A smorgasbord of Australian projects at Annecy 2009

Regarded as one of the most prestigious animation festivals, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival has announced six Australian shorts in its line-up.

Dog with Electric Collar

Selected to screen in the Shorts Competition in Official Selection is The Cat Piano. Directed by Eddie White and Ari Gibson the film had its world premiere at the 2009 Adelaide Film Festival and features the voice of Australian icon Nick Cave. Also screening in competition is Doug Bayne’s Tiny Legs of Fire, looking at those little films on your hard drive that are there when you wake up sometimes. 

The remaining four titles will screen in Out of Competition sections. The Ghastly Gourmet Cooking Show – Meat, Meat, Meat will screen in the TV Special program. Directed by James Calvert and Eddie White, this is the second title to be selected from The People’s Republic of Animation for the 2009 festival and the fourth for both Calvert and White to be showcased over the years.

Dog with Electric Collar (d: Steve Baker) is screening in the Short Films Out of Competition and has already done well domestically, screening at the 2008 Sydney and Melbourne Film Festivals and winning the 2008 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Short Animation. Also screening out of competition is Apple of Iron (d/p: Rachel Walls) and News! – the latest offering from writer/director/producer Darcy Prendergast whose films have attracted the attention of festivals worldwide.

The entire Annecy selection will be complete when the festival announces its feature program at the end of April.

The Annecy International Animation Film Festival will run 8–13 June 2009.