Brooklyn, New York’s annual Animation Block Party festival has posted its 2019 program, once again offering a signature blend of exciting new titles, carefully curated shorts and retro treasures polished up for a return to the big screen. The largest animation festival on the East Coast, the 16th ABP will run September 20-22 with screenings at BAM Film.
The tooned-up weekend kicks off Friday with the screening of Amp Wong & Zhao Ji’s visually lush folkloric fantasy White Snake (China) at 7 p.m. The traditional Opening Night Celebration will begin at 8 p.m. at bierhaus DSK on Fulton Street, featuring the Picture This! live art comedy show, a Cartoons on Film 16mm showcase, an animated TAMA and Friends exclusive, the release of ABP’s Animation Summer Zine and drink specials from Weihenstephan.
Saturday gets a nostalgic start with a 2 p.m. matinee of 1980’s Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (And Don’t Come Back!!), the last traditionally animated Peanuts movie from Bill Melendez’s studio, co-directed by Phil Roman. The latest and greatest in shorts and music videos fill out the rest of the day, with programs themed on Narrative Works, Independents & Local Filmmakers at 4:30 p.m., followed by a Q&A; International Shorts and Q&A at 7 p.m.; and a spotlight on Female Animators with Q&A, co-presented with Columbus, OH-based art zine collective Malt Adult at 9 p.m.
Sunday features a selection of Animation for Kids with filmmaker Q&A, starting the day at 2 p.m. Looney Tunes fans can relive a 40-year-old Warner Bros. classic on 35mm, The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie at 4:30 p.m. The weekend closes out with Student Films at 7 p.m. and a collection of Experimental Films, Graphic Design & Music Videos at 9 p.m., both followed by filmmaker Q&As.
Full program and more information available at www.animationblock.com. Advance tickets on sale August 13.
