Animation at Estonian Week

Next to the visit of Priit and Olga Pärn, announced on this blog on March 11th, yet another Estonian animator, Kaspar Jancis has confirmed attending the event. The premiere of Kaspar Jancis’ brand new short, "Crocodile" is scheduled to be screened at the opening ceremony of the cultural week’s film program in Budapest’s Toldi mozi on Wednesday, 6th of May. The short, making its international festival debut in the competition on Annecy IAFF this year, is described by the author as a "twisted love story with a crocodile".

Kaspar Jancis is one of the two younger generation Estonian animators who had the chance to study animation under the guidance of the old master Priit Pärn when there was still no separate film school or even an animation department in the country. Priit Pärn too was teaching in the neighboring Finland in the Turku Arts and Media School, but had set the possibility of accepting some Estonian students as a precondition to accepting the teaching position.

The international recognition came in 1999 when Kaspar Jancis completed “Romance”, his debut short that was awarded the Grand Prix in undergraduate competition at the 7th Fredikstadt Animerte Dager. It is his distinctive style of drawing and sense for irony in everyday life that has kept his work on the must-see lists of prestigious festivals all around the world, from France to Brazil, and Canada to Japan.

Being a multitalented entertainer, Kaspar Jancis will also perform in Budapest with his band Kriminaalne Elevant; and play a role in a play, Paul Street Boys, presented by the Estonian VAT theatre in Budapest’s Merlin on May 7th.

Filmography:

ROMANCE (1999)

WEITZENBERG STREET (2002)

FRANK AND WENDY (co-director, 2004)

MARATHON (2006)

THE VERY LAST CIGARETTE (2007)

CROCODILE (2009)