held in many countries such as the USSR, Bulgaria, Italy, Belgium, Norway and England. The effect of such events is a widening of international contacts and the stimulation of new ideas.

ASIFA encourages the exchange of professional animators and sponsors and the attendance of animation students at festivals. It organises work-shops and projects for children to make their own animated films.

PUBLICATIONS

ASIFA has published a number of high quality art magazines entitled “ANIMA-
FILM” in Poland. It intends to continue such magazines, to be published either in Italy, International Centre of Animated film, Torino. Apart from such prestigious publications, it regularly circulates the President’s Newsletter from London, and Committee No. l’s Information Letter from Annecy, to keep all members informed of ASIFA’s activities.

ASIFA also encourages the publication of books on all aspects of animation and plans to publish technical books whenever the opportunity arises. The first of these, about basic animation terminology – provisionally in 2 languages – is now in production.

THE ARCHIVE

The Archive contains some of the world’s outstanding productions from all over the world. Films are available for hire in 35 mm or 16 mm format. ASIFA intends to make productions avail¬able in video-cassette format in due course.

THE NEW GENERATION

The International Bureau de Liaison des Instituts de Film d’Animation (BILIFA) was formed some years ago to further education in animation around the world. ASIFA and BILIFA are determined to work selflessly towards a co-ordinated pro¬gramme of teaching animation technology and aesthetics.

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