Objects in Motion, a screening of international animated shorts, takes place Thursday, January 22. Above is a still from the film Aferrado—a Mexican short featuring the ventures of a car mechanic’s double life—that will be the first film shown at the event.
What: Objects in Motion animation film screening
Who: UBCO faculty, general public
When: Thursday, January 22, from 7 to 9 pm
Where: Mary Irwin Theatre, Rotary Centre for the Arts, 421 Cawston Ave., Kelowna
Each winter, a unique and entertaining screening of animated films is brought to Kelowna as part of the Living Things International Arts Festival.
The annual screening highlights the richness of independent animated films that are innovative, thought-provoking and experimental, explains UBCO’s Myron Campbell, Visual Arts Professor in the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies. The idea behind the festival, he says, is to encourage audiences to look beyond mainstream animation and engage with independent artists who specialize in the art.
Objects in Motion, a night of rare international animated shorts, is curated by Campbell, who is also a local artist and animator, and is presenting this evening of entertainment as part of the Living Things International Arts Festival.
Campbell makes a point of looking for filmmakers who are pushing narrative boundaries in animation, so he can promote works that are unconventional and unexpected. The goal, he adds, is to deliver authentic, unexpected experiences that challenge both the mind and heart.
“Animation can be seen as a type of presentation where the animators are either the performers or the puppet master,” he says. “There are no real actors, of course, and it’s up to the animators to bring forth the performance through their work.”
For this year’s screening, Campbell reviewed more than 60 films before selecting 11 for the program. About half are from the National Film Board of Canada. All of the films are recent—from 2024 or 2025—and are in the animation festival circuit, meaning they are not available to viewed online until they are out of the festival circuit.
“To create the program, I seek out films that challenge me and use unexpected techniques or narratives,” says Campbell. “I’m excited by the first film of the evening, Aferrado by Esteban Azuel. It is partially made by photo scanning real actors and real environments frame by frame. The result is a pixelated and partially unformed world that loosely symbolizes the afterlife.”
Objects in Motion is part of the Living Things International Arts Festival, an annual 10-day celebration of contemporary live performance, animated films, visual art and music. The festival includes workshops, artist talks and public forums. Now celebrating its 10th year, it runs from January 22 to February 1, at various venues in Kelowna, including the Kelowna Community Theatre, the Mary Irwin Theatre and the Black Box Theatre. The festival is curated by Professor Emeritus Neil Cadger and produced by Inner Fish Performance.
Campbell notes that Objects in Motion is intended for mature audiences only. Tickets are $30 or half price for students. More information and tickets can be found at: livingthingsfestival.com
