MUMBAI: Its celebration time for animators, as Mumbai hosts Anifest 05 this Saturday. Organised by TASI & ASIFA India in association with Indiantelevison.com's Animation 'xpress, Anifest 05 is an attempt at collecting Indian animators under one roof.

Being held at Ramada Plaza Palm Grove, Juhu, the festivities include a special screening of the best 45 minutes of the 37 original short films sent in. Besides the special screening, the panel discussion features prominent animators like Neelesh Gore, Jai Natarajan, Prashant Kadkol, Priyam, Gitanjali Rao, Sameer Kulavoor and Debbie Pashkoff. The spirit of art and animation shall be further heightened by JAM sessions, rock n roll and doodling and caricature corners.

Says TASI President Ram Mohan, "Anifest 05 is a significant step forward for Indian animation professionals who wish to make their presence felt and their voice heard. The enthusiastic support and sponsorship received by TASI and ASIFA so far gives us reason to believe that is the first of many more such celebratory events in the years to come."

ASIFA India President Bill Dennis tells Indiantelevision.com, "It was really the artists and animators who came up with the idea for this festival format. At last year's International Animation Day event in Mumbai, several artists came up to me and commented they would like a forum or an event where they could express their own views and discuss their own ideas instead of always listening to the views and concerns of management and production executives. So, that's what we've tried to do with Anifest 05.- an event by and for the artists. It's really been great for ASIFA India working with TASI and I hope we'll be able to team up on many projects in the future."

While globally animation festivals are a norm, for Indian animation to have a festivity like Anifest is an indicator of the way the scene is evolving in India too.