Bossier Parish Community College’s Division of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences will host a screening of the 22nd Annual Animation Show of Shows, a collection of global award winning animated short films produced by Acme Filmworks, Inc.

The screening will take place on Jan. 27 in the Stephen W. Slaughter Theatre in Building C on the BPCC Campus, 6220 East Texas Street, Bossier City. The screening will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. with light refreshments served at 6:00 p.m. A virtual talk back session with the film director(s) will take place immediately following the viewing.

“We wanted to bring this experience to Shreveport-Bossier City to expand people’s perception of what animation is,” said Lauren Turner, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design and Animation. “It’s art in motion, and we hope this screening affords people the opportunity to explore animation as an artistic medium that goes beyond what we normally see from mainstream animation companies.”

Those attending the screening must register on Eventbrite to receive their free ticket: https://bit.ly/3kdTmsX

This 22nd edition comprises 10 films -- nine recent, along with one restored classic -- which deal with both the anxieties and hopes of a world faced with a seemingly endless series of existential crises. All are inventive, their tone ranges from the whimsical to the profound; their techniques, from stop-motion to hand-drawn to computer-aided.

“Animation is a natural medium for dealing with abstract ideas and deeply felt concerns, and the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS has always strived to scour the world for the most affecting and engaging films,” says founder and curator Ron Diamond. “While the recent films were conceived and some finished, before the COVID lockdowns, all but the most abstract display a concern with the ways in which we are all interconnected...or sadly alienated from our sense of human connection.” 

This general issue appears in many forms and styles: While "Beyond Noh" cleverly shows the prevalence of masks through all cultures, and "Rain” humorously explores the dangers of groupthink, "Ties" takes the notion of connectedness from the metaphorical to the actual. 

The nine new films come from Europe, Asia, and North America. The program culminates with a striking restored 4K digital remaster by the Academy Film Archive of Frederic Back's classic 1987 Oscar-winner, "The Man Who Planted Trees." 

As a bonus, an exhibition of original production art from the films listed below will be presented at selected art house theaters and on college and university campuses. the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS is funded by major studios, companies, schools, and hundreds of animation lovers around the world. 

This year's films are: 

• Beyond Noh -- Patrick Smith/Kaori Ishida (U.S./Japan)
• Empty Places -- Geoffroy de Crecy (France) 
• Beseder (Good and Better) -- Gil Alkabetz (Germany) 
• Zoizoglyphe -- Jeanne Apergis (France) 
• Rain (Deszcz) -- Piotr Milczarek (Poland) 
• Average Happiness -- Maja Gehrig (Switzerland) 
•  Aurora -- Jo Meuris (U.S.)
• Yes-People -- Gísli Darri Halldórsson (Iceland) 
• Ties -- Dina Velikovskaya (Germany/Russia) 
• The Man Who Planted Trees -- Frederic Back (Canada)