In the Garden, an original animated short film created by Greenbelt resident Alexandra Nickel, will screen during the Ninth Annual Tofuzi International Animation Festival held in Batumi, Republic of Georgia, October 2 to 7.
Her film is one of 10 accepted in the category films created by children and is the single U.S. film in the category. Nickel, age 13, completed her film over 12 weeks in GAVA/ GATe’s animation class fall homeschool session using Adobe Flash and Final Cut Pro software. Tofuzi’s acceptance marks the first time a GAVA/GATe youth film has screened in Europe. In the Garden will also screen at the Old Greenbelt Theatre on Saturday, October 14 between 11 a.m. and noon as part of a free program featuring films by young people during this year’s Utopia Film Festival. The short films, lasting an average of 1 to 2 minutes each, are made by students who create and draw characters on paper, write storyboards, color and animate their artwork in Adobe Flash and add the titles and sound effects. GAVA/GATe animation classes are offered at the Greenbelt Access Television studio each winter and fall. Home school classes are held on Mondays and after school classes on Fridays. Contact George Kochell (aka Mister Geo) at gkochell@yahoo.com or call 240-418-1889.