Third Animation Forum seeks youth engagement

HAVANA, Cuba, July 9 (ACN) The 3rd Latin American and Caribbean Animation Forum “Juan Padrón in Memoriam”, to be held in this city on December 8 to 11 as part of the 46th International Festival of New Latin American Cinema, intends to stir up interest in this profession among students from audiovisual schools.

Ernesto Padrón, brother of the creator of the character “Elpidio Valdés” and one of the main organizers of the event along with the Argentine Paola Becco and the Brazilian César Cabral, recalled that two years ago the Forum managed for the first time to assemble animation specialists and scholars from around the world, in line with the original idea of providing a context for reflection and learning and fostering cooperation among regional audiovisual studios and experts.

What the distinguished filmmaker describes as "a true educational and fraternal celebration based on professional exchange" paved the way for the presentation of 15 selected projects made in Brazil, Argentina, Peru, El Salvador, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia and Cuba, among other Latin American countries, many of them by young creators.

The 2024 Forum boasted even better theoretical and practical results and more collateral activities with the presence of Brazilian, English, and American panelists who gave master classes and workshops on creative processes, stop motion, and new technologies targeted on specific audiences and children.

Mr. Padrón, director of Meñique―Cuba’s first 3D animated film―stressed that the 3rd Forum will remain on the same tack and will pay special attention to audiovisual students in order to bring them closer to and arouse their love for animated films.