Chitrakatha'13

The COW Cult is here again…

Chitrakatha-The biennial student animation festival from NID, celebrates the coming together of numerous creative minds that share a common dream: a dream of celebrating original animation and it’s future.

Not only does the festival celebrate moving image but also word and image in the form of graphic narratives, comics and doodles and also the celebration of five senses of human kind!

On one hand Chitrakatha brings storytelling stalwarts of international acclaim like Peter Parr, Bahram Azimi, Raimund Krumme, Coke Rioboo, Rolf Bachler, on the other it is now a stunning platform for emerging artists, student filmmakers, teachers, activists and enthusiasts to gather and share. Chitrakatha also digs deeper and brings traditional storytellers like Gonds, Patuas, Sufi singers from remote corners of the nation showcase and share their talent with the mad overexposed urbanized world.

Among many innovative ways of celebrating sustainable designs, the festival can boast of creating every little material for publicity in house, produced by a team of enthusiastic students and supporters. The result is a unique range of batik and screen-printed t-shirts, cowbells, gift bags made in collaboration with various groups from the neighborhood with various marginalized groups. Indian Animation's ecosystem needs all of us to celebrate and share.

‘Humanism’ is the motto. Re-use, Reduce and Recycle is the key…

During this fantastic spirited COWfest, simultaneous activities are hosted: screenings of world class animation films both on 35 mm projection & DVDs combined with post screening discussions; master classes with animators from across the globe; workshops on sketching, doodling and etching on 16 mm film; sound designing; cooking and a host of merry making that at the end of day inculcates in you some very important lessons beyond the textbooks. Beyond the classrooms…thought provocation starts sipping in…

Chitrakatha earned its reputation as supporters from various corners including alumni members, sponsors, other animation schools, independent filmmakers & other reputed animation festivals bring alive the spirit of animation and storytelling.

Over the past three editions the festival has gathered support and cooperation from organizations as well as individuals: Isabel Herguera and her Spanish caravans, friends from Cartoon Network, Pro Helvetia’s positive folks, French Embassy, Alliance Franciase, British Council, Wacom, Anima, Goethe Institute, CG Tantra, Animation Express, Spanish Embassy.

We take this opportunity to announce our next edition of Chitrakatha and cordially invite you to be a part of the festival. Your support and participation will enhance our efforts of showcasing innumerable stories to the world and celebrating the creative medium.

For more details please feel free to get in touch with us. But this time we will surely hammer on the ‘Animation Education’ and its survival in today’s global world of pulps, facts & fictions…

So our COW lullaby goes like this...The long awaited and much needed celebration of 1st edition of COWfest was a grand success in 2007 and with the euphoria we moved on to our 2nd edition of Chitrakatha in 2009 with confidence and determination. The 2nd edition’s glory brought more hope and enthusiasm to keep the spirit going.Since then our lovely COW is sailing on and now we are about to celebrate the 4th edition of this madness after NID's golden jubilee celebration was illuminated with 3rd edition of Chitrakatha in October 2011! 3rd edition reassured that we are here to stay and Chitrakatha mean serious business.

Chitrakatha means commitment,passion and hard work. Chitrakatha means optimism.

This edition of Chitrakatha due from October 23 to 27, 2013, will once again remind all of us the strength of our boiling pot of untold & unsung stories.

To be continued…

Sekhar Mukherjee
Festival Director