In April, Uzbekistan hosted the first Tashkent Animation Forum, bringing together dozens of animation creators from central Asia and leading animation specialists from Russia, Israel, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine. Max Epstein and Karina Hananeia from Jerusalem-based Wild Kids Animation Studio represented Israel.
Wild Kids Animation Studio is a unique Jerusalem-based educational project, where children ages 6-18 learn to create animated films. Wild Kids inspires breakthroughs in children’s perception of the world and encourages personal growth through animation.
Wild Kids Animation Studio led the educational program at the Tashkent Animation Forum. Co-founder and artistic director Max Epstein and studio producer and animator Karina Hananeia worked with children from Tashkent, Bukhara, Ferghana and Nukus, as well as with youngsters from Kirgizstan and Tajikistan. On the closing day of the Forum, animations created by the children under the guidance of Epstein and Hananeia were presented to the public.
“Our Israeli partners held master classes and talked about techniques that we have not yet taught local children, such as sand animation,” said Denis Semyonov, founder of the Community of Independent Directors of Uzbekistan, who initiated the Forum.
Speaking at the Gala ceremony of the Forum, Israeli Ambassador Zehavit Ben Hillel welcomed the cooperation between animators and praised the importance of diverse education for children and the cultural and art exchange between Israel and Uzbekistan.