THE ANIMATION CHAMBER LAUNCHES ANIMATE DUBAI

THEGCC’S FIRST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVALKICKS OFF SECOND CYCLE OF SUBMISSIONS

FOR ITS DEBUT EDITION IN DECEMBER 2015

 The first edition of ANIMATE DUBAI will take place 3–5 December at Dubai Design District, the city’s novel creative hub. The three-day festival offers a weekend packed with animated films, themed talks, fun activities for all ages, and a chance to meet animation pioneers from all around the world.

Following an overwhelming response with over 1000 submissions earlier this year, the Animate Dubai team has extended the deadline for entries until 20 August.  Arab and international animation professionals, amateurs, and students are invited to submit features, shorts, series, experimental, and commercial work across all genres before the new deadline.

ANIMATE DUBAI seeks to promote animation as a vital and independent art form that the region has yet to embrace. “This all-inclusive festival comes as a natural progression to our work” says Lina Younes, Founder and Director of The Animation Chamber. “In the past three years, we have grown and looked after a dormant sector here in the UAE, cropping up considerable talent and stimulating creative potential across a range of animation practices and techniques. The time has come to bring a punctual, tangible showcase of quality animation to UAE-based makers and fans alike”.

ANIMATE DUBAI is supported by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and has proudly partnered with prestigious environments, including d3, Dubai Studio City and Dubai Film & TV Commission, as well as some of the world’s greatest animation festivals, such as Annecy (France), Ta7rik (Tunisia), and Cyber Sousa in Xiamen (China) and several regional ASIFA. Plans to advocate the genre across UAE universities and institutions are also underway, beginning with AUD, AUS, and Zayed University, with aims to encourage the participation of emerging local talent and provide them with an opportunity to expand their proficiencies and widen their horizons. ANIMATE DUBAI’s film market intends to become an annual meeting point for novice animations, fresh talents, distributors, buyers, recruiters, and funding bodies.

Speaking of the partnership Jamal Al Sharif, Chairman of Dubai Film and TV Commission and Managing Director of Dubai Studio City also comments “Animation is an extremely important segment of film, and it is great to see an event focused purely on this sector for the first time in the region. The competition will not only raise awareness about the practices and techniques used within animation, but will also bring together local and international talent, as well as students, to network, share ideas, and to meet animation pioneers from around the world.”

“We are extremely excited for the first edition of ANIMATE DUBAI” Younes concludes. “Our international selection jury has delved into watching films and from the looks of it so far, we will surely have a wicked program for both children and adults!”

For more information on how to apply and to download the application forms, please visit: http://animatedubai.com/submissions-2015/

To stay tuned for the latest updates and other perks and treats to be revealed in due time, visit our website at www.animatedubai.com, become a fan on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/animatedubai and follow us on Instagram and Twitter, @AnimateDubai.

About The Animation Chamber:

The Animation Chamber (TAC) is an interactive educational initiative that aims to nurture and promote the art of stop-motion animation in the UAE, through the creation of participatory experiences targeted at audiences of all ages. TAC curates and conducts punctual programs of talks, debates, screenings and hands-on workshops.

TAC is a highly collaborative practice and has since its inception developed an extensive network of both emerging and established professionals in the field, in addition to joining forces with a wide range of local and international art fairs, festivals, creative spaces, schools and universities.

About Dubai Design District:

Dubai Design District, better known as d3, is a home for the region’s growing community of creative thinkers. It plays a key element in Dubai’s vision to transform into an innovation-led economy, and it aims to engage, inspire and enable emerging talent, as well as providing aplatform to showcase Arab creativity to a larger, global audience.

As a dedicated creative destination, d3answers a growing need for the regional design industry, ensuring that this important sector is able to grow and thrive. It provides businesses, entrepreneurs and creatives from across the design value chainwith an ideally located,purpose builtand sustainable ecosystem, which leverages technologyto integrate ‘smart’solutions throughout the development.

d3 is the newest of TECOM Investments’vibrant creative communities,with 11 buildingsmaking up the core of the site already delivered and being handed over to tenants.To support its many creative partners, d3 offersindividuals and businesses the choice of operating either as a free zone entity or as an on-shore business, each with its own merits.

As d3 evolves so will its facilities,to include everything from cutting-edge workshops and renowned design institutes, to original residential, hospitality, retail and office space. Its public spaces will be distinct and characterised byunique street furniture and shaded walkways.

By 2017, d3 will feature a one million square foot Creative Community, which will act as the site’scultural epicentre, inspiring emerging designers and artists, and attracting tourists to the area.By 2018, d3 will also boast a bustling, 2km esplanade running alongside the Dubai Creek, which is where international and boutique hotels, a pop-up shop area, and an amphitheatre will all be located.

All of these various elements have been carefully designed to ensure that the creative thinkers using and visiting d3 every day have an energised and culture rich environment where they canlive, work and play.

About Dubai Studio City:

Dubai Studio City (DSC), part of TECOM Investments, a member of Dubai Holding, is home to world class production companies, talent, facilities and infrastructure for the production, broadcast and content creation industries, and offers investors in the film and TV industry the opportunity to build bespoke facilities on a significant and prime land bank.  DSC aims to establish Dubai as the region’s epicentre for the production, broadcast and content creation industries, and has a wealth of experience, playing host to major industry players at a local, regional and global level as well as industry experts who are well positioned to act as thought leaders for the industry. DSC offers a variety of commercial space offerings to its business partners including warehouses and workshops, as well as its world-class Sound Stages, the largest of their kind in the region, which are specifically designed to meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of the high growth entertainment industry.

For more information please visit:www.dubaistudiocity.ae