Melbourne International Animation Festival

Overview

Anime, claymation, 3D stereoscopic and old-timey pen and paper will all be on display at Melbourne's inaugural celebration of all things animation.

As its name suggests, the Melbourne International Animation Festival is basically about two things: (1) the entire gamut of what we might consider as animation and (2) its global-ness. With animation taken from such diverse corners of the world as Lithuania, Canada, Japan and the United States, the 11-day festival looks set to be an artistic tour of how animation has come to reflect different national and regional cultures.

So what does the event actually involve? The short answer is a little bit of everything. There will be screenings and film galas, showcasing 200 or so of the best new animated films going around, exhibitions and collections of everything from music videos to Portland Claymation, forums and talks from some of the world's most celebrated indie animators and interactive workshops that look at such nostalgic treats as making your own flipbook.

Head to their website if you're hoping to get a complete breakdown of their program and stock up on your favourite Lithuanian fairytales and children's anime because it's all set to be on show when the festival kicks off on June 20.