ELAC International Animation Day Spotlights Latvia in Saturday’s Event

On Saturday, May 17, East Los Angeles College & Cinema and Without Borders will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the annual ELAC International Animation Day Festival, dedicated to Latvian Animation. This event will be held at East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park.

The goal of the ELAC International Animation Festival is to give an in-depth and entertaining introduction to contemporary international animation. Screenings of short, animated films from around the world, analyses, and Q&As with a panel of well-known animation experts, and a tribute to an international animation artist working in the U.S. animation industry are all part of the festival program.

ELAC International Animation Day 2025 Program

• 10:00 AM: Vladimir Leschiov, the Latvian animation film director and historian, pays a tribute to the late Roze Stiebra, the Mother of Latvian Animation, by introducing her followed by screening of her short film Zakisu Pirtina (Hare’s Bathroom)
• 10:15 AM: Vladimir Leschiov introduces Flow, the Golden Globe and Oscar-winning Latvian animated feature film directed by Gints Zilbalodis, followed by screening
• 12:30 PM: Reception with pizza and salad
• 1:15 PM: Screening of 72 minutes of short animated films from Latvia, introduced by Vladimir Leschiov
• 2:30 PM: A panel of experts discuss the films and answer the audience’s questions: Vladimir Leschiov; John Garrett Andrews, Director of Los Angeles Animation Film Festival; Sarah Baisley, former Editor in Chief of Animation Magazine; Rosa Farre, VFX technical director, animator and educator; and Mike Libonaty
• 3:00 PM: Spotlight – Signe Baumane, internationally known Latvian animation artist talks about making of her short film Birth, followed by a screening
• 3:30 PM: A tribute to an Animation Artist – Vladimir Leschiov,. John Garrett Andrews, Director of Los Angeles Animation Film Festival and producer of Beavis and Butt-head, will introduce Vladimir, then after the screening of his short film Wings and Oars, Bijan Tehrani, director of the International Animation Day, will offer CWB’s Bridging The Borders Award trophy to Vladimir for his achievements in the field of animation.

East Los Angeles College is located at located at 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez, Monterey Park, California. Screenings will be held at the Building S1 Screening Room 112. Free parking will be available in Structure 4. On the corner of W Floral Drive and Collegian Avenue. To easily get to the parking and the screening room, attendees are advised to use this address for the parking: 2138 Collegian Ave.

Reserve your spot to attend the festival by emailing rsvpanim@gmail.com.

More information on the films and tributes of this year’s ELAC International Animation Day can be found at cinemawithoutborders.com.