Rainy screening, happy screening!

On Saturday, June 22, fifth-year students from the MoPA animation film school presented their graduation films to a jury of professionals from the biggest animation film studios. This was an important day for our young directors, who officially completed their studies, forming the prestigious class of 2024 graduates. To wrap up the day in style, all students from every year in the animation and audiovisual programs were invited to the evening screening of films created throughout the year. In total, over 3 hours of films from the 2023/2024 academic year were screened! It was an incredible performance by our students, showcasing their outstanding production quality.

Every year, this screening takes place at the renowned ancient theater of Arles, marking the end of the school year in late June. At the start of summer, in this beautiful Camargue city, the heat and the sounds of cicadas are usually part of the event... almost always. While the day brought a light breeze and partly cloudy skies, the wind and rain made an appearance in the evening.

The MoPA team was set to welcome students, their families, friends, visitors, and jury members starting at 9 p.m., but feared that the rain might discourage many from attending. However, as the gates opened, the first umbrellas and raincoats appeared over festive attire. The wet seats of the theater were quickly covered with makeshift cushions: jackets, blankets, or even simple plastic bags. The audience huddled under shared umbrellas, and despite the rain, the theater filled up.

 

 

Yoni ARENA, the director of MoPA, briefly spoke to thank everyone for coming, and then the screening of our students' films, from first-year to final-year students, began. The sound of the rain echoed on the umbrellas alongside the film soundtracks. But louder still were the shouts of pride and encouragement from the students, the laughter of the audience, the emotions of the families, and the applause that filled the theater.

It’s 11:30 p.m. The screening is over, it’s stopped raining. Proud families hug the students. Cheeks are wet, but this time it’s not because of the rain.

Congratulations to all the students for making this year so memorable. We wish all our graduates a magnificent start to their careers in animation, and we look forward to seeing everyone else in September!

 

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Films and works shown during the evening, in chronological order:

Awaiting the screening: A loop of stop-motion experiments created by students from the Preparatory Class

Part 1:

• A best-of MoPA films (2min10)
• 3 stop-motion films by first-year students on the theme "Menus Pleasures" in 1min30 (MErry Diwali / En Nage / Strip Tea)
• 3 films by second-year students for the M6 Group Animation Hopefuls competition, in partnership with Gulli, Tiji, and Canal J channels, in 1min15 (The race—one of the jury’s favorites / La tête dans les étoiles—Audience Award / Gauche)
• 4 group-created greeting cards by fourth-year students (La cerise sur le gâteau / Le réveillon de Pugsley / Meeehlleurs Voeux / Phenix Navidad) in 30 seconds

 

Part 2:

• 7 solo films by third-year students on the theme "Retro Gaming" in 1min (Mouse Quest / Summer is not Loading / Versus / Obsession / Milktooth / Crystal call / Parechocs)
• 3 group-created "commercials" by fourth-year students on the theme "Retro Objects" in 30 seconds (Insect / Rubiks Klub / Pocket plus)
• 1 10-second film created solo by a fourth-year student, free theme (Sucette)

 

Part 3 - Diploma film screenings:

• Guerre Froide
• Emboucanator
• Ceux pour qui la lune ne brille pas
• SpaceDan
• Farewell
• Quand les chamois se taisent

2-minute loop to allow young audience members to leave, with a screening of 10-second films created by second-year students

• Parmi les Violettes
• Zone Blanche