In attendance of the Latin representative of ASIFA, the director of ASIFA Argentina, Mr Oscar Desplats, and the African representative, the director of ASIFA Egypt, Dr. Mohamed Ghazala, the organizing committee of Chilemonos International Animation Festival, in Santiago/ Chile, hosted a lunching forum for the newest chapter of the International Association of Animation Filmmakers (ASIFA) in Chile, to be the 5th chapter in the whole Latin America. The founder of ASIFA Chile, Mrs Vivienne Barry, opened the forum with a welcoming letter which was sent from ASIFA General Secretary, welcoming the new members in Chile.

The executive director of the Chilemonos festival, Mrs Margarita Cid Lizondo, welcomed the presence of ASIFA in her festival in its first edition, and looked forward for more cooperation between animators in Latin America and Africa through ASIFA. There were also a series of lectures by ASIFA Egypt director in Santo Tomás University and Universidad Católica de Chile, except for being a member of the international jury of Chilemonos festival.

The program of the festival was full of very interesting films, events, masterclasses with international animators, like Ryan Woodward (of Space Jam,  Spider-man) Carlos Saldanha, (of Rio, Ice Age), and many artists and curators from Latin America.

For the first time ASIFA Egypt's Prize was presented during closing ceremony of Cairo International Children Festival and went to the Algerian film "The Hunter & the Antelope". The prize was recieved by Mme Dalila Nadjm, the president of FIBDA "Algiers Int'l Comics Festival".

The film was directed by the Cameroonian Narcisse Youmbi and produced by the Algerian Djilali Beskri. 

CONGRATULATIONS!

As the head of the animation jury in 21th Cairo Int'l Children Film Festival, the Korean Mr Nelson Shin, the presdient of the International Association of Animation Filmmakers (ASIFA) will be present in Egypt between 23rd-31st of March, 2012, to participate in many events and activities during the festival which considered to be the oldest in Africa & Middle East with its 20 previous editions.

Firstl of all, Mr Shin will be paid a tribute by the Egyptian Minister of the Culture, Dr Shaker Abdul Hamid, during the opening ceremony of the festival, next Friday 23rd of March, in the Big hall of the Egyptian Opera House in Cairo.

Secondy, Mr Shin will head the animation jury in the festival, which will include the Croatian Mrs Vesna Dovnikovic, the Secretary General of ASIFA, the director of ASIFA Croatia, Mrs Shwekar Khalifa, the Honorary Presdient of ASIFA Egypt, and Dr Mohamed Ghazala, the director of ASIFA Egypt. This jury will choose the Best Animated Film, plus award the Prize of ASIFA Egypt, which will be introduced to the best animated film from South (Africa, Asia, and Latin America) the Prize is the trophy of ASIFA Egypt's logo which was made in Korea.

Thirdly, Mr Shin will head the forum "ASIFA: Around the World in 50 Years!" which will discuss the 50th Anniversary of the International Association of Animation Filmmakers (ASIFA) , its history, its present activites, and its prospects for the future. In the forum will take part the members of ASIFA, at 1-3p.m at the Higher Council of Culture in Opera House district in Cairo, Wedensday, the 28th of March, 2012.

This trip is considered to be the very first one of Mr Shin to any African and Arabian country, and it is considered to be a new step of ASIFA in Africa.

During four days, with the students of the Fine Arts Faculty of Luxor, an animation workshop organized by ASIFA Egypt, with international animators from France & India. The result of the workshop was screened in the closing ceremony of Luxor African Film Festival on the 28th of February, 2012, as beside-workshop of the festival.

Watch the documentary of the animation workshop