“Why should I work for someone else’s film when I can do my own film?” 💥
From being the kid in class who was good at drawing to becoming an internationally recognized, award-winning stop-motion director, Anna Mantzaris’ career path wasn’t planned from the start, but it was built step by step.
During the last edition of REX Animation Festival, we had the pleasure of interviewing Anna and hearing about her incredible journey through art school in Norway, mastering her talent at the Royal College of Art in London, and bringing masterpieces that have traveled through animation festivals worldwide.
Enjoy the full interview with Anna Mantzaris. Lin link in bio
#Womeninanimation, #SwedishAnimation , #Stopmotion, #PuppetAnimation, #NorthernAnimationArtist
🎬 Kviečiame Lietuvos animacijos profesionalus dalyvauti Lietuvos animacijos industrijos tyrime!
⏱️ Užpildyti anketą užtruksite vos 10–15 min., o kiekvienas atsakymas yra labai svarbus siekiant geriau suprasti animacijos sektoriaus situaciją ir poreikius.
📅 Apklausą kviečiame užpildyti iki gegužės 31 d.
👉 Apklausos anketa – mūsų profilio bio
Tyrimą vykdome kartu su partneriais @rexanimation Film Festival ir @linoleumfestival tarptautinio projekto FRAME (Focused Research on Animation: Mapping & Evaluation) rėmuose.
Tyrimą finansuoja Švedijos institutas.
#blonfest #animation
“The best feedback I ever got was women saying they could see themselves in my work.” ❤️
Jenni uses her art to tackle tough topics like mental health. Her moving paintings help express those feelings that are usually hard to put into words.
In our latest interview, Jenni talks about her creative evolution, her time at RCA, and the transition from making films about her own experiences to her latest project, “Dollhouse Elephant.”
Link in bio
#Womeninanimation #FinnishAnimation #Stopmotion #2DAnimation #HandDrawnAnimation NorthernAnimationArtist
FAF 26 submissions close at the end of the week!
By submitting to FAF, your film will also be considered for @viborganimationfestival , @rexanimation , and @blonfest !
Plus, Nordic-Baltic films at FAF will be eligible for the new @fipresci international critics award!
Submit on @filmfreeway before May 3rd!
Open to all professional, student and commissioned works under 30 mins
Joni Männistö told us about his journey from a kid surrounded by VHS tapes to an award-winning animator.
He shared what it was like studying in Turku under the legendary Priit Pärn, where he learned to ditch dialogue and let the movement do the talking. Joni gets real about the lack of funding in the indie scene and the struggle to get projects off the ground.
In this interview, he talks about his school years and his creative process from the very first spark of an idea to the freedom of knowing that in animation, nothing can hold your imagination back.
🔗 Link in bio!
#FinnishAnimation #Stopmotion #PuppetAnimation #2DAnimation #HandDrawnAnimation
From curiosity to craft. From doubt to mastery. 🎭Endre Skandfer opens up about a lifetime devoted to animation, from the Norwegian classics that sparked his obsession, to the grueling realities of feature film production, and why animation remains one of the best magic tricks ever.
Watch Endre's full story on Northern Animation Network YouTube channel 🎬✨
Clip from Dunder (2016)
⚡We’re launching FRAME — a new international research project on the animation industry⚡
We’re excited to begin work on FRAME (Focused Research on Animation: Mapping & Evaluation) — a joint initiative by @linoleumfestival (Ukraine 🇺🇦), @rexanimation (Sweden 🇸🇪), and @blonfest (Lithuania 🇱🇹).
The project aims to build a shared understanding of how the animation sector functions across our countries — from education and production to financing models, market access, and international collaboration. Through research, interviews, and data collection, we will map the current landscape and identify key challenges and opportunities for growth.
Alongside the research, we will also develop a series of case studies based on real animation projects. These will help trace their development paths — from early stages to international circulation — highlighting growth trajectories, obstacles, decision-making processes, and the practical challenges creators face along the way.
FRAME is designed not only as a study, but as a practical tool — to support industry professionals, strengthen cross-border collaboration, and contribute to informed cultural policy.
This project is funded by the Swedish Institute
The results of the research will be presented publicly later this year.
Stay tuned — and if you’re part of the animation sector, we’ll soon invite you to contribute.
#FundedbySI #SvenskaInstitutet #SharingSweden
“Animation is where nothing is impossible.” ✨
In our latest video interview, Karla Nor Holmbäck (@karlaholmback ) reflects on her journey from childhood sketches to building entire worlds through film. She shares what draws her to storytelling for children, the joy of working in creative communities, and the challenges of shaping ideas over time.
From quiet inspiration in nature to the realities of funding and collaboration, Karla offers a thoughtful and personal glimpse into the life of an animation director.
Discover a story about curiosity, connection, and creating something meaningful for others.
🎬 Watch the full interview on Northern Animation Youtube channel – link in bio.
#Womeninanimation #DanishAnimation #NorthernAnimationArtist
“It’s like stepping into someone’s brain.” 🧠
We sat down with the visionary Niki Lindroth von Bahr to talk about the strange, miniature worlds she builds. From the struggle of paying rent as an indie artist to the magic of the international festival circuit, Niki gets real about what it takes to make “genius films” in a chaotic industry.
Explore the dark, beautiful, and deeply human side of animation.
🎬 Watch the full interview at the link in our bio.
#NikiLindrothVonBahr #StopMotion #AnimationLife #IndieFilm #ArtistTalk Womeninanimation SwedishAnimation Stopmotion PuppetAnimation NorthernAnimationArtist
Can you stumble into a career?
“Yes, you can,” says Ignas Meilūnas (@ignas.meilunas ), a Lithuanian animation director, in a new interview on the Northern Animation Youtube channel.
Ignas has spent nearly two decades bringing inanimate objects to life through stop-motion. In this conversation, he reflects on a childhood spent dismantling toys and building strange constructions by hand—an instinct that eventually led him to animation.
He talks about discovering animation almost by accident through 3D modeling, and the moment static objects suddenly began to move and feel alive. Ignas also reflects on the patience and endurance behind a craft where twelve hours of work might result in only a few seconds of movement, and on choosing curiosity and passion over a carefully planned career.
Watch the full interview now 👉 link to Northern Animation Youtube channel in bio
#LithuanianAnimation #Stopmotion #PuppetAnimation #NorthernAnimationArtist
🚀 Aware Game Awards Loading...
BLON Animation and Games Festival invites game creators to submit their projects to the AWARE GAME AWARDS – a celebration of games that go beyond entertainment.
AWARE GAME AWARDS highlight titles that raise awareness about personal journeys, global challenges, and social issues. These are games that prioritise immersion and empathy, helping us better understand one another and the world around us 🌍🎮
Our mission is to showcase a different – and sometimes unexpected – side of gaming, while inspiring and engaging local creative communities to push boundaries and tell meaningful stories.
If your game sparks reflection, builds empathy, or shines a light on important topics, we want to see it!
Submit your games until April 15.
👉 All requirements and the application form – linked in our bio.
#blonfest #games
“Animation isn’t just about movement – it’s about giving a character a universe, emotions, and a mythology,” says illustrator, animation director and concept artist @nathanjurevicius
A new video interview with Nathan is now available on the Northern Animation Youtube channel 🎬
In this wide-ranging conversation, he traces his path from illustration and early digital animation to large-scale storytelling across film, games and design. He discusses animation as a medium where characters, emotions and worlds can fully unfold, shaped by influences including early morning cartoons, Japanese animation and the surreal logic of H.R. Pufnstuf.
Nathan also reflects on how his Lithuanian and Latvian heritage has shaped his visual language, and his drive to continue mythology by creating new stories rooted in cultural memory.
👉 Watch the full interview now!
#IndieAnimation #3Danimation #BalticMythology #ArtistInterview #NorthernAnimationArtist
