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Nik with his master class at the Teatro
Maria Matos, Monstra Animation Festival,
May 2006, Lisbon, Portugal.
When
Fernando Galrito, whom we became friends with at KROK 2005, invited
us to present a three-day workshop on music composition for animation
and perform live on opening night at the Monstra Animation Festival
in Lisbon, Portugal (May 12–21), we knew that it would be a lot
of work. We couldn't ever begin to imagine what a wonderful time we
would have. Galrito, an animator, festival director, animation professor
and world-class epicurean, and his wife Monica, the director of the
brand new state of the art Teatro Maria Matos where the opening night
performance took place, were the perfect hosts!
Monstra is a non-competitive festival (no prizes) and Galrito is the
sole arbitrator of programming. Fortunately his eclectic taste in animation
and programming instincts resulted the evening screenings were always
delightful and full of surprises.
Our workshop, started on 12 May, three days before the official opening
of MONSTRA. It was made up of musicians of different styles and ability
levels who were primarily interested in performance techniques rather
than the technical aspects of composing. By the end of the workshop they
had acquired enough basic skills to select two Nina Paley films, Lexi
and The Stork, and to create alternative sound tracks for them for a
live performance.
Opening night Nik performed with the "Portuguese Sprockets,"
three Lisbon musicians, at the beautiful, new Teatro Maria Matos to a
sold out house and very loud appreciative applause. We presented the
same program that we screened at our farewell performances in Berkeley
and San Francisco including the beautiful and haunting Com Uma Sombra
No Alma by our host Galrito. There is much to be said for Portugal
where the wages are low and yet they appreciate their musicians enough
to pay both Nik and the other members of his ensemble them very well – United
States please take note!
Opening night also included the premier of Stuart by Portuguese animator
Jose Pedro Cavalheiro and a retrospective of Zbig Rybczyski. (He won
an Oscar for Tango). The opening night party, in the Teatro cafe was
still going strong when we left at 3:00 a.m
This year Poland was the featured country and Jerzy Kucia, Piotr Dumala
and Zbig Rybczyski were presenting workshops along with retrospectives
of their work. Four different programs of Polish political animation
dating from 1958 to 2002 were a big highlight of the festival and there
was a Jan Lenica program that was introduced by Jerzy Kucia along with
an exhibition of Polish graphic art posters. I was particularly happy
to see additional works by Piotr Dumala. I had seen two of his films,
Franz Kafka and Crime and Punishment at previous festivals and
was fascinated that they were stylistically different. After seeing a
body of his work and talking with him over drinks and dinner I discovered
that he is moving more towards comic book art - in fact he left the Festival
early because he had an opening at a gallery in Warsaw of enlarged panels
of a comic book that he drew some 25 years ago. Piotr's earlier films
look like exquisite paintings in rich sepia tones but his most recent
works are more colorful.
Just to make sure that screenings did not get in the way of our late
night dining and partying, no programs (except children's screenings)
started before 6:00 p.m. Then there was a two and one half hour dinner
break before we went back to watch international animation programs from
until midnight.
Galrito and his fabulous staff worked tirelessly around the clock to
ensure that everything that we needed for the workshop and performance
was taken care of and the Teatro staff bent over backward to make sure
that the projection quality and live performance quality were perfect.
Nik was also given a rehearsal room to work in for the entire length
of our stay because he had to keep composing music that had to be in
New York City right away.
At one party Nik and the Portuguese Sprockets played without animation.
Every evening there were long lovely dinners with Galrito and the Polish
guests at intriguing restaurants that ranged from little hidden away
places to very lavish establishments on the main street near the Festival
site. Lisbon, being on the ocean, has lots of fresh fish, especially
sardines, and wonderful red wine and port so it is very easy to eat your
way through the city.
One charming little restaurant had a beautiful view of a scaled down
version of the Golden Gate Bridge. The resemblance to San Francisco does
not end there since Lisbon also has seven hills and very distinct and
different neighborhoods.
Being in the city for two weeks gave me an opportunity to explore and
it is definitely a very walkable place. Saturday morning Jerzy Kucia
and I went to a large flea market that is spread around the base of an
old monastery. It was full of great treasures.
After two lovely weeks in Lisbon, we said a fond farewell to Galrito
(knowing that we would see him in a few weeks at Zagreb where his film
was being screened. We headed south to a beautiful, long curved beach
where the sand is perfect, the water is made for swimming and when the
sardine boats come in. You can fill bags with fresh fish right from the
boats -- especially if you lend a hand pulling the boat in.
Anyone who has the chance visit the Monstra Animation Festival should
not pass up this wonderful opportunity. The animation is great if you
can keep your eyes open after wonderful large evening meals. To learn
more: www.monstra2006.com.
At Monstra: Monstra Festival Director
Fernando Galrito, Polish Animator Jerzy Kucia,
Nik, Nancy, and Polish Animator Zbigniew Rybczynsk.
all text© 2006 Nancy Denny-Phelps