With over 400 films, Anima Mundi begins in Rio.

Agência Brasil – With exactly 448 films selected, including 80 Brazilian ones, the 20th edition of the Anima Mundi 2012 International Animation Festival of Brazil begins this Friday the 13th in Rio de Janeiro. The event, which brings together many animation fans, both children and adults, will run until the 22nd in the capital of Rio de Janeiro and then move to São Paulo, where activities will take place between the 25th and 29th of this month.

According to the organizers, this edition, which celebrates two decades of the event, will feature a significant novelty: its inclusion in the select group of festivals that can nominate candidates for the Academy Award for animated short films. The award, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of the United States, is the most important in world cinema.

Aída Queiroz, one of the festival's creators, highlighted that the event's evolution since its inception in 2003 is the result of hard work, dedication, and public support.

"Anima Mundi is already the second largest festival of its kind, second only to Annecy in France, and has a record number of entries. This year alone, there were more than 1,6, which proves that these 20 years have served to solidify many things, to build an audience for the sector, and an animation market in the country. All of this is a source of great pride."

In addition to Brazil, applications were received from France, Germany, Japan, Poland, Portugal, the United States, Switzerland, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Syria, and Tunisia. Among the international guests is the English director Sarah Cox, who will speak about the film she produced with children from all over the world.

Experienced in the field, environmental educator Elaine Mendonça says that Anima Mundi is already part of the family calendar. Every year, she checks the program in the company of her daughter, Ana Carolina Mendonça, 23, who has attended the festival since its first edition.

"We always go together because I'm a fan of animation. So much so that I used films from the festival as a basis for my specialization in environmental education. The language is easy, universal, and usually manages to captivate the audience in a very intense way," she said.

In Rio de Janeiro, the program can be found at the Banco do Brasil Cultural Center (CCBB), Correios Cultural Center, Casa França-Brasil, Oi Futuro Flamengo, Odeon, Itaú Arteplex, and Oi Futuro Ipanema. In São Paulo, the activities take place at the Banco do Brasil Cultural Center and Memorial da América Latina. Admission is free, and session times can be found on the website www.animamundi.com.br.