International Animation Day: History, Activities, Interesting Facts

International Animation Day brings the world together to celebrate the magic of animation on October 28th every year.

This special day marks the anniversary of the first-ever public performance of animation by Charles-Émile Reynaud in Paris in 1892. It’s a day when everyone, from kids to adults, can enjoy the creativity and innovation behind animated movies and shows.

The day was officially started by ASIFA (Association Internationale du Film d’Animation) in 2002 to honor this unique art form. It often combines technology, storytelling, and visual art to capture people’s imaginations worldwide.

Animation is more than just cartoons. It’s a diverse field with various techniques like drawing, clay animation, and digital methods.

It’s celebrated globally, with over 50 countries hosting events like screenings, workshops, and exhibitions to showcase animation’s beauty and complexity​​​​​​.

International Animation Day: Date

We celebrate this day to shine a light on the talented individuals who create animated works and to encourage the public to explore and appreciate the art and science of animation. It’s a chance for people everywhere to learn about animation’s history, techniques, and cultural significance.

Whether it’s through participating in animation workshops, watching classic and contemporary animated films, or simply sharing favorite animation moments, International Animation Day is a tribute to the endless creativity and hard work of animators around the globe​​​​​​.

History:

In 2002, the International Animated Film Association (Association Internationale du Film d’Animation) created this unofficial holiday to commemorate the day when animation had its first public appearance. That was October 28, 1892, at the Grévin Museum in Paris, when Charles-Émile Reynaud and his Théâtre Optique presented his first production, “Pantomimes Lumineuses.” It was a collection of three cartoons, ‘Pauvre Pierrot,’ ‘Un bon bock,’ and ‘Le Clown Et Ses Chiens.’

It was 1888 when Reynaud patented Théâtre Optique, a machine that produced images on a screen using 36 mirrors, two magic lanterns or supplementary lights that were the source of a stationary background, and a projector. The images were painted on a long band that would be wound up on two spools that had to be rotated by hand. Working the spools demanded some skill, so it was usually Reynaud’s hand.

Each of the three animations consisted of 500 to 600 individually painted images and ran for about 15 minutes. Reynaud acted as the projectionist and a piano player accompanied him. Actors on the side provided the dialogue. The show ran until 1900 and was seen by half a million people.

By then, animation had begun to evolve. The next step forward was ‘lumière style,’ which replaced hand-drawn images with photographs for a more realistic visual experience. Audiences embraced the more modern style and lost interest in the performances at the Grévin Museum. Reynaud had presented 12,800 shows.

Reynaud did not adapt to change, and he suffered the consequences. In 1913, disillusioned and ruined financially, he smashed the last Théâtre Optique machine with a hammer and threw most of his films into the Seine.

International Animation Day Activities:

5 Interesting Facts About International Animation Day: