Conscious Cartoons Int'l Animation Festival debuts Sept. 14-16

The new Conscious Cartoons International Animation Festival, coming to Vashon Island September 14-16, 2018, is the first of its kind worldwide. Conscious Cartoons will feature three days of outstanding animated shorts – many award-winning – from around the world with socially conscious, humanist themes. The festival will harness the power of animation to inspire compassion and provide insights into the human condition in ways that live action media often fails to do.

With the natural beauty of Vashon Island as its backdrop, Conscious Cartoons offers an unique weekend escape for cinephiles and adventurous tourists, alike. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet animators from around the world and see films from India, Egypt, France, and other far-flung locales while enjoying food and drink from Vashon Island businesses. The schedule also encourages visitors to get out and explore the island between screenings.

The festival lineup includes many Northwest premieres, including UGLY by Nikita Diakur, KÖTÜ KIZ / WICKED GIRL by Ayce Kartal, BIRDLIME by Evan DeRushie and THE BOX by Dušan Kastelic. Other standout titles include 2017 Oscar nominee, NEGATIVE SPACE, by Max Porter & RU KUWAHATA, the heartbreaking account of a gay Egyptian man who fears for his life in, HALF A LIFE. The painful yet uplifting stories of five children who survived the 2010 Ivory Coast war in WHEN I HEAR THE BIRDS SING, and a holocaust survivor’s story of redemption in I HAVE A MESSAGE FOR YOU.

Along with promoting greater awareness of social issues, the festival will award independent animators cash prizes – over $20,000 total – in multiple categories, including a $5,000 award for Best Children’s Film, sponsored by Seattle’s Committee for Children

The Conscious Cartoons International Animation Festival will take place at the Vashon Theatre on Vashon Island, WA. A short ferry ride (10 to 20 minutes) from both Seattle and Tacoma, Vashon Island is a jewel in the Puget Sound known for its vibrant arts culture, progressive attitudes, and stunning vistas.

Conscious Cartoons is founded by animator Bill Jarcho. According to Jarcho, “Conscious Cartoons was born as an urgent call-to-action to help counter the racism, xenophobia, and moral decay evident in our society today. This festival aims to awaken insight, justice, and compassion through the uniquely transcendent medium of animation.

Bill was co-founder and creative director of Olive Jar Studios in Boston, where he produced many of the early MTV and Nickelodeon spots, as well as short films, commercials, and music videos. He later worked at Will Vinton Studios in Portland, where he directed episodes of "The PJ’s." Over the past 10 years, his work designing and directing animated social-emotional learning videos for Committee for Children, have garnered a number of national awards. His latest film, co-created with Sean Burns, is NOT ONE OF US, which has played at over 45 film festivals around the world.
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TICKET INFORMATION

Seven different programs will be featured with each program comprised of different films. Programs announced mid-July 2018.

ADVANCED TICKETS:
$30 Advance Festival Pass: Four Programs* and FREE Popcorn
Buy by July 31 to take advantage of this special offer.
After August 1 - $35 Festival Pass includes four programs (no popcorn)
Festival Pass Tickets ONLY availbale via BrownPaperTickets.
Individual Program Tickets:
$10 Adults, $8 Students/Children // Available August 1