On Saturday, November 2, the University of West Attica hosted a full-day event dedicated to the art of animation, celebrating International Animation Day (IAD) 2024. The event took place at the university’s “Periklis N. Lytras” Conference Center in Aigaleo and was organized by ASIFA Hellas—the Hellenic chapter of the International Animated Film Association (ASIFA)—with the support of the University of West Attica.
Honoring 132 Years of Animated StorytellingInternational Animation Day commemorates a milestone in the history of cinema. On October 28, 1892, Paris’ Théâtre Optique hosted what is now recognized as the first-ever public screening of animated moving images. That pioneering moment marked the birth of animation as we know it.
Now, 132 years later, animation continues to grow and evolve, transcending its early origins to become a dynamic form of art and communication. From blockbuster films and television to advertising, music videos, gaming, and online platforms, animation is everywhere. It flourishes through short and feature-length films, as well as multimedia creations developed by independent artists, students, and children across the globe.
A Day of Talks, Screenings, and Creative Exchange
This year’s Greek celebration of International Animation Day offered a rich program of screenings, professional discussions, and academic presentations focused on the current state of Hellenic animation and its future potential.
In addition to showcasing acclaimed international animated short films, the event featured open discussions with professionals from the industry and masterclasses delivered by faculty members from the Department of Graphic Design and Visual Communication at the University of West Attica.
The official IAD 2024 poster was designed and illustrated by the legendary Bill Plympton, adding an iconic artistic flair to this year’s edition.
Program Highlights
The day began at 10:00 AM and unfolded with a series of talks, panels, and presentations:
Welcome Addresses by institutional representatives.
“Animation in Advertising”
A discussion with director Irida Zioga (joining online) and producer Kostas Mylonas of Takes2 Productions.
“3D Animation and Gaming at UniWA”
A presentation by Associate Professor Dr. Spyros Siakas, highlighting the university’s academic approach to digital animation and game design.
“Mentoring as a Path to International Recognition: The Case of “Open Wings“
A talk by Postdoctoral Researcher Dr. Lambrini Trivella, reflecting on the student film by Taxiarchis Delliyannis and Vasilis Tsiouvaras.
“2D Animation at UniWA”
A presentation by Professor Dr. Eleni Mouri, focusing on the creative and educational methodologies behind 2D animation training.
“Young Creators… in Animation”
An open discussion with emerging directors Dimitris Armenakis, Anna Oikonomou, and Nefeli Spiliotakou, sharing experiences from their journey in short animation film production.
Moderated by Konstantinos P. Kakarountas, President of ASIFA Hellas.
“The Big and Small Secrets of Animation Production”
A practical conversation with producers Konstantinos P. Kakarountas (Dahouse Studio) and Dimitris Savvaidis (Number 9), offering behind-the-scenes insights into the production process.
The program included breaks between panels and presentations, allowing for informal exchange among participants.
Screening of Award-Winning Animated Shorts
The day concluded with a screening of animated short films from Germany, the United States, Iran, China, and Greece—a curated selection of internationally celebrated works from recent years.
(Duration: approx. 1 hour)
- Letters to Parkkimentie (8’14”, FINLAND) Director & Producer: Mika Koskinen
- Skinny World (3’14”, CHINA) Director & Producer: Huaxu Yang
- This side, other side (8’51”, IRAN) Director: Lida Fazli, Producer: Lida Fazli & Documentary and Experimental Film Center (DEFC)
- The drunk driving song (3’10”, USA) Director: Dave Wolfe
- Rubber-Band Man (6’14”, USA) Director & Producer: Tania Mccrary
- Retirement (5’27”, USA) Director & Producer: Sara Hanif
- Practice makes practice (3’34”, USA) Director & Producer: Jeff Scher,
- Love me, fear me (6’06”, GERMANY) Director & Producer: Veronica Solomon
- Hypnhadiqa (5’35”, USA) Director & Producer: Chris Sagovac
- Hemorrhage (4’07, USA) Director & Producer: Ruth Hayes
- Sfumato #2 – Political Asylum (8’37”, USA) Director & Producer: Jim Middleton
- Burning Room (4’47”, CHINA) Director: Liao Huang Xinyi, Producer: Zhuang Kaiting
- Ανεμάκης, το ψαράκι (5’09”, GREECE) Director: Georgia Theofanous & Vivi Markatos, Producer: Georgia Theofanous
- A new world (3’54”, USA) Director & Producer: David Ehrlich