BLON Junior
BLON JUNIOR is full of exclusive, relevant and educational films. This programme is intended for the youngest participants in the festival. Such screenings are an important part of various film festivals around the world, allowing for the exploration of different animation techniques, styles and narratives. Our special screenings bring families together to enjoy a variety of animated films, from shorts to feature-length productions. The content is carefully curated to ensure it's suitable for children, but also appeals to an older audience. The films feature heartwarming stories, colourful characters and themes that tell the story of family, friendship, adventure and life lessons. The BLON Junior programme is divided into screenings, workshops and events for families and schools.
Animation for Families
September 14-15 · KKKC Arts Yard Workshop
**September 14-15 // 10:00-13:00 // KKKC Art Yard****Educational activity for the whole family** **Price: The price for a family ticket - 5 eur, for a participant - 3 eur** **Registration required: edu@blon.lt****\*With festival accreditation, the educational activity is free, but registration is required.**During the workshop, participants will explore various animation technologies, including rotoscoping, 2D animation, and stop-motion animation using paper, playdough, and charcoal. There will be three animation stations where you can experiment with different techniques:• **Rotoscoping Station**: Here, you will replicate a pre-existing moving image using charcoal and a projector’s light. • **2D Animation Station**: This station features light boxes, paper, and pencils—tools for one of the oldest animation techniques. • **Stop-Motion Station**: Knead and shape the playdough to bring your characters to life. Each station will offer a unique way to dive into the magic of animation.**Animatest** is an educational initiative that has been running for 3 years, during which we experiment with various animation styles and tools. We are alumni of the Vilnius Academy of Arts: the project initiator Eva Rodz, along with Margarita Valionytė, Emilija Dirsytė, and Agata Tracevič, teach using the peer-to-peer (student-to-student) method, focusing on different animation styles and theory. For more information:@anima\_\_test <https://www.facebook.com/animationtest>
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FAMILY SCREENINGS
14-15 September
**September 14-15th at Cinema “Arlekinas"**We invite you to take part in the festival's educational and family film screenings, which will be accompanied by discussions and meetings with the filmmakers.The programme will include European animated films with exceptional themes and techniques, as well as works by established Lithuanian filmmakers.### **SATURDAY:****11:00 "Basia"** G • 40 min • 2024 • Animation, Family • Poland, Lithuania • Voice-over in LithuanianAnimated film "Barbora" - the real adventures of a real girl! Barbara is every five-year-old's heroine - a spunky girl who is still learning about the world. Together with her mum, dad, her brothers Jonas and Pranukas, and her beloved teddy bear, Barbora has many adventures every day. Like thousands of other children, she is curious and full of ideas, but sometimes she gets irritable and turns into a naughty, argumentative girl.**12:00 "Chicken for Linda!"** G • 1 h 13 min • 2023 • Family • France, Italy • Voice-over in LithuanianPaulette is feeling remorseful after unfairly punishing her daughter Linda. To make up for it, she is ready to do anything it takes, she is ready to comply with Linda's request to make the chicken and pepper dish that her late father always made. However, Paulette does not know how to cook and due to the ongoing strike, she is unable to obtain chicken. A simple task leads Paulette and Linda on an adventure that eventually involves the whole neighbourhood.### **SUNDAY:****11:00 "Leaving School"** G • 33 min • 2023 • Short animated films • France • Live voice-over in LithuanianTenth and final season of the collection of short films dedicated to poetry and a breeding ground for new animation talents for 10 years, LEAVING SCHOOL bows on the theme of friendship. The opportunity to discover 11 new animation talents from the best French animation schools and as many different perspectives on poetry here at children‘s level. „All the greatness of this world is not worth a good friend“, Voltaire.**12:00 "Robot Dreams"** PG-7 • 1 h 41 min • 2023 • Comedy / Musical • Spain, France • Without dialogueDog and Robot are the best friends in the world. One beautiful day they decide to go to the beach, but at the end of the day Robot is all rusty and completely paralysed! His friend, not knowing what to do, leaves him behind. As the seasons pass, Dog tries to find new friends with some success, while Robot has no choice but to dream of more ideal situations.**14:00 "Sultana's Dream"** PG-13 • 1 h 26 min • 2023 • Animation, Drama • Spain, Germany • Subtitles: Lithuanian, EnglishInés a Spanish artist lives in India and stumbles upon Sultana's Dream, a science fiction story written by Rokeya Hossain in 1905. It describes Ladyland, a utopia in which women rule the country while men live in seclusion and are responsible for household chores. Fascinated by the story Inés embarks on a journey across the country to search for the one place where women can live in peace.
Playdough Animation for Young Children
September 12th · KKKC Arts Yard Workshop
**September 12th // 09:30-10:30 // KKKC Art Yard****Participation only with parents. ** **Recommended for children aged 3-5 years. ** **Price: The price for a family ticket - 5 eur, for a participant - 3 eur** **Registration required: edu@blon.lt****\*With festival accreditation, the educational activity is free, but registration is required.**We will invite the youngest animators to use their imagination to create fantastic characters and bring them to life in an animated film. By kneading and molding playdough characters, children will explore the unique properties of the material, such as its ability to change appearance (e.g., a playdough character can shift from solid to a more fluid state, altering its colors, textures, and shapes). At the beginning of the workshop, facilitators will give a brief introduction to stop-motion animation to inspire the children to create their own film. Then, we’ll dive into filming process, imagining how the characters move, speak, and interact with those created by other children.**Animatest** is an educational initiative that has been running for 3 years, during which we experiment with various animation styles and tools. We are alumni of the Vilnius Academy of Arts: the project initiator Eva Rodz, along with Margarita Valionytė, Emilija Dirsytė, and Agata Tracevič, teach using the peer-to-peer (student-to-student) method, focusing on different animation styles and theory. For more information:@anima\_\_test <https://www.facebook.com/animationtest>
Puppet animation exhibition
September 12-13 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. September 14-15 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
**BLON Animation and Games Festival invites you to a puppet animation exhibition at Klaipėda Puppet Theatre.****Exhibition Hours:** **September 12-13 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.** **September 14-15 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.**This exhibition will showcase items used in the creation of Ignas Meilūnas' short film "Hoofs on Skates". Puppet stop-motion animation is a technique in which physical puppets or figures are gradually moved and photographed in each position, creating the illusion that they are moving independently. **Ignas Meilūnas** is an animation director and producer from Vilnius, specializing in puppet stop-motion animation. He has explored various animation techniques but primarily creates short films for young audiences. His works have been recognized at international film festivals and awarded two national Lithuanian cinema awards. Ignas is also the founder of the animation studio "Kadrų Skyrius." According to the director, puppet animation uniquely allows one to experience the magic of bringing an inanimate object, puppet or figure, to life through animation. **"Hoofs on Skates"** (2024, Lithuania) is a short puppet animation film based on Marius Marcinkevičius' book "Sivužas". The film tells a story of tolerance, breaking stereotypes, and unconditional friendship. On a beautiful winter day, two friends – Piglet and Cow – enjoy skating on a frozen lake until they realize that something big and scary is lurking beneath the ice. However, despite their fear, they decide to help this mysterious creature and discover a new, unknown world. Director, editor: Ignas Meilūnas Screenwriter: Titas Laucius Producers: Justė Beniušytė, Ignas Meilūnas Cinematographer: Simonas Glinskis Animators: Anni Oja, Matthew Krasucki, Ignas Meilūnas Sound director: Julius Grigelionis Composer: Marius Meilūnas **You can see the film in BLON Lithuanian Animation Competition Program**, at Arlekinas, Bangų St. 5A.Access to the exhibition and the tour with the author is available with a festival pass or a ticket to any BLON event.
SCHOOL SCREENINGS
12-13 September
Educational sessions play an important role in developing students' visual literacy and critical thinking. Cartoons can convey complex ideas and emotions through an engaging visual narrative, making them a highly effective educational tool.**Ticket prices: 5 EUR/person. Through the Culture Passport platform: 5 Eur/person.**Accompanying persons and persons of socially sensitive groups participate free of charge.Register: edu@blon.lt### **THURSDAY:****10:30 "Chicken for Linda!"** G • 1 h 13 min • 2023 • Family • France, Italy • Voice-over in LithuanianPaulette is feeling remorseful after unfairly punishing her daughter Linda. To make up for it, she is ready to do anything it takes, she is ready to comply with Linda's request to make the chicken and pepper dish that her late father always made. However, Paulette does not know how to cook and due to the ongoing strike, she is unable to obtain chicken. A simple task leads Paulette and Linda on an adventure that eventually involves the whole neighbourhood.**12:00 "Leaving School"** G • 33 min • 2023 • Short animated films • France • Live voice-over in LithuanianTenth and final season of the collection of short films dedicated to poetry and a breeding ground for new animation talents for 10 years, LEAVING SCHOOL bows on the theme of friendship. The opportunity to discover 11 new animation talents from the best French animation schools and as many different perspectives on poetry here at children‘s level. „All the greatness of this world is not worth a good friend“, Voltaire.**13:00 "Robot Dreams"** PG-7 • 1 h 41 min • 2023 • Comedy / Musical • Spain, France • Without dialogueDog and Robot are the best friends in the world. One beautiful day they decide to go to the beach, but at the end of the day Robot is all rusty and completely paralysed! His friend, not knowing what to do, leaves him behind. As the seasons pass, Dog tries to find new friends with some success, while Robot has no choice but to dream of more ideal situations.### **FRIDAY:****10:30 "Leaving School"** G • 33 min • 2023 • Short animated films • France • Live voice-over in LithuanianTenth and final season of the collection of short films dedicated to poetry and a breeding ground for new animation talents for 10 years, LEAVING SCHOOL bows on the theme of friendship. The opportunity to discover 11 new animation talents from the best French animation schools and as many different perspectives on poetry here at children‘s level. „All the greatness of this world is not worth a good friend“, Voltaire.**11:30 "Basia"** G • 40 min • 2024 • Animation, Family • Poland, Lithuania • Voice-over in LithuanianAnimated film "Barbora" - the real adventures of a real girl! Barbara is every five-year-old's heroine - a spunky girl who is still learning about the world. Together with her mum, dad, her brothers Jonas and Pranukas, and her beloved teddy bear, Barbora has many adventures every day. Like thousands of other children, she is curious and full of ideas, but sometimes she gets irritable and turns into a naughty, argumentative girl.**13:00 "Sultana's Dream"** PG-13 • 1 h 26 min • 2023 • Animation, Drama • Spain, Germany • Subtitles: Lithuanian, EnglishInés a Spanish artist lives in India and stumbles upon Sultana's Dream, a science fiction story written by Rokeya Hossain in 1905. It describes Ladyland, a utopia in which women rule the country while men live in seclusion and are responsible for household chores. Fascinated by the story Inés embarks on a journey across the country to search for the one place where women can live in peace.
Textile Animation for Teenagers
September 13th · KKKC Arts Yard Workshop
**September 13th // 10:00-12:00 // KKKC Art Yard****Recommended for teenagers aged 14-18 years.** **Price: The price for a family ticket - 5 eur, for a participant - 3 eur** **Registration required: edu@blon.lt** **Su savimi turėti: nereikalingą rūbą ar tekstilę ant kuriuos galėsite piešti. ****\*With festival accreditation, the educational activity is free, but registration is required.**During the workshop, we will create animation on clothes and textiles provided by the participants. Clothes are often seen as a second skin and play a significant role in our daily lives, creating an intimate relationship with what we wear. This raises questions about our relationship with our clothing: How can we change, manipulate, or redesign it? How does the garment influence our feelings or expression, forcing us to open up or withdraw? We will explore these questions throughout the workshop. First, we’ll sketch imaginative designs on paper to transfer to the garment. Then, using textile paints, fabric, and thread, we’ll create animation frames, transforming the clothing into a moving film.**Bring with you: unwanted clothing and textiles that can be painted on.****Animatest** is an educational initiative that has been running for 3 years, during which we experiment with various animation styles and tools. We are alumni of the Vilnius Academy of Arts: the project initiator Eva Rodz, along with Margarita Valionytė, Emilija Dirsytė, and Agata Tracevič, teach using the peer-to-peer (student-to-student) method, focusing on different animation styles and theory. For more information:@anima\_\_test <https://www.facebook.com/animationtest>