BitBangFest, Buenos Aires / "Coco"

I just returned from sunny Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I heard a story that explains a lot of mysteries. 

Apparently, 30 years ago, some mysterious woman came to Buenos Aires from Los Angeles to visit the famous cartoonist Caloi, and she brought along a videotape of some animation that had appeared on MTV (which at that point was a new channel, and only in the U.S.).  Caloi and his wife Maria viewed the cassette, and for the first time they discovered the weird animation of Marv Newland and this guy named Bill Plympton.

At this time, Caloi was using his substantial fame to create a TV series to spotlight independent animation - so he included work from Marv and me in his show.  Apparently the show was a big success and Caloi kept asking for more of my films on his show, and I promptly supplied them.

Later, I got to meet Caloi and Maria in person in Annecy, and eventually visited them in Buenos Aires, where they hosted a giant BBQ for me.  So, all that explains why there were lines of fans around the block to see my recent Master Class in Buenos Aires, and why I got recognized as I arrived in the airport.  And why numerous artists in Argentina credit me with inspiring them to become animators (what a responsibility!).

This is very weird, because back in the U.S., hardly anyone knows or cares who I am.  In any case, my appearance was a big success at the 3-year-old Bit Bang Festival, which took place at the prestigious DaVinci Art School.

With the director of the BitBang Festival, Barbara Cerro

having ice cream with Barbara Cerro

speaking to the audience at the Bit Bang Festival

with Carlos Valiente, whose father, Rodolfo, wrote the book on animation

with Juan Pablo Zaramella (on left)

with Walter Tournier, Maria Veronica Ramirez and Rodolfo Pastor at a party

One of the great side trips was a BBQ at Carlos Nine's house.  Unfortunately Carlos died a few years ago - but his lovely wife Alice and his sons Santiago and Lucas (with his wife Nancy) welcomed me.  I had visited the house about 10 years ago when I had a film in the Mar del Plata Festival.  I took a cab to the great Carlos' house in the suburbs and got to visit with him, even though he spoke little English and I had to habla Español.  He showed me a bunch of his paintings and illustrations and I went nuts.  They were soooo beautiful!  He was on a whole 'nother planet.  My brain explodes when I see his work and weirdly, he's not well known in the U.S. or even in Argentina!  It's only in France that he's famous - naturally. 

I tried my best to get his work shown in the U.S.  Four years ago I organized an exhibition called "Icons of Animation" at the Society of Illustrators - also included was work from Peter de Seve, William Joyce, and myself.  The show was a tremendous success, but alas, Carlos is still not very well known here in the U.S.

But I digress.  It was wonderful to see his son, Lucas Nine, who is also a very talented illustrator and animator.  He worked on "Bu Bu", a short animated film created by Carlos for the wonderful animated feature "Anima Buenos Aires".  To my mind, "Bu Bu" is one of the most genius short films of all time - it's so good, it almost makes me want to quit animation.  Lucas also made a fabulous animated short in the style of the old Fleischer brothers, called "Les Triolets", and it's also hilarious.

with Lucas Nine and his wife Nancy

I hope to return to lovely Buenos Aires again some time, to visit with all the artists and my friends there.

with Maria Veronica Ramirez at her gallery show

with Maria Veronica Ramirez

eating Argentina BBQ with Juan Pablo Zaramella

Also, I just saw the new Pixar film "Coco" - as you may know, it's already been a big success in Mexico, partly because it all takes place there, but also because it's a wonderful film. 

I do have a few criticisms, though.  I'm a big fan of Frank Capra, and one of the things I love most about Capra's films are his secondary characters.  Sometimes he would have up to 20 supporting characters and each one would have a strong personality and each would be able to carry a film by themselves.  However in "Coco" there are 12 or 15 supporting characters, and they're all forgettable - so why have them?  They just clog up the story - there's no need to include these characters if they add nothing to the emotional thrust of the film.

But I did love the film's message, about the importance of family and family history.  At the Academy screening I went to, the audience broke out in applause at the end, which is very rare.  I give "Coco" an A-. 

If you noticed that I haven't been posting that much, it's because I'm juggling four projects at the same time right now - when things slow down a bit, I'll fill you in on all the juicy details...   See ya,

Bill P.