Six KASK animation shorts particpate in the world one minutes Beijing 2008

A selection of the world's best one-minutes, including six animated shorts made by current and former students at the Royal Academy of Arts in Ghent (KASK), are screened on the walls of the Today Art Museum in Bejing which hosts the World One Minutes 2008. About a 100 countries participate in this event that is part of the cultural program linked to the Olympic Games. The six animated one-minutes made the selection of 20 Belgian shorts sent to the World One Minutes. In fact, only 19 are shown because Beethovens Burka by Akin Beyazi did not pass the Chinese censors. 'It is quite an impressive exhibition', says Daniel Libens, who just returned from Beijing. Libens is teacher at KASK and organiser of the The One Minutes Open Belgium. 'Some 800 one-minutes are shown on 18 different locations throughout the 3,000 sq.m. museum, each on a surface of three by four meters. There is a lot of public attention, amongst others from schools in China.' The 2008 edition of the World One Minutes in Beijing does not include a competition. The fact that six out of the 20 selected one-minutes are animated is typical of the Belgian situation. 'We have a lot more of animated movies than the One Minutes in Holland for instance', says Libens. 'We have a high standard of education in this field in our country. Moreover, the format of a one-minute movie is used in a number of schools and is sometimes integrated in the curriculum.' After the exhibition in China, the 800 one-minutes will travel the world. The organisation of the One Minutes in Belgium are looking out for a suitable location in Belgium to be able to host the exhibition as well. Participants for The One Minutes Belgium 2009 can send in their movie before 15 December. The event itself, with awards being distributed in different categories, takes place during the last weekend of January.Out of sight by Anton Setola The six animated one-minutes shown in Beijing are:L'Etoile (Willem Perquin)http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfmfuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=11434316Suite in Mol (Ophelie Tailler)http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfmfuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=3911581Thoughts (Joris Bergmans)http://jorisbergmans.com/thoughts.movEgotrip (Jonas Jatidjan)http://www.increcords.be/jonaz/Walk (Luk Slaets)Out of Sight (Anton Setola)