The Model

Lightbox Festival shines a light on Animated Film

Cinema North West and The Model are creating a dedicated Irish Animation festival in Sligo on the 19th and 20th June entitled Lightbox, and presented in association with Dublin’s Darklight Film Festival, and collective Synth Eastwood, the weekend long festival presents family-friendly programmes as well as more challenging fare alongside industry events all focusing on Irish animation work from shorts and music videos to full length features.

Screenings will be held in The Model in Sligo and the Cinema NorthWest Cinemobile, which will be parked outside The Model’s new entrance on Connaughton Road.

This year Lightbox profiles the work of hugely successful Irish animation
company Cartoon Saloon, producers of The Secret of Kells. This is a
bewitching, magical story – a feast for the eyes. In addition to screening their Oscar®-nominated feature, there will also be a special selection of their work from the past few years.

There are several other family friendly screenings including Ponyo, the latest innovative work from the acclaimed Studio Ghibli, creators of such modern classics as Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. Also showing will be the award winning Lost and Found, this 25 minute animation was adapted from the quirky and beautiful children’s book by Oliver Jeffers.

The festival also looks in depth at the work of Jimmy Murakami, a founding father of Irish animation with the screening of a new documentary about his life; Jimmy Murakami, Non Alien, which fits in with a rare screening of his 1986 cold war feature film When the Wind Blows.
Also we will be screening Nina Paley’s Sita Sings the Blues. Paley, an independent filmmaker, adapted the Indian epic Ramayana for her first full-length feature, Sita. This is a sexy and subversive roller-coaster ride, which features a cast of hundreds: flying monkeys, evil monsters, gods, goddesses, warriors and winged eyeballs! Winner of the Silver Bear at the Berlinale, Sita has been called one woman’s pursuit of the truth, justice and a cry for female equality earning the tagline, ‘The Greatest Break-Up Story Ever Told.’

Lightbox is also bringing the wonderful Darklight programme of innovative short animation to Sligo, hosting a salon style chat with leading Animators in Animators Anonymous and staging on Saturday 19th at 9pm an exciting one-off music/art/film event by group Synth Eastwood as part of the festival. This ‘happening’, will be a night of music, performance with audio and visual manipulations, this will include complete interactivity with the audience, so expected the unexpected

There’s special Lightbox Kids programme running within the festival, with a great selection of features and shorts that are perfect for kids, with tales of talking fish, Irish monks and persuasive penguins. Check out the beautiful Oscar nominated animated film The Secret of Kells, this unique film tells the tale of young Brendan and his life within the abbey’s walls, follow him as he tries to protect the most magical book in the world as he ventures into the dark forest and meets the beautiful, but naughty forest sprite, Aisling.

Lightbox will also be screening the fantastical tale of Ponyo, with breathtaking animation, this is the story of a little fish from the sea who struggles to realise her dream of living with a five year old boy, named Sosuke, who in turn has to make a most solemn promise. Lightbox is also screening the winner of the 2009 BAFTA winner for best Children’s Animation, Lost and Found. This tells the story of a young boy who awakes to find a penguin on his doorstep and who will stop at nothing to bring him home to the Antarctica. There will be a special screening of Cartoon Saloon’s work, which will showcase their pioneering work in animation, such as their work for the music series, Anam and Amhran and their popular work for children’s television.

Special Kids Weekend pass is available for €10, which allows entry to all suitable, kids events at Lightbox. Adult weekend passes are €25, and day passes are €15, with individual tickets available for features too.

Tickets are available from The Model by calling the box office on 071 9141405 or by emailing tickets@modelart.ie.

For a full programme see visit Lightbox