Steven Subotnick (USA)
Steven’s animations are condensed and poetic. Through an experimental and iterative process of making and editing, he explores resonances found in subjects as diverse as history, science, evolution, and religion. His artwork begins in the physicality of materials – paper, ink, paint, paper-mache, rags, photographs, wood – which are then transformed through digital manipulation. His goal is to embody ideas in the act of making – a film about evolution is drawn straight-ahead with closed eyes. Sound is an important part of his filmmaking. He crafts tracks in order to give voice to the images, and it is the combination of image and sound which creates the film’s full identity.
Steven’s films have screened in festivals, galleries, museums, and curated shows around the world. He is the recipient of major grants and fellowships, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, an LEF Fellowship, and an AFI Fellowship. His films have won such awards as “Grand Prix” at the Holland Animation Film Festival and the “High Risk Award” at the Fantoche Animation Festival. In 2018, he had a retrospective of his films at the Ottawa International Animation Festival. He has received residencies at the MacDowell Colony and the Yaddo Corporation. Steven is also a dedicated teacher. He has taught animation for over thirty years at colleges and universities, including Harvard University, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and Rhode Island School of Design, where he currently teaches senior animation thesis projects.
Mira Yankova (Bulgaria)
Born in Sofia, Bulgaria. Graduated from the National Academy of Fine Arts and has a Master degree from New Bulgarian University in ‘Cinema and TV Directing’. She works as 2D and 3D animator, set-designer and assistant director. Mira Yankova is Bulgarian visual artist, working in the field of video-art. Her video-art works were featured in Venice in a Collateral event of the 57th Venice Biennale 2017, and in a number of international curatorial projects in Lisbon, London, Bogotá, Vienna e.t.c. “Butterfly & Mouse” is her first short film.
Hossein Moradizadeh (Iran)
Born in 1970.
Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in animation directing from the Radio and Television University in 1992.
Making twelve animated short films, making three feature animations and two animated series, and directing and producing short documentaries.
Mora Studio started its activity in 1989, concentrating on producing and researching experimental films, especially abstract animations. Collaborate with universities and research centers.
Making animated films – Documentary films and unconventional films.
This studio is small and independent and produces low-budget films , and it’s just an art studio that has a constructive relationship with other centers around the world.
Roze Stiebra (Latvia)
Roze Stiebra was born on 17 March 1942 in Riga. She graduated from the Faculty of Puppetry at the Saint Petersburg State Theatre Arts Academy in 1964, and went on to work as an animator for Latvian Television (studio Telefilm-Riga 1966–1987), Riga Film Studio (1987–1990) and the animation studio Dauka (since 1991)).
She has received the Lielais Kristaps award for “best animated film” six times, for her films Kā es braucu Ziemeļmeitas lūkoties (1980), Kabata (1983), Skatāmpanti (1988), Ness un Nesija (1993), Pasaciņas. Miega vilcieniņš (1998), and The Unusual Rigans (2001).
She is a member of the International Animated Film Association. In 1995, she was honored with the Spīdolas Award, the highest award of the Latvian Culture Foundation. In 2005, Stiebra received the Latvians’ Order of the Three Stars.