Portugal’s North Coast

The Festival Internacional de Cinema de Animação, or CinAnima, in Espinho, just south of Porto, Portugal, was probably the friendliest of the festivals.  The staff made us feel immediately at home, sort of like new members of a little family at this small festival, small, but very well attended, and many hot presenters from; France, Belgium, Netherlands, Estonia, Morocco, Japan, and perhaps more.  Anima Mundi, from the exotic Portuguese speaking country of Brazil, had apparently recommended our UPA program to CinAnima, in Espinho, this lovely little seaside resort in northern Portugal.

Two UPA programs, somewhat similar to the three programs for Anima Mundi, were scheduled, including the now standard Q&A with presenter, Tee Bosustow.  The Q&As became a requirement, because not only was the audience able to learn things about UPA, but the presenter was able to learn what audience members were interested in, which was of great value to the production of the documentary.  And, like the Rio festival, there was plenty of time for touring, eating, meeting new animation folks, and constantly taking in the breathtaking beauty of this coastal environment.  Plus, being a small festival in a small town, with visitors from around the world, we had a terrific formal lunch with the mayor of Espinho, at City Hall.  We’ve stayed in touch with many of the festival organizers and the visiting presenters from other countries.  In 2013, for instance, we payed a visit to Monique Renault, a French animator married to a Dutch documentarian, who we’d met a half dozen years earlier at the little festival in Espinho.

Category: Festivals