Spain’s international animation, visual effects and videogames summit Animayo saw the screening of iconic animation director Bill Plympton’s film.
During the festival, Plympton’s film Slide was screened on the islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife in collaboration with Spain’s movie theatre Filmoteca Canaria.
Plympton is a master of independent animated film, known for his versatility as a director, producer, cartoonist, animator and composer of his own films. He has received more than 40 awards at festivals around the world and 30 nominations. He received an Oscar nomination in 1988 for the animated short film Your Face and another Oscar nomination in 2005 for Guard Dog.
In June, his latest film Slide, a fascinating animated western that takes viewers on an unforgettable journey, 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 per cent finished, so it was at Animayo International Festival where the updated and definitive version could be seen for the first time worldwide.
Produced in 2023, Slide is an 80-minute long film inspired by Plympton’s childhood in Oregon. 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. The premiere of the feature film took place on 19 and 21 September at the Guiniguada Theater in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and at Espacio La Granja in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
The animation director Plympton has been internationally recognised for his contribution to the world of cinema. Appreciated for his originality and distinctive style, he is known for his black, satirical humour and minimalist, expressive hand-drawn style, often featuring loose, cartoonish strokes. His characters and settings often have a flamboyant and exaggerated appearance, which contribute to the handcrafted and distinct look of his films, considered by many to be “masterpieces.”
With more than 20,000 participants, the eighteenth edition of Animayo was graced by former Disney animator Andreas Deja, in whose hands characters such as Scar, Jafar, King Triton and Lilo were born and came to life. Deja has worked on films like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid.
All in all, Animayo Gran Canaria 2023 once again turned the island’s capital into the epicenter of the audiovisual industry with the highlights of animation, visual effects and video games.