There are stereotypes
that surround anime films, but Joseph C. Chen breaks them down every year by bringing the Waterloo Festival
for Animated Cinema (WFAC) to Kitchener. “I’ve always lived here and I’d like to bring [anime] to the
community,” says the festival’s curator.
The WFAC is truly unlike any other international film festival because it is dedicated to feature-length
animation from all over the world. “We’re really honoured that we’ve found and are sharing these films from
all over,” says Chen. “Here you get to discover films that are made by artists who have the gall and courage
to take on these projects by themselves.”
The festival brings in a wide range of films, from blockbuster Japanese features to small indie anime films.
They have presented more animated feature films in a public exhibition than any other festival in the
world.
However, these are not the same films shown in commercial theatres, where the primary audience is children.
Chen says, “They develop films for a more mature audience.” By doing so, viewers appreciate anime more by
creating bridges from audience to animator.
He explains that past “Midnight Madness” screenings were all about the edge in terms of the story and the
techniques they used to portray the story. In 2008, John Bergin showed his film From Inside at a midnight
screening. He informed the audience before the movie began that the “story was as bleak as the weather
outside” — the movie certainly reflected this. It had visually stunning, dark allegories that were combined
with both 3D animation and 2D 1930s-inspired illustration.
On top of viewing the films, audiences can also help celebrate the WFAC’s 10th anniversary this
year. To commemorate the milestone the festival is holding a conference to discuss different parts of
storytelling and the endless possibilities of animation both inside and outside the cinematic sphere. Watch
for exciting new feature films coming from Eastern Europe and Japan.
18 Waterloo Festival for
Animated Cinema 2010, Nov 18-21, Kitchener, wfac.ca
