Animest Bucharest Carte Blanche at StopTrik
Carte Blanche festivala Animest Bukarešta na StopTriku
Thursday, 24. 9. 2026 at 9.00 / Vetrinj mansion, big hall
Četrtek, 24. 9. 2026 ob 9.00 / Vetrinjski dvor, velika dvorana
Programme curated by Ligia Soare and Mihai Mitrică and will be introduced by Paula Benu.
Program sta kurirala Ligia Soare in Mihai Mitrică, predstavila ga bo Paula Benu.
Vsebinske opombe
Vojna in vojni zločini, genocid
Content notes
War and war crimes, genocide
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Paula Benu (b. 2006) is an emerging Romanian filmmaker and multimedia artist who often combines live-action with animation techniques. Currently studying Film Directing at the National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" (UNATC) in Bucharest, she has quickly established a distinctive voice characterized by deep curiosity and playfulness. Alongside her filmmaking, Paula is part of the core team of The Animation Incubator community, the biggest platform for digital arts dedicated to teenagers from Romania, The Republic of Moldova and Bulgaria. There she curates animation programmes and coordinates workshops in order to empower teenagers and foster belonging.
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Animest Bucharest International Animation Festival is run by the Animest Association, an independent cultural organization that supports and develops Romanian animation through a coherent set of cultural events, educational programs, professional initiatives and international projects, with a constant focus on education, inclusion, and sustainability. The association’s main and most visible project is the Animest International Animation Film Festival, founded in 2006 and held annually in Bucharest. Animest is the first and most important festival in Romania dedicated entirely to animated film and enjoys strong international recognition. Each year, the festival presents international and national competitions, curated sections, special events, animation workshops, and professional training activities. The winners of the Animest Trophy and the Romanian Competition automatically become eligible for the Academy Awards®, with Animest being the only festival in Romania to hold this status. Beyond the festival, the Animest Association develops recurring projects that extend its activity throughout the year and address the needs of diverse audiences and professional groups. These include Minimest, the section dedicated to children; the Animation Incubator, aimed at high school students interested in pursuing a career in animation; pitching programs for animation filmmakers (Pitch, Please! and Toon Scripts); Sisterhood of Young Animation Auteurs, a program dedicated to supporting women active in animation; as well as Animest Together, an initiative focused on improving accessibility across the association’s events for audiences with diverse abilities. The association’s international activity includes Animest Chișinău, a festival held in the Moldova, which reached its 11th edition in 2025, as well as active participation in European networks and partnerships. The Animest Association is a founding member of the Animation Festival Network, contributing to joint projects in education, professional mobility, and the exchange of best practices at the European level.
Next edition: 2. – 11. 10. 2026.
Find more: https://www.animest.ro/en/
1.
I died in Irpin / Ja pomerla v Irpenì (Я померла в Ірпені) / Umrla sem v Irpinu
Anastasiia Falileieva (MAUR film, Artichoke, Plastic Bag Films)
2024, Ukraine, Czechia, Slovakia, 11'
2.
Simply Divine / Pur și simplu divin / Preprosto božansko
Mélody Boulissière, Bogdan Stamatin (Novanima, Safe Frame, AMOPIX)
2024, Romania, France, 14’
3.
The Blissful Accidental Death / Splendida moarte accident / Blažena naključna smrt
Sergiu Negulici (Reniform Production, Abis Studio)
2016, Romania, 15’
4.
Orgiastic Hyper Plastic / Orgiastična hiper plastika
Paul Bush (Late Love Production)
2020, UK, Denmark, 7’
5.
Armat / Արմատ / Korenine
Élodie Dermange (Nadasdy Film, RTS Radio Télévision Suisse)
2022, Switzerland, 11’
7.
Oppression / Zatiranje
Adina Petre, Chilly, Cristina Tilvar, Amalia Ivanov, Alexandra Bobocea, Mary Lurbu, Diana Vasile, Reyxander, Eca Strumila, Soko (Animation Incubator)
2025, Romania, 1’38”
8.
Self-Portrait II / Autoportret II / Avtoportret II
Paula Benu (Animation Incubator)
2024, Romania, 1’23”
Paula Benu