Annecy Interview: Director Aristarchos Papadaniel Talks about ASIFA Hellas Group

Aristarchos: Hello. My name is Aristarchos Papadaniel. I am from Greece. I am director and animator, and generally I create 2D cartoon animations. I am here with the group of ASIFA Hellas that we have for a second time a booth in MIFA Annecy. Our booth is expanded because our productions are also expanded. And so we have the opportunity to share with other cultures and industries our dreams, our thoughts and our productions for co-operations. In our booth we have 16 projects that they are being communicated from our last production activities. Some of them are doing extremely well. For example, here we have Irida Zhonga with Man Wanted that was presented last year and this year she has found co-productions in order to continue and finish. Also, for the first time, we have Dimitris Savvaidis’ Addart project which is entitled Future Postman that will go to the Cartoon Forum on September and here he found all the co-producers to help him finish the project and go to the next step.

CGGE: Can you talk about the development of this industry in Greece?

Aristarchos: I’d like to talk you about this edition. It’s an edition about 70 Years of Greek Animation (ASIFA Hellas-Greekanimation.com). It’s a historic book, first time published in Greece and it’s in Greek and in English as well. So, everybody can learn from it, about history and productions that have already been made, in all the fields of animation – TV series, spots, shorts and features. It also has interviews from some artists that talk about their project as a case study.

CGGE: You talk some degrees of other artists, let’s talk about your works?

Aristarchos: Let me tell you something about my studio – it is called Syllipsis. We run it from 2005.  As a director-animator I have the great honor to have created A Letter – A Story (Ena Gramma Mia Istoria), the first animated educational TV series in Greece.  It is about the Greek alphabet and Greek language and is being used in schools for the kids to learn our civilization. The author-educational technologist that I collaborated with is Sophia Madouvalou, an awarded author, who was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Awards and the production is from the Educational Radiotelevision of the Greek Ministry of Education. Also, I have two editions, two flipbooks with a character I designed named Telis and the series is called Pocket Cinemaseries, because since they are flipbooks they are small and we flip them and watch animation.

There is another last thing. As ASIFA Hellas in Greece we invite producers in order to collaborate with us and have in their productions 35% cash rebate (EKOME S.A., National Centre of Audiovisual Media and Communication). You may find more information in our sitewww.asifahellas.eu and of course by emailing us at [email protected]

Play the video below to watch the interview of the director Aristarchos Papadaniel:

Onsite Reporter: Sophia