Today at 00:59
The International Animation Festival is about to kick off in the French city of Annecy. Now, for the second year, Ukraine is representing with top talent.
This year, one of those is none other than, Natalya Guzeeva, who will be showing Kapitoshka and Petrik Pyatochkin, two cult-classic cartoons produced in the 1980s.
Kapitoshka is the story of a kind wolf who wanted to be evil. But the wolf ends up becoming friends with a little rain drop, who helps him to be true to himself.
Guzeeva’s other cartoon character, Petrik Pyatochkin, is a fun, energetic little boy who ‘marches to the beat of his own drum.’ Thoughtful viewers saw in Guzeeva’s cartoons a number of hidden meanings. For example, Guzeeva uses Pyatochkin to comment on how collective ideology can be used to suppress one’s personality.
“I associate Kapitoshka with something philosophical and spiritual,” Guzeeva said. “Pyatochkin, however, is an absolutely worldly character, who has strong and weak points. He’s a difficult child. He is too active and tiring. But that is what makes him interesting. Why should a child be calm, like a robot?”
This will be the second time Guzeeva will present her works at the festival.
Along with Guzeeva’s masterpieces, the Ukrainian delegation will also show several animated short films, full-length movies and TV series – some that have already been screened and some still being made. One fan favorite is the full-length 3-D animated picture, “The Stolen Princess.”
“In Ukraine, the movie made more than 36 million hryvnia ($1 million) at the box office, we set a record among Ukrainian films in the country. International distribution is also very important for animation. We have sold the rights to more than 100 countries now,” the film’s producer, Yehor Olesov, said.
Modern animation is an inalienable part of the cinema industry, say representatives of the Ukrainian State Film Agency.
Indeed, a sure sign that animated films continue to move audiences, young and old, is the success of Petryk Piatochkin on YouTube. A single video already has some 4.5 million views and the number keeps growing.
Guzeeva said to expect an animated movie about the new adventures of Petrik Pyatochkin to be released some time in the near future.
While she is looking forward to attending the International Animation Festival, Guzeeva says that for her, the main reward isn’t the festivals or the competitions.
“My biggest award is the memory of the audience. Because three generations grew up watching these characters, and they don’t stop loving them,” she said.
