24th Anima Mundi Film Festival Returns to Rio de Janeiro

By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Celebrating its 24th anniversary, international animated film festival Anima Mundi returned to Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, October 25th and will continue through Sunday October 30th with over 400 short films and six full length animated features from 45 countries.

Among the highlights this year is the full length film Red Turtle, a co-production of France, Belgium and Japan, which received the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize award at the last Cannes Film Festival.

According to organizers during the festival, there will be, forums, demonstrations and chats with the producers of animations. One of the lectures will be given by the Brazilian Leo Matsuda, who has worked at the Walt Disney studio for the past eight years, participating in the production of such hits as Operation Big Hero, Wreck-It Ralph, The Simpsons – The Movie, and Rio – The Movie.

In Rio de Janeiro, screenings will take place in seven locations in Centro, one in Rio’s Barra da Tijuca neighborhood, another in Ipanema, as well as in Ponto Cine, in Gudalupe. There will be free film sessions at Espaço Cultural BNDES, Cultural Center of the Federal Court and the Maison de France.

Anima Mundi was founded in Rio de Janeiro in 1993, by Marcos Magalhães, Lea Zagury, Aida Queiroz and Cesar Coelho. The four filmmakers and animators began the festival in the hopes of raising awareness in the city about the art and craft of animation. The festival expanded over the years to include screening in São Paulo and other cities in Brazil. It is now one of the largest animation festivals in the world.

After passing through Rio de Janeiro, the festival will go to São Paulo, which is between November 2nd and 6th.

What: Anima Mundi, International Animation Film Festival
When: October 25th – October 30th, screening and event times vary.
Where: Cidade das Artes, Avenida das Américas, 5300, Barra da Tijuca
Cinemateca do MAM, Av. Infante Dom Henrique, 85
CRAB, Praça Tiradentes, 67
Cultural Center of the Federal Court, Av. Rio Branco, 241
Maison de France, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 58 4th floor
Livraria Cultura, R. Sen. Dantas, 45
Cine Odeon, Pça Floriano, 7, Cinelândia
Auditório do BNDES, Av. República do Chile, 100, Centro
Espaço Oi Futuro, Av. Visconde de Pirajá, 54, Ipanema
Ponto Cine, Estrada do Camboatá, 2300, Guadalupe
Entrance: Event and screening prices vary, see website for more information.