ANIMATED, nonANONYMOUS. Conference about Polish Animation vol. 3
themed BORDERS OF ANIMATION
The term „border” appears most often in discourses covering discussions on migration movements, asylum law, and naturalization. Alongside this understanding of the border, there is an attempt to define it more broadly, proposed by the Romanian philosopher Gabriel Liiceanu, who identifies it with the concept of pure freedom, which enables the act of creation. Freedom is therefore not necessarily something given to us by ourselves. It is an acquired resource, limiting, but at the same time determining us as ourselves. This type of border can be freely expanded in favourable conditions, but it can also be treated as a lime of identity.
The slogan of this year's conference edition ANIMATED, nonANONYMOUS refers to the boundaries understood as creative freedom enclosed within the framework of production, distribution, institutional or interpretational reality. We propose to look at animation through the prism of its materiality (puppets, decorations, props), production conditions (space, infrastructure, tools), digital environment (machine learning, augmented and virtual reality), criticism (film, artistic, fans), international cooperation or festival circulation. We do not limit ourselves to the perspective of film studies only, our invitation is also addressed to filmmakers, media experts, literary experts, culture experts, anthropologists, ethnologists, sociologists of art, historians, geographers and economists.
What determines the division into amateur and professional animation? When does innovation turn into convention? How do the methods of promoting animated films change through new media? Where is the boundary between the work of a critic and a reviewer? Does limiting artistic freedom expand the distribution potential of the work? When does an animated film become an auteur film? These are just a few of the questions we address to the panellists of this year's edition of the conference, hoping they will decide to expand the outlined thematic areas with their research perspective. We encourage a bold and broad understanding of the boundary in the context of animation, taking into account new trends present in animation studies and subjecting them to creative criticism. We are interested in abstracts in which the authors cover both the field of production and distribution, as well as the textual analysis of particular films.
Suggested topic areas:
- The limits of the material. Puppets, props, decorations
- Animation and space: material conditions for the production of animated films
- Dimensions of animation. Reception of animated films in the past and today
- The limits of convention. How does management affect the production process?
- The limits of the screen. Animation in virtual and augmented reality
- Beyond borders. Knowledge transfer in animation
- The limit as self-definition. Authorship in animation
- The limits of distribution. Animation in cinema, television, the Internet
- The limits of creativity: remake, sequel, prequel, adaptation
- Transhumanism in animation. Animal studies
- Self-limiting animation. Green filming, censorship, amateur productions
- Cooperation across borders. Co-productions and services
- Representation in animation. Female directors, editors, phasists
- Limes or barrier? Animated film through the eyes of a practitioner
- Closed circle. Animated film festival circuit
- Animation not for everyone. Films for children and youth up to 15 years of age
Abstracts of 20-minute presentations of 200-300 words can be submitted until April 17 via the form: https://forms.office.com/e/cFthjjyd7r. Active participation in the conference has a fee of PLN 250.
The event will be held in person at the Faculty of Philology of the University of Lodz on October 9-10, 2025.
All submissions will go through a double-blind review process. Those who qualify will be notified by email. Any questions should be directed to the email address: gbpa@filologia.uni.lodz.pl.
The conference is organized by the Polish Animation Research Group, the Department of Film and Audiovisual Media and University of Lodz Doctoral School of Humanities. The main partners of the event are the Polish Animation Festival O!PLA and the Film Studies Scientific Association of the University of Lodz.
Review committee: Agata Gorządek, PhD (The Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź), Marta Maciejewska, PhD (University of Gdańsk), Mihaela Mihailova, PhD (San Francisco State University, USA), Patryk Oczko, PhD (University of Silesia in Katowice), Adam Trwoga, MA (Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology), Michal Večeřa, PhD (Masaryk University, Czech Republic)
Organizing committee: Ewa Ciszewska, PhD, Oliwia Nadarzycka, MA, Szymon Szul, MA, Joanna Kosińska-Wajcht, MA, Hanna Tkachova, Łukasz Skórko, Dominik Piekarski
Conference patronage: Polish Society for Film and Media Studies, SPPA - Stowarzyszenie Producentów Polskiej Animacji, Pan Animacja, Polish Animations, IFF Etiuda&Anima, ZEF - Zespół Edukatorów Filmowych, Stowarzyszenie Filmowe FilmETER, Film Museum in Lodz, Studenckie Radio „Żak” Politechniki Łódzkiej, Ekrany: Film & Media Magazine.