Jury and Awards | 2021

Chris Robinson is a Canadian writer and Author. He is the Artistic Director of the Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) and a well-known figure in the animated film world. He was recently given the award for Outstanding Contribution to Animation Studies by the World Festival of Animation Film – Animafest Zagreb. Robinson has been called “one of the stylistically most original and most provocative experts in the history of animation. Currently, Robinson is working with German artist, Andreas Hykade on “My Balls Are Killing Me”, a graphic novel about his experience with cancer. He is also collaborating with Theodore Ushev on a live action feature film “Drivin”.

In 1986 Chiara Magri began to collaborate with ASIFA, the Italian section of the Association Internationale du Film d’Animation, following its cultural, editorial and professional training activities. She was its general secretary from 1997 to 2002. For ASIFA and other clients she is curator and organizer of programs, reviews and exhibitions on Italian and international animation cinema and of the National Continuing Education Plan aimed at the professional requalification of the sector (1996- 1999). She curated the “Incontri Arte Animazione”, an international conference-exhibition on author’s animation at the Galleria d’Arte Moderna in Turin (2000-2005). She also holds courses and seminars, among others, for the European Institute of Design in Milan and Turin, the Master in Digital Entertainment of the VRMM Park – for University of Turin.

Nel 1998 inizia la sua carriera come fumettista e illustratore collaborando per le principali case editrici italiane (Sergio Bonelli Editore/Star Comics). Pioniere italiano dell’animazione nella grafica tridimensionale, ha fondato la società Burning Brain. Nel 2010 inizia la sua collaborazione con la neonata MAD Entertainment come regista e responsabile del dipartimento di Animazione 3D. Con MAD Entertainment, in qualità di autore, ha seguito lo sviluppo di diversi progetti, tra cui “Gatta Cenerentola”, candidato a 8 premi David di Donatello (tra cui Miglior Film e Opera prima) e vincitore di 2 (Migliori effetti visivi e Miglior produttore). Nel 2019 ha inoltre collaborato con Igort seguendo gli effetti visivi dell’acclamato film, 5 è il numero perfetto.

In 1998 he began his career as a cartoonist and illustrator collaborating for the main Italian publishing houses (Sergio Bonelli Editore / Star Comics). An Italian pioneer of animation in three-dimensional graphics, he founded the Burning Brain company. In 2010 he began his collaboration with the newborn MAD Entertainment as director and head of the 3D Animation department. With MAD Entertainment, as author, he followed the development of several projects, including “Gatta Cenerentola”, nominated for 8 David di Donatello awards (including Best Film and First Work) and winner of 2 (Best Visual Effects and Best Producer). In 2019 he collaborated with Igort following the visual effects of the acclaimed film, 5 is the perfect number.

Pierre Bourrigault is a French artist and illustrator. Originally from Nantes, he attended the Cours Berçot in Paris (fashion school). For the past 30 years, he has worked as a 2D illustrator and animator with clients including: Benetton, Diesel, Sisley, Rollerblade, Crystal Group, Elica, The global fund, and many others. He creates ad-hoc animations, ranging from commercial creations to the development of visual shows. In 2007, he wrote and directed “Aubade”, a stop-motion short film, receiving the award of official choice for the Annecy Animation Film Festival in France. He has created illustrations for children’s books, for the film “Neuf Mois Ferme” by director Albert Dupontel and for “Un moment d’égarement” by director Jean François Richet. He is currently working on a new Japanese paper (Washi) project.

Ahmed Ben Nessib, born in Tunis in 1992, is a designer and director of animated short films. His drawings have been published in various newspapers and magazines including  “Internazionale”, “Lo straniero” “Cavallino Rivista”, “Linus” e “Solstizio”. His first short film EKART was published in volume 5 of the DVDs “Animazioni, Cortometraggi Italiani Contemporanei “, awarded in France and Italy. With “Libri Somari”, the publishing house he founded together with Samuele Canestrari, he has published two books “Ekart / the swimmer’s technique” and “The murderer is increasingly confused”. He collaborates with the Tricromia gallery (Rome). In 2021, together with Samuele Canestrari he published “Alice still lives here – t / 19” edited by Giuseppina Frassino with a text by Ascanio Celestini.

Michele Riondino was born in Taranto in 1979 and graduated in 2000 from the National Academy of Dramatic Art “Silvio D’Amico”.His acting career begins in the theater, where he collaborates with important professionals such as Patroni Griffi, Marco Bellocchio and Emma Dante. He founded his own company, “Circo Bordeaux”. 2007 is the year of his film debut: he plays Francesco in the film “The past is a foreign land” by Daniele Vicari. This role earned him the award for best actor at Rome Film Festival in 2008 and a special mention at Miami Film Festival. 2011 turns out to be a decisive year for the actor’s career: Michele is the protagonist of the successful Rai TV series “Il Giovane Montalbano”. Recently, “Our ghosts” by Alessandro Capitani was released, premiered in the Venice Days 78 section, in which Michele has the male protagonist role. The actor is also involved in his city, Taranto, in the Free and Thinking Citizens and Workers Committee. Since 2012 he has been the artistic director of the Uno Maggio Concerto di Taranto Libero e Pensante together with Roy Paci and Diodato and, at the same time, of the Cinzella Festival. .

Eugenia Gaglianone, in her prolonged and numerous stays in Moscow, became passionate about the history of Russian and Soviet cinema. An extraordinary immersion that marked her training and artistic sensitivity based also on dance and theater. She curates cultural events and film reviews, collaborates with different associations, festivals and film bodies such as Il Cinema Ritrovato, CinemAmbiente, National Cinema Museum, ANCR of Turin, Locarno Festival, and others. For Sottodiciotto Film Festival, from 2005 to 2020, she is the curator of  the animation programs. She also organizes educational workshops for schools, courses on Soviet cinema and animation cinema.

Art historian and contemporary art curator with thirty years of experience, Giuliana Carbi has PhD in History of Art and was Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Trieste. She is  President of the Committee, Trieste Contemporanea, known for the excellence of artistic research and the great work of cultural cooperation built year after year with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and for the numerous specialist publications. She creates international events, and coordinates the InCe Forum in Venice for Curators of Contemporary Art and the international Continental Breakfast network.

Alfonso Firmani, architect and artist, lives and works in Udine. In his research in the artistic field, he experiments with contaminations between different languages. Many recurring elements in his compositions can be defined as “narrative containers”, books, writings, bags, boxes, while others assume the role of the main subject of the narration: objects, images, while the support is thought as a perimeter theatrical system where everything is placed on stage.