Cultural Celebration Brings International Films, Industry Pros to Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FL, February 27, 2013—The Citrus Cel Animation Film Festival, an event celebrating animation and illustration from across the globe, returns April 4–6 to Jacksonville, Florida. The historic Florida Theatre will host the three-day event. Highlights include an opening-night feature film, student short films, animated shorts for children, competitions, workshops, and guest speakers from the animation industry.
Representatives from Oscar-nominated animation studio LAIKA/house (ParaNorman, Coraline) will deliver the keynote presentation. Other guests include animators from Blue Sky Studios (Ice Age, Horton Hears a Who!) and developers from software maker Toon Boom Animation, who will present a storyboard master workshop.
“We’re really excited to be involved with Citrus Cel this year,” said LAIKA’s Mark Shapiro, “because it brings together an incredible group of talented professionals, students, artists and animation fans of all ages. It’s going to be a great, informative and fun weekend!”
North Florida-based design and animation firm Dripsblack founded Citrus Cel in 2009. The inaugural festival took place in 2010, and it remains the only festival dedicated to animated film in north Florida.
“Our festival is meant to inspire, to make people aware of what’s out there in the art community, and to create a place to come annually to share and learn,” said festival director Shane Douberly. “Students and professionals benefit and learn from one another. I want attendee as well as myself to leave with new inspiration and new friends.”
The films run the gamut from science fiction to music videos, noir, and experimental films. This year’s opening night feature marks the Florida premiere of Zarafa by filmmakers Rémi Bezançon and Jean-Christophe Lie. Short films that will screen include Prix Ars Electronica Award winner Caldera, Countdown, Much Better Now, The Butterfly Effect, and Academy Award winner The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.
Citrus Cel also presents The Art of Storytelling, a juried art exhibit that pays tribute to the narrative form of illustration, as well as Design in Character, a student competition showcasing the inspiration, technique and storytelling of character design. Finally, the festival will host the
fast-paced competition Juiced!, which invites animators to conceptualize and execute an animated clip within a tight 24-hour time limit.
For more on the Citrus Cel Animation Film Festival, visit citruscel.com.
