I'll be going to the Citrus Cel Animation Film Festival this weekend at Five Points Theatre... three days of animated movies, short films, music videos and other animation. I'm an animation junkie, and this may test even my endurance, but I'll see as much of everything as I can and write about it!
http://citruscel.com/
It really looks wonderful, the full program is here:
http://citruscel.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Citrus-Cel-Program.pdf
If you go, maybe I'll see you there!
I remember attending an Animation Fest in Orlando at a "Cinema and Brew" type place right across from the Famous "Bubble Room" restaurant.
The first time I saw the Film "The Minds Eye" done in early MIT student liquid cooled computer tech (1987-89)
I was Hooked.
Okay! Here's what's going on tonight at the Citrus Cel Animation Film Festival (http://citruscel.com/) for tonight:
5:00 â€" 6:30pm: Reception at the Art Center
Takes place at 111 E. Bay St. Downtown Jacksonville, located above Ivey Bar.
All the films and speaker programming will be at the 5 Points Theatre in Riverside (1022 Park Street).
7:00 pm: Secret of Kells
This Irish-French-Belgian animated feature film is based in Irish mythology, and was nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature this year. Reviewers at Starlog call it "one of the greatest hand drawn independent animated movies of all time."
http://www.youtube.com/v/tMPhHTtKZ8Q
Tickets are $8.50 for adults, $6 for children, and $7.50 for seniors or students. Click here to buy. (https://www.readyticket.net/webticket/webticket2.asp?WCI=BuyTicket&WCE=SECRET+OF+KELLS,040920101900,1,14438,)
9:00pm: Tangerine Dreams
This is 16 short films, running an hour and five minutes total, apparently with supernatural themes. Looks interesting. Tickets are $6.50, click here.
(https://www.readyticket.net/webticket/webticket2.asp?WCI=BuyTicket&WCE=TANGERINE+DREAMS,040920102100,1,14438,)
Midnight: Heavy Metal
Classic. If you somehow have never seen this movie since it came out in 1981, it consists of stories adapted from the science fiction and fantasy comics magazine of the same name (so it's gloriously full of graphic violence, nudity, and sexuality), and that's all I'm going tell you about it.
http://www.youtube.com/v/LGwn_0k_TQo
Tickets are only five bucks, click here!
(https://www.readyticket.net/webticket/webticket2.asp?WCI=BuyTicket&WCE=HEAVY+METAL,040920102300,1,14438,)
Whee! This is going to be fun! Later, I'll put up the schedule for Saturday, and tomorrow I'll tell you about tonight, but you really should just come check it out yourself!
You can get tickets for individual shows, or buy an all-access pass for EVERYTHING for $65 here: http://citruscel.com/passes/
I'm a local illustrator and this is the first I've heard of this festival. Couple of local artist buddies hadn't heard anything about it, either.
I'm going to try to attend some of the events. Just wish I'd known about it sooner.
Quote from: Bativac on April 09, 2010, 10:34:12 AM
I'm a local illustrator and this is the first I've heard of this festival. Couple of local artist buddies hadn't heard anything about it, either.
I'm going to try to attend some of the events. Just wish I'd known about it sooner.
That blows! They were soliciting submissions back in January, according to the website. http://citruscel.com/
I just found out about it myself at Art Walk a couple days ago, and I'm all in a happy dither because I'm an animation junkie who needed something to do this weekend.
Here is the programme for tomorrow at the Citrus Cel Animation Film Festival.
10:00 am â€" 3:00 pm: Art Exhibit at the Art Center
111 E. Bay St, Downtown Jacksonville, located above Ivy Ultra Bar
12:00 pm: Apples to Oranges
Billed as "experimental shorts that defy category or comparison". There's 16 of them, running 52 minutes total, and with titles like "Fibonacci Graveyard" and "Nanosporin A.I.," this looks to be quite my cup of tea. Tickets are $6.50. (buy (https://www.readyticket.net/webticket/webticket2.asp?WCI=BuyTicket&WCE=APPLES+TO+ORANGES,041020101200,1,14438,))
2:00 pm: Freshly Squeezed Vol.1 (Student Shorts)
Animated films by up-and-coming artists from our area and beyond, 23 of them (an hour total). Tickets are $6.50. (Buy (https://www.readyticket.net/webticket/webticket2.asp?WCI=BuyTicket&WCE=FRESHLY+SQUEEZED+VOL1,041020101400,1,14438,))
4:00 pm: Orange You Glad There’s Music Videos
Okay, I really could have done without that pun, but this still sounds good; an hour of animated music videos. Tickets are $6.50 - (buy (https://www.readyticket.net/webticket/webticket2.asp?WCI=BuyTicket&WCE=ORANGE+YOU+GLAD,041020101600,1,14438,))
6:00pm: Lemonade
These films use simple objects, paper textures and puppets to create a refreshing mix. There are 14 shorts, running about 84 minutes total. Tickets are $6.50. (buy (https://www.readyticket.net/webticket/webticket2.asp?WCI=BuyTicket&WCE=LEMONADE,041020101800,1,14438,))
8:00 pm: Pure Premium
These are supposed to be the best of the bushel, and this is a can't-miss-it for me, because two of the ten short films in this 90-minute show are "The Cow Who Wanted to Be a Hamburger" and "Santa: The Fascist Years" by Bill Plympton, who would be entirely made of awesome even if he wasn't one of my favorite animators. Tickets are $6.50 for this one also. (buy (https://www.readyticket.net/webticket/webticket2.asp?WCI=BuyTicket&WCE=LEMONADE,041020101800,1,14438,))
Yes, dammit, I am shilling or pimping or whatever you want to call it, because I will be a sad panda if this festival doesn't return next year. No, I am not getting any money for doing this, I just love cartoons. Although money would be wicked cool. How do I get a job like that?
10:00 pm: Festival party at the Landing (2 Independent Drive).
The party will be next to Koja Sushi on the second floor.
Just be careful, the sidewalks around the main entrance of the Landing are [string of vile expletives here] due to the city "improving" the streets in the area. And no, I can't resist irrelevant editorializing.
You can get all-access passes for everything all three days for $65, here: http://citruscel.com/passes/
Tomorrow, assuming I survive for the next 24 hours (the friend I'm going with is a lunatic), I'll be posting about how it goes tonight.
See ya!
Thanks for posting the schedule. I'm an animation fanatic too and am especially interested in seeing the Plympton shorts. I have a tape of his stuff that I've had for 15 years that will probably fall apart if I try to watch it again.
Everything is being screened at the 5 Points Theater right?
Thanks DeadGirls.
We had a huge turnout for The Secret of Kells. If anyone missed it, we've got a couple of shows next week:
Monday at 5 pm
Tuesday at 5 & 7 pm
Wednesday at 5 & 7 pm
We've got an encore presentation of Heavy Metal on Tuesday at 9 pm.
And, Monday and Wednesday we'll be showing the completely unique Town Called Panic. More details here:
http://www.5pointstheatre.com/movie/a-town-called-panic/ (http://www.5pointstheatre.com/movie/a-town-called-panic/)
Check out the trailer. You'll know within 15 seconds if it's something you can't miss.
A review of sorts, starting with an annoying autobiographical interlude:
Walking into the 5 Points Theatre last night was decidedly odd. It's lovely, mind you, they've done a very nice restoration job, but I have a history with the building.
My father used to take me to Disney movies there when I was a wee little girl. My mother would pack us lunch in a cooler, and Daddy and I picnicked under the oak trees in the park by the river after the movies.
Decades later, I started going to Club 5 - and the the first time I went, I thought the place seemed very familiar, but didn't realize why. When somebody told me what it used to be, I felt like I was desecrating my own childhood. Naturally, I then proceeded to spend the next several years drunkenly vomiting all over the building on a regular basis.
Last night was the first time I've been there since it resumed its original function as a movie theater, and I was there to see an animated film, like Daddy used to take me to, so I came full circle last night at the Citrus Cel Animation Film Festival.
Onward.
The crowd at the festival was very congenial; people were chatting in the lobby in a non-cliquey manner, which is always refreshing.
Shane Doublerly introduced the festival with a charming speech that was informative but not excessively long, and then the show started.
Oh. My. God. "The Secret of Kells" was just gorgeous. The story was a bit muddled, and but I was so overwhelmed with the luscious eye candy that I didn't mind. The artwork was beautiful, and obviously influenced by the real Book of Kells, with vibrant colors and frequent use of ornate swirling motifs typical of Insular art.
Tangerine Dreams was the name of the next show, which consisted of sixteen short films. There was a wide range of animation styles represented, and some of the films were funny, some were touching, and a couple were just plain weird, but I enjoyed almost all of them.
I especially liked:
"Rubbuds," which is a look at the secret life of a drawer full of condoms. Hilarious. Here's the trailer -
http://rubbuds.com/Rubbuds/trailer.html
"The Praying Machine" - I'm not sure exactly what the hell this was really about, but it's cool.
Trailer - http://www.vimeo.com/5590784
and
"Les Anges Dechets (Garbage Angels)" in which the trash in a dump takes on a life of its own. Couldn't find a trailer for this one.
I wound up my evening schmoozing at Wall Street, thus concluding a very enjoyable evening.
Here's the schedule for tomorrow (Sunday, April 11)
1:00 pm: Freshly Squeezed Vol.2 (Student Shorts)
An hour of short films by up-and-coming artists from our area and beyond.
3:00 pm: Vitamin C
A healthy dose of family-friendly animation - the show is an hour long, and features 16 short films that are unlikely to damage children.
5:00 pm: Mass A-Peel
Title sequences, promos and ads. Some material may not be suitable for children, but if you're looking to be a commercial artist you probably ought to check this out. It should be pretty cool, there's animation that was done for MTV and SciFi Channel, for example.
7:00 pm: Marmalade
These are the oddball oranges, like watching an all-animated version of Adult Swim. Not suitable for children, which I sincerely hope means sex, violence, and/or toilet humor. Oh, wait. One of the 11 short films in this show is called "A Film About Poo." Dreams do come true! (Ew, what's wrong with me?)
9:00 pm: Pulp
Featuring twelve short B-movie, noir, horror and dark humor films, this show is also unsuitable for children. Judging from the descriptions in the program, these are pretty twisted. Yay!
All the shows will be at 5 Points Theatre in Riverside, and tickets are $6.50 each, or you can get an all-inclusive pass for $65. You can buy them online here- http://citruscel.com/passes/
See ya!
Well. This weekend has filled my head with strange, brightly colored dreams, both sleeping and waking. My only complaint is that I'm having a hard time deciding on a favorite film to http://citruscel.com/vote/ for, and that's my own fault.
The Citrus Cel Animation Film Festival was a wonderful time. The films were delightful, everybody was very cordial (organizers, theatre staff, and patrons alike), and smack in the middle of Five Points was a great spot to have it, with all those restaurants, bars and other shops within walking distance.
Saturday night I saw the "Pure Premium" show, which is just what it sounds like; some of the best (and funniest) films of the festival. There were some that weren't funny and weren't intended to be, but the rest were a gigglefest.
Sunday night I saw "Marmalade," which rather reminded me of "Liquid Television" on MTV, and the appropriately named "Pulp," which was in the same vein, but darker in tone. Much darker, even gory in some cases.) Both shows featured short films that were, well, pretty weird. Luckily, I like weird, even though one of them is haunting me today.
"Man is the Only Bird that Carries His Own Cage" (as I see it) was a rather disturbing commentary on the nature of individuality and freedom of thought. Although I can't say it was as much fun to watch as the films that made me laugh, it resonates.
Out of the funny films, I think "Pigeon: Impossible" was my favorite. It's about a rookie secret agent who gets a pigeon trapped in his nuclear briefcase, and it's hilarious.
http://www.youtube.com/v/jEjUAnPc2VA&hl
But if you missed the festival, never fear, the feature film "The Secret of Kells" is still playing at the 5 Points Theatre:
Tonight at 5pm
Tuesday at 5pm & 7pm
Wednesday at 5pm & 7pm
Price: $8.50, or $7.50 with senior, student or military ID.
I think I'll be going to that theater a good bit in the future, because I had so much fun this past weekend (and the seats are comfortable, they have beer, and the floor isn't sticky).
And they have beer.
I took my son and his friend on Saturday to see Lemonade and Pure Premium. We had a great time and will definitely be attending again next year. Thanks to those who put this together.
My son is still cracking jokes about Santa's fascist past.
Quote from: JagFan07 on April 12, 2010, 02:20:59 PM
I took my son and his friend on Saturday to see Lemonade and Pure Premium. We had a great time and will definitely be attending again next year. Thanks to those who put this together.
My son is still cracking jokes about Santa's fascist past.
That's wonderful. I want to be there next year too.
And I always thought that Santa fellow was a bit shady.
The winners of the Citrus Cel Animation Film Festival were:
Best in Show Winner: "The Cow that wanted to be a Hamburger" by Bill Plympton
Audience choice award Winner: "The Incident at Tower 37" by Chris Perry
Student film, Best in show: "The Terrible Thing of Alpha-9!" by Jake Armstrong
Student film, Runner up: "Prayers for Peace" by Dustin Grella
Student film, Runner up: "Gretel and Hanzel" by Gianna Ruggiero
Design in Character, Student Competition: Aesop, "Lamb of Vengeance" by Brooke Allen
...and of course, everybody who went to the festival was a winner, because it was a lot of fun. The organizers intend to do it again next year too, which is just delightful.
Quote from: DeadGirlsDontDance on April 10, 2010, 02:08:04 PM
Last night was the first time I've been there since it resumed its original function as a movie theater...
The festival was fun. I enjoyed the things I was able to attend.
Wanted to mention that my dad, a local artist, was responsible for "faux finishing" the walls of the restored 5 Points Theater. A massive undertaking for one guy on a deadline. Near the end of the project, he was precariously balanced atop a 40+ foot ladder, with me heckling him at the base of the ladder. "I don't need your frickin' commentary, just hold the ladder!!"
I'm just an illustrator. My father is an "artist" which is why he climbed the 40 foot latter while I held the bottom with one hand and a bottle of Coke with the other.
Quote from: Bativac on April 20, 2010, 09:33:42 AM
Quote from: DeadGirlsDontDance on April 10, 2010, 02:08:04 PM
Last night was the first time I've been there since it resumed its original function as a movie theater...
The festival was fun. I enjoyed the things I was able to attend.
Wanted to mention that my dad, a local artist, was responsible for "faux finishing" the walls of the restored 5 Points Theater. A massive undertaking for one guy on a deadline. Near the end of the project, he was precariously balanced atop a 40+ foot ladder, with me heckling him at the base of the ladder. "I don't need your frickin' commentary, just hold the ladder!!"
I'm just an illustrator. My father is an "artist" which is why he climbed the 40 foot latter while I held the bottom with one hand and a bottle of Coke with the other.
That's awesome. Tell your dad he did a great job, one of the first things I noticed is how pretty the walls look.