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UNESCO, USO India, Toonz tie up for World Water Day Animation Creation

admin   March 19, 2021

This will be done as part of the H2Ooooh! – Waterwise Program for school students conducted in partnership with National Mission for Clean Ganga, United Schools Organization India (USO India), Water Digest magazine and India-based global animation major Toonz Media Group.

The countrywide water conservation awareness programme was aimed at school students between the age of 6-14 years, who submitted story ideas for animation short films to create awareness on the rising issue of water crisis in India.

As many as 93 shortlisted students, including eight differently-abled children, underwent training by Toonz Animation mentors as part of the programme.

The students were shortlisted after multiple screenings from a total of 17,000 participants from 43 schools across the country. The one-week training by Toonz Animation introduced the students to the basics of 2D animation including script writing, character sketching and storyboarding.

Says Eric Falt, UNESCO New Delhi Director, “We thank all our partners for this unique initiative, through which we hope children learned about the importance of water, which has enormous value for households, food, culture, health, education, economics and the integrity of our natural environment.”

According to Toonz Media Group CEO, P Jayakumar, “It is an immense privilege for Toonz to partner with UNESCO and USO for this highly creative initiative, that too for such a noble cause. We are happy to interact with the young talents and help them learn the basic nuances of animation. We hope to create excitement among them for water conservation through this beautiful medium.”

Nina Jain, Secretary General – USO India, states, “USO is extremely pleased to be part of this unique program for school students. H2Ooooh! is a creative and innovative way to learn about a subject that is of paramount importance to all of us – water. And, experiencing it through the lens of the students, was truly an eye- opening experience for us.”

During the first phase of the programme in September 2020, the participating schools screened 24 animation videos, both in English and Hindi, on different water issues.

The videos, originally developed by UNESCO Venice, were translated to Hindi by UNESCO New Delhi. Other resource tools included discussions and quizzes based on educational materials specially developed by UNESCO to help students develop a deeper understanding of issues on water resources.

In the second phase implemented in December 2020 a competition was initiated in the schools to pick top ideas and cartoon submissions. Out of the 2000 students who participated in the qualifier round, the final 93 were selected for training by Toonz. The students who underwent training submitted storyboards on water conservation ideated by them.

Out of this, three storyboards were selected to be produced as animated campaign videos on conservation of water and its sustainable use. The videos will be made available on the UNESCO India website as well as on all partner websites post the release. All the students who made it to the shortlist will be awarded special prizes by UNESCO.

Everything Canadian at TIFF 2018

admin   August 2, 2018

The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival added another 19 Canadian features and 24 short films to its lineup on Tuesday.

“Ranging from science fiction to fantasy, myth to documentary, and romance to a dystopic vision of our neighbours to the south, this year’s Canadian films come from every region in the country, stretching from east to west and north to south,” said Steve Gravestock, Senior Programmer, TIFF.

TIFF presents the World Premieres of three films that showcase Indigenous talent: Gwaai Edenshaw and Helen Haig-Brown’s Edge of the Knife, the first feature-length film made in Haida, which is classified by UNESCO as an endangered language; Darlene Naponse’s Falls Around Her, starring renowned Métis actor Tantoo Cardinal; and Miranda de Pencier’s feature directorial debut The Grizzlies, a creative collaboration between De Pencier and Inuit producers Alethea Arnaquq-Baril and Stacey Aglok MacDonald that tells an inspiring, true story and that was shot on location in MacDonald’s home community in Nunavut.

“The films feature characters who push hard against prescribed boundaries, asking vital questions about the state of the world and the status quo. We are especially excited to have a strong slate of bold and dynamic women-centric stories. Forty percent of the Canadian film slate this year is directed by women,” said Danis Goulet, TIFF Canadian Features Programmer.

A highlight of the festival will be a Special Event World Premiere and tribute showcasing the illuminating documentary Sharkwater Extinction, the final work by the late filmmaker and conservationist Rob Stewart.

The Festival’s Canadian short-film selection showcases masterful films that tell stories of complex human relationships and introduce a range of characters facing diverse challenges, from coming to terms with one’s own identity to understanding the importance of heritage, family, and the fragility of friendships. Highlights from the Festival’s Canadian short-film selection include new works by Amanda Strong, Caroline Monnet, Guy Maddin, Sofia Bohdanowicz, Celia Perrin Sidarous, and Lina Rodriguez.

For the eighth year, the TIFF Rising Stars programme returns with a diverse crop of participants. This year’s Canadian lineup consists of Devery Jacobs, Lamar Johnson (The Hate U Give), Michaela Kurimsky (Firecrackers), and Jess Salgueiro (MOUTHPIECE).

“Hungry, new talent is the lifeblood of this industry,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF. “This year’s group are some of the most captivating, charismatic, and promising young Canadian talents Rising Stars has ever seen, so it’s no surprise they’re featured in some of the Festival’s most highly anticipated films. They are the ones to watch.”

The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.