Animation is Film Festival Values International Work

The Animation is Film Festival in Hollywood is gearing up for their second year of celebrating animated movies. The goal of the festival is to show film-lovers that animation is a legitimate type of art and not “a genre for one specific audience,” according to festival programmer Rodney Uhler. Many of the films shown are not US films. The festival highlights Japanese animator Momoru Hosoda with an English and a Japanese showing of “Mirai.” Other features include Belgian, Spanish, and Hungarian films.

In film circles, animation is not given the same respect other genres have garnered. It is necessary to examine the connection between the international creators and the lack of popularity in the US. While there are certainly other factors involved in the popularity of the medium, I believe cultural bias plays a large part. A large portion of animation falls under the category of “Japanimation,” which is a subset commonly looked down upon. The unconscious biases that lead to this view are worth considering.

That being said, this film festival focusing on the legitimacy of the genre is valuable. Incorporating international film in a US-focused market can help to increase respect and understanding of others’ cultures and art.