International Animation Community Stands With Ukraine - Join their Calls for Peace !

Animators Against the Invasion of Ukraine

SIGN THE PETITION

Kim Murton, February 2022

We are outraged, shocked, and fearful for the lives of Ukrainian people threatened by the unjust and unprovoked invasion that the Russian Federation launched on full-scale on February 24, 2022. In this letter, we express our complete solidarity and support for the Ukrainians fighting in defence of their families, homes, culture, self-governing, and fundamental human right to life. We condemn unlawful violence instigated by the brutal and destructive ideology of Vladimir Putin’s Russia and reject it as a manifestation of imperialism, chauvinism, and militarism.

Stop war!

Some of us have experienced atrocities of war, some of us have to refer to images, texts, and memories of the preceding generations to start realizing what our friends, colleagues, loved ones go through now when taking shelter in underground stations and basements, lining up on the border control check-points with the neighbouring countries, covering windows with black sheets fearing the night air-strikes, holding their children and elders just to feel safe for a moment, … dying …

Our community cherishes imagination but we cannot think now of anything more than making these statements: make all efforts in calling for rigid and immediate sanctions on the rulers of the Russian Federation and the state system built on the ideology of Vladimir Putin. Demand from the governments to take a firm stand in support of the Ukrainian people in Ukraine, and the Ukrainian people taking refuge.

Don’t spread fake news. Don’t submit to Putin’s propaganda.

We love you deeply Ukrainian animators, cinematographers, music composers, editors, producers, distributors, festival organizers, film journalists and animation enthusiasts. We love your historical cinematic heritage, your brave visual imagination, the ironic sensitivity of your films. We deeply love the LINOLEUM International Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival in Kyiv. Many of us remember how KROK International Animated Films Festival celebrated animation artists from Ukraine, Russia, and worldwide. We have memories of the 86 Festival of Film and Urbanism which, among other film forms, was bringing animation out to the citizens of Slavutych, the city built in order to move forward from pain and trauma. And we know that over 600 animators from Russia share all these feelings – of fear, pain, frustration, shame we have not done everything to help you before the bombs fell on your land, they said it explicitly in an open letter from February 25, 2022. We will all reunite in the studios, editing rooms, cinemas, galleries, festivals.

We have to, Norman McLaren made it very clear – LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR.


Statement of German Animation Association (AG Animationsfilm) – ASIFA Germany

 

We ask the Animation Community to stand together and help each other!

We find ourselves facing the terror of war in Europe.
We are shocked and outraged, but we are not silent, and we will stand by all people in the Ukraine and in the region.
We have a voice, and we will use it!

The brutal violation of human and democratic values, the act of aggression by Putin, and the extermination of lives are going against everything we, the animation community, stand for and create with our work.

Our support goes to our Ukrainian colleagues, friends, and their families. We will be here to amplify your voices and we will help you where we can.

We call on our members and the animation community to share with us meaningful ways to support people in the region in these difficult times.

Please share this post and send us your ideas on how to support the Ukrainian people. We will communicate with our network and help where we can.

Contact: info@ag-animationsfilm.de


CALL FROM LINOLEUM
– Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival – Kiyv

Dear animation friends and colleagues, I’m sure you have heard about Russian invasion of Ukraine, marking the largest escalation of the ongoing war that began in 2014. On February 24th at around 5 am they started bombing military objects in the majority of regional capitals. Today they are bombing cities, streets and living areas. Kyiv is full of separatists and saboteurs. This night people spent in bomb shelters, women giving birth there. Air raid siren going off almost every ten minutes. I still can hardly believe in what’s happening. Right now, there’s NO safe place in Ukraine, however, our army holds the enemy and bravely fights back. Even right now there’re shootings on the streets and bombs flying

I’m extremely grateful to those who already texted me and suggested your support.

(Kyiv, february 24th 2022)

 

You can help us by:

– Engaging celebrities, public people, experts to be the authoritative voice of reason. Believe me the majority of Russian people DO NOT UNDERSTAND or know what’s happening, they are being brainwashed by local media, most of their solidarity posts are being deleted and people who protest are taking to jail. However, they need to go out on the streets to save themselves as well.

– Sharing information on your channels and making special screenings or manifestations, devoted to Ukrainian cinematographic heritage (animation in particular, please, address us for more details)

– Follow only verified Ukrainian media
Office of the President of Ukraine: https://www.president.gov.ua/en
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
Ukraine’s official social media accounts

Embassy Of Ukraine in your country (Web, Facebook, Twitter)

Radio Liberty: https://www.rferl.org/
The Kyiv Independent: https://kyivindependent.com/
– Keep in mind this war, when accept and communicate Russian cultural product
– Reminding of Ukraine as an important part of European and world culture heritage

Please, don’t be silent. It’s a horrible massacre that has no place in XXI century.

 

Posted in International News.