Vijece Svjetskog festivala animiranih filmova u Zagrebu utemeljilo je Nagradu za zivotno djelo 1986. godine. Ova nagrada dodjeljuje se pojedincima-autorima koji su bitno unaprijedili umjetnost animacije.

Prvi puta nagrada je dodijeljena Normanu McLarenu. a potom Chucku Jonesu, Johnu Halasu, Bobu Godfreyu i Dusanu Vukoticu.

Nagrada za zivotno djelo Ms. Leaf urucuje se 10. lipnja u Zagrebu.




NAGRADA ZA ZIVOTNO DJELOZA1996.GODINU

Velika retrospektiva radova Caroline Leaf na ovogodisnjem zagrebackom festivalu animiranih filmo- va rijetka je prigoda da analiticki razmotrimo na koji su nacin povezani njezini filmovi, ne uzivajuci nista manje u cjelovitosti i jedinstvenosti njezina umjetnickog svjetonazora. Prateci kronoloski nastanak velikih animiranih filmova Caroline Leaf, od njezina sjajnog studentskog debija, filma SAND, ili od filma PETER AND THE WOLF iz 1969. godine do majstorske racionalizacije izrazajnih sredstava u dramaturgiji filma ENTRE DEUX SOEURS iz 1990. godine, steci cemo na ovom festivalu tocniji osjecaj za to kojim se tokom razvijao njezin jedinstven stvaralacki stil. Imat cemo i jasniju predodzbu o unutarnjoj logici njezinih "rucno radenih" filmova, koji s nama komuniciraju na nacin posve razlicit od tehnoloski slozenijih filmskih formi. Vec je iz tog razloga, a razloga je mnogo, dodjela nagrade za zivotno djelo za 1996. godinu Caroline Leaf naznaka lijepe buducnosti rukom radenih filmova i kulture animacije u cjelini.

Medutim, vrlo osobna forma animacije kakvu radi Caroline Leaf povjesnicarima filma i predavacima o animiranom filmu zadaje neobican problem: kako pronaci odgovarajuce rijeci, kojim terminima definirati nacela kojima se rukovodi u prakticiranju animacije koja je ona otkrila intu itivno, iskusavala i unapredivala u toku svojeg rada na filmu. Buduci da sredstva koja ona koristi za animaciju i njezino konstruiranje naracije odudaraju od tradicionalnijih metoda stvaranja filma, njezin doprinos umjetnosti animacije uvijek je bilo tesko artikulirati i smjestiti u kontekst, i s estetskog i s historijskog aspekta. Trebat ce nam mnogo preciznija ter minologija ako zelimo doista ispitati i jasnije definirati audiovizualni jezik i psihofizicki efekt ove intimne filmske forme.

Norman McLaren was the winner of the first Life Achievement Award. Other recipients include Chuck Jones. John Halas, Bob Godfrey and Dusan Vukotic.

The Council of the 1996 Festival decided by a unanimous vote to honour Caroline Leaf, a Canadian animator whose art stands as a testimony to authentic virtues of animation as an autonomous discipline of art where film, visual art, literature, music and technical imagination meet. Much of Caroline Leaf's work has inspired innovations which have brought about new directions in this art form. All of Ms. Leaf's films are an expression of her unique artistic integrity and her be­lief in pursuing new and original solutions for animation. The art of Caroline Leaf has won recognition in the world of an­imation and has proved to be an inspiration to many animation artists throughout the world.

1996 LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The major retrospective of Caroline Leaf's work at this year's Festival is a rare opportunity to observe the interconnections between her films, as well as to enjoy their individual artistic integrity. By reviewing the chronologi­ cal development of Caroline Leaf's major animated films, from her brilliant student debut, SAND or PETER AND THE WOLF (1969) to the masterful economy and dramatic power of ENTRE DEUX SOEURS (1990), we will each come away from this Festival enriched with a stronger sense of the direction and uniqueness of her creative process. We will have a clearer grasp of the internal logic of her 'hand-made' films, which communicate in ways quite different from more technological forms of cinema. For these and other reasons, the occasion of the 1996 presentation of the LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD to Caroline Leaf is auspicious for the future of the art of hand-crafted film making, and for animation culture as a whole.

Caroline Leaf's highly personal form of anima­tion, however, presents film historians and educators with an unusual problem - how to adequately express in words the principles of her practice of animation which she has intuitively discovered and developed over the course of her career. Because her animation media and narrative modes of con­struction do not conform to more traditional forms of film practice, her contribution to the art of Animation has been dif­ficult to articulate and contextualise, both aesthetically and historically. A more precise terminology is needed to inves­ tigate and define more clearly the audio-visual language and psychophysical effect of this intimate form of cinema.

The 12th World Festival of Animated Films has already begun the process of recontextualising Caroline Leaf's "timeless and undisputed contribution to the art and development of Animation" with this historical award. For us, it remains to explore and enjoy the translucent 'worlds' she has created with her fingers, which live in the mind, like treasured dreams.