...a new screening series called Animation Speak/Easy, an interactive, in-person event where three guest speakers each share an animated short that inspires them, followed by a lively audience discussion. After two years of isolation, we want to create a space that brings together curious, inspired artmakers who are passionate about animation and its constantly changing forms.
Join us on Thursday, November 30th to take in another round of inspiring animated shorts and to share thoughts and ideas with our guests and our audience!
Rullo's - 560 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Doors at 7:00pm – Screening at 7:30pm
**No cover. Rullo’s has snacks and a full bar, and we hope you’ll show them some love
Carrie Hawks confronts self-imposed and external assumptions about identity in order to promote healing, particularly in relation to Blackness, gender, and queer sexuality. They work in animation, drawing, collage, sculpture, and performance, often incorporating humor. Their film black enuf* was nominated for a New York Emmy, won Best Documentary Short at Trans Stellar Film Festival, was broadcast on American Public Television’s World Channel, and screened at over 40 festivals. They have received grants from the Jerome Foundation (2014, 2019), Black Public Media, and Brown Girls Doc Mafia and were a fellow at the Leslie Lohman Museum. Their recent documentary, Inner Wound Real premiered at Tribeca Festival in 2022 and they lead a corresponding mental health workshop for the New York DOE. They are an Assistant Professor of Illustration at Parsons, The New School.
www.maroonhorizon.com
Biljana Labovic is a New York-based Animation Director with an extensive career in animation. In her current role as an Animation Director at TED-Ed, she has been directing short animated educational videos and ensuring the animation quality of all TED-Ed content for over a decade. Her professional animation journey began in 1999 with Bill Plympton, where she initially started by hand-painting cells. Biljana played a pivotal role in transitioning the studio to digital production, producing Bill's Academy Award-nominated "Guard Dog," along with many other short films and features. Other noteworthy collaborations include an animated segment in the Academy Award-winning documentary short film "Freeheld" by Cynthia Wade, as well as humble contributions to films by Faith and Emily Hubley, including "Hedwig and the Angry Inch."
A selection of Biljana's TED-Ed animations
Born and raised in Rome, Italy, Stefano Imbert is a professional illustrator based in New York City, where he has worked for more than 20 years. His poster designs and illustrations welcome audiences to theaters in NYC and across the US. Stefano also works as a fashion illustrator, and his illustrated book covers have been published internationally. A graduate of Istituto d'Arte (Rome) and School of Visual Arts (NYC), he teaches at the City University of New York and served on the Board of Directors of the Society of Illustrators (NYC) as International Chair for 17 years.
www.stefanoimbert.com
Congratulations for this great first event to bring together the animation community. I loved that you choose three artists from different backgrounds and interests. It made for surprising discoveries! Also the discussion was well prepared and really made it particularly interesting...
It was exhilarating and I’m so thankful for the chance to share something I’m passionate about with others, as well as be included with two amazing animators I had never had the pleasure of meeting before...
Such a treat to go in depth (if ever so briefly) on the pieces that were picked, get to hear why and see how they resonated with other people there. And really just so swell to be around live humans in real space and time talking the walk and walking the talk.
Andy London is a graphic novelist, director and animator. Since the mid nineties, he’s been writing graphic novels and making independent animated shorts. In addition to making films and comics, Andy runs an animation program at Hostos Community College in New York City and is a Visiting Lecturer in the AFVS Department of Harvard University. He is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
www.letitfallapart.com
Anna Samo was born in Moscow, Russia, lived and studied animation in Berlin, Germany and is currently based in Brooklyn. As an independent filmmaker she uses a variety of analog animation techniques to create emotional and poetic work. Her most recent films OBON, The Opposites Game and Conversations with a Whale have been screened and awarded at film festivals around the world.
www.samo-animation.com
Lisa LaBracio is a freelance animation director who specializes in handmade animation techniques. As part of the founding production team at TED-Ed, Lisa has directed dozens of educational shorts in a variety of styles, and as an educator, has taught 100+ animation workshops to communities all over the world. Lisa is based in Brooklyn, where you can find her mediating an argument between her stop motion studio and her plant children regarding how much sunlight to allow into the home studio.
www.lisalabra.com
