“ReAnimania” was created 15 years ago on a principle and idea that we continue to hold today: Vrej Kassouny

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, ARMENPRESS.The “ReAnimania” International Animation Films and Comics Art Festival will take place during these challenging times for Armenia, as announced by the organizers. As scheduled, the 15th Edition of “ReAnimania” Festival will take place from October 22 to 28 in Yerevan. We talked to Vrej Kassouny, the founder of the “ReAnimania” festival, a cartoonist, painter, and an animator, about the festival's program, its goals, its vision for the development of animation art in Armenia, as well as the initiatives being developed for the forcibly displaced Artsakh Armenians through the festival.

Mr. Kassouny, after the recent events, you announced that the "ReAnimania" festival would not be canceled. How and why did you make the decision to proceed with the festival?

This year is a jubilee year for “ReAnimania” and for us, marking the 15th anniversary of the festival and the 85th anniversary of Armenian animation. It has been several years since we were in the phase of a relative pause, due to the events of 2020 happened: pandemic, then the war... . Recently, especially during our visit to the Annecy International Film Festival, we realized that there are high expectations from Armenia, and we were missed there. The interest in our events and achievements was quite high. We have decided to celebrate this jubilee year with great enthusiasm and present ourselves with a brand-new program, aiming to attract more participants. Nevertheless, everything changed due to the events in Artsakh. First and foremost, we were confronted with the choice of either surviving or perishing, of breaking or moving forward. We chose to live and create, and in these difficult times for Armenia, we decided to hold the festival. Now, more than ever, our country needs to preserve its national identity and spirit, cultivate new values, and showcase its rich cultural heritage to the world. Due to the situation, we have naturally made changes to the Festival's program. We have canceled all entertainment components, with a focus on educational aspects, fostering new collaborations, and supporting projects for the development of the sector. There is politics and then there is cultural politics, which nearly always fills the gaps that politics leaves. “ReAnimania”, as it was formed 15 years ago, remains a platform today that provides an opportunity to address our country's priorities through the language of culture and animated cinema, ensuring that Armenia's voice is heard. The festival's proceeds will be directed towards supporting the young people forcibly displaced from Artsakh, for specific and targeted purposes. We plan to conduct courses in animation technologies, AI, and VR application in animation cinematography and other related professions, involving the best specialists. Our goal is to identify talents, provide support, and foster cooperation and employment opportunities.

Please tell us about yourself, and share the path you took to enter the field of animation art

I was born in Aleppo. However, the Kassouniesare from Western Armenia, descending from the Kessun. Kessun is a small rural town in present-day Turkey, which has its own castle, church. Today, Kessun has been renamed and is called Behsni however, fortunately, there are still writings with the name “Kessun” preserved in the area. The majority of the residents are Armenians: they don’t speak Armenian, but they are aware of their ethnicity. Subsequently, our family was relocated to Ayntap, followed by Marash and Aleppo. I returned to Armenia in 1999 when I was 28 years old. Returning to my homeland at a conscious age and continuing to work here was a profoundly significant decision for me. I got my education as a painter in Aleppo, and I also pursued studies at the Terlemezyan State College of Fine Arts here. Initially, my intention was to return after my studies and establish a vocational school in the Diaspora. But I came to the realization that I wanted to stay here. And I advised everyone to get professional education here. I entered the field of animation because I have loved it since my childhood. It's true that my parents were not painters and had no connection to this field, generally the Kassouniesare people involved in the arts. My father was a craftsman who had a deep appreciation for art and had a remarkable talent for painting. When I began to study animation in depth, I got acquainted with the best masters. It's a great honor for me that I had the opportunity to study with Robert Sahakyants, one of the classics of Armenian animation, and over time we also became friends.

How did the idea of establishing the “ReAnimania” festival come about? What is the development path of the Festival?

In 2004, during the “Golden Apricot” festival, I noticed that there were very few animated films, only one or two. When I suggested the idea of having a festival of animated films here, most responses were along the lines of: “'It's not our field”, or “It's a different genre”, and so on. I began discussing the idea in various formats during international film festivals to gain insights into their approaches. Everyone showed great interest, and that's how we organized the first “ReAnimania” festival in 2009. Fifteen years ago, animation was perceived only as a cartoon, today, I think, we have managed to make the transition from cartoon to film art. In 2009, at the first festival, we showcased the best animated films from the previous two years. The screening halls for featured films were packed, and we had 2,000 participants, which was a significant achievement for us at that time. The peak of “ReAnimania” was in 2018, when we had 10,000 attendees. That year, we laid the foundation for the culture of master classes and established a new platform where our animators could present their ideas and projects, gaining the opportunity to collaborate with some of the world's leading producers.

This year we will also have the MarAni (Market of animation) platform, where we will have workshops, master classes, panel discussions with the participation of the best international specialists. They will talk about visual effects, AI, VR application, acting skills in animation, etc. We will have guest who used to be work with Disney most of his career, professionals who have worked in the movie “Spider-Man”, and other world-famous celebrities. In parallel, there will be a co-production platform where Armenian animators can showcase their projects to international co-producers, engage in discussions about potential collaborations, and lay the groundwork for organizing and executing future joint productions. In other words, this year, we tried to strengthen the commercialization platform of the festival and provide more practical proposals to the participants․ We have incredible animation studios with which international companies express a desire to collaborate. The proof of this can be seen in the fact that during the festival Tigran Arakelyan's OnOff studio will sign a memorandum of cooperation with one of the leading French companies. Today I can confidently say that 15 years ago the festival was created with the very purpose, principle and idea for which we decided to hold it today. Over these years, we have had significant results, Armenia has occupied its unique positions on the map of the field, many young people have gained international connections, new collaborations, promoted and implemented their ideas, some of them have established personal studios. All this also contributes to the development of business and the country's economy. To be honest, organizing a festival can be quite challenging for me. As an artist, there are months when I don't paint, and I tend to feel a bit down during those times (smiles, edited).

Let's talk about Armenian animation, this year it turns 85 years old...

We have a rich history of animation, and it is considered a classic. Armenian animation has had powerful figures, and the development boom was after the Second World War, when animation already adopted a national approach. Thanks to the new generation, Armenian animation has left a unique signature. Even today, thanks to the new generation and young people, it is gaining momentum, because young people think differently, are crazier, braver and more creative. In 2009, “ReAnimania” was founded, bringing together young people and all those interested in the field. This marked the beginning of the animation industry's gradual development, and it continues to strive for further growth and consolidation of its position today. The sector is rapidly evolving, day by day. I am sure that in a few years we will have serious awards and significant successes. This year, we have introduced a positive change in the format for screening Armenian animated films. We will show both the “past” and the “future”. In the history of Armenian animation, there are many names worthy of attention. This year, we will shine a spotlight on six remarkable figures: Lev Adamanov, Valentin Podpomogov, Rafael Babayan, Robert Sahakyants, Stepan Andranikyan, and Yura Muradyan. They are the specialists who passed the flag of Armenian animation development to each other and brought it to us today. And the format of the screenings is as follows: before each screening, there will be a podcast interview with one of the modern descendants of the given animators, after which the films of both will be shown. For instance, we will talk about Robert Sahakyants with his son Davit Sahakyants, before showing both his and Robert Sahakyants' animated films. In other words, we will showcase the evolution of Armenian animation, bridging the past to the present and paving the way for the future. I should mention these presentations will take place at the TUMO center, and our choice of venue is not arbitrary.

Where will the actual demonstrations be held, and what kinds of programs are planned within the festival's framework?

The screenings will take place at Cinema House. This year, we have a rich and comprehensive program, including various other projects implemented as part of the festival. For example, this year we announced a national competition for painting specialists. People who “recognize” the “ReAnimania” know that it wasn't created for the purpose for entertainment but rather with the specific goal of fostering the development of a particular field. During these years, we have achieved significant successes, which shows that we must continue and not stop creating the cultural policy we have adopted. This is especially crucial today, during this challenging phase for our homeland. Life is a Picture, Bring the Picture to life. This is the slogan of our festival. The images of the last period are sad, we should give them new breath and color, revive them. Life moves forward and compels us to do the same.