The World Festival of Animated Film – Animafest Zagreb was first held in 1972. It’s the second oldest film festival, after Annecy, entirely dedicated to animation and one of the world’s most important festivals on this subject.
Love in Times of Coal-Based Economy received a special mention for the best film made in minority co-production with Croatia. Tomasz Siwiński’s film begins with a prehistoric fish taking its first step on dry land. Tyrannosaurs cuddle are awaiting death following a meteorite impact. The year is 1963 and it’s the winter of the century in Poland, with chimneys happily spitting out black smoke. Here we meet a young coal loader who loves a beautiful crane operator to bits. The fire of love won’t let him freeze when he struggles with piercing frost and, pushed by desire, wades through snowdrifts. Our heroes, still completely unaware of global warming and excessive carbon dioxide emissions, will play their roles in a human comedy of love and death. The film was produced by Letko and Adriatic Animation.
A list of all the winners can be found here.