Sandra Vivas makes history as her animated film becomes the first Dominican production selected for the prestigious Annecy Animation Festival.
Dominica: An animated film from Dominica has gained international ground, with it being the only film from the region set to debut at the Annecy Animation Festival in France this June.
A Dominican animation film titled “Equity in the Workplace: The Experience of Black Irish Women in Academia and the Teaching Profession” has been selected for the Annecy Film Festival in France, making history as the first-ever film to be showcased at the festival.
Along with 66 other films from various nations that were chosen for the TV and Commissioned Films category, the Dominican picture will be the first from the country and the only film from the Caribbean region to be presented at the film festival.
The film was created by Sandra Vivas, a member of the Waitukubuli Artists Association (WAA), who is from Venezuela but has been a citizen of Dominica for more than 15 years now, since 2009.
Upon hearing the news, filmmaker Sandra Vivas expressed her excitement, underscoring the significance of this achievement for her nation.
In her interview with DBS News, Sandra Vivas stated, “I'm so incredibly overjoyed and honoured that my work is in Annecy because it is, I would say, the most important animation film festival in the world. And having the recognition there is like a springboard for other platforms and other festivals.”
She further added that a Dominican film being screened at the Annecy festival puts Dominica on the map and sets the tone for more works in the making.
The Annecy Film Festival is scheduled to take place in June and is regarded as the oldest in the world that is entirely dedicated to animation. The festival has had many attendees over the years, with last year’s number exceeding 18,000, reflecting its importance in the film industry and the world.