Academy Award nominee Duke Johnson will take part in a Q & A in the Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire on the 22nd October 2016 after the screening of his animated feature Anomalisa.
Duke Johnson is a director who specialises in stop-motion animation. He is a graduate of New York University and the American Film Institute. Anomalisa, which Duke directed alongside Charlie Kaufman, is his first feature film and was nominated for an Academy Award in the Animated Feature Film category. Duke’s previous credits include the Adult Swim shows Moral Orel, Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole and Beforel Orel. He also directed the Emmy Award winning episode of NBC’s Community: Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas.
Fionnghuala Ní Néill, Director of the Dublin Animation Film Festival had this to say:
My team and I are delighted to welcome Duke Johnson as our Special Guest Director for DAFF2016. Since we re-located the festival screenings to the Pavilion Theatre in Dún Laoghaire two years ago, our guest animators have included Bill Plympton and Tomm Moore, who have participated in screenings and Q & A sessions. These sessions have been popular with animators, students and film enthusiasts. Special thanks are due to Kristina Yee whose contribution towards this year’s festival has made Duke’s visit possible. We would also like to thank our sponsors who have helped to make this happen: Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Mutiny Sound, Luminosity, Clerky and Blackrock Cellar.
Duke Johnson commenting on his role as the special guest speaker for 2016 remarked:
I was delighted to be asked to be this year’s Special Guest Director. Dublin was a place I had always been interested in visiting, but I never had the opportunity until now. Ireland’s reputation for producing talented animators is growing and I am looking forward to viewing the short films by the Irish studios and Irish students of animation and meeting them in person.
The Festival screening of Anomalisa followed by a Q & A with Duke Johnson takes place on Saturday 22nd October 2016 at the Pavilion Theatre. Tickets are on sale at the Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire and are priced at €8. There is no ticket charge for the screening of the shortlisted films or the awards ceremony on 22nd October, but pre-booking at the Pavilion Box Office is essential. To book contact the Pavilion Theatre at www.paviliontheatre.ie
Festival updates will be available on www.dublinanimationfilmfestival.com and on Twitter.