Anca Damian

Born in Romania, Anca Damian studied at the Theater Academy and Cinematographic Arts in Bucharest where he graduated in Cinematography and subsequently obtained a PhD in Arts, Cinema and Media. She has worked as a director, screenwriter and producer of several documentaries on art-related topics and has been the director of photography for two feature films and several short films.

Her second feature film, the animated documentary, “Crulic: The Path to Beyond” (Romania, 2011), won the Annecy Crystal Award 2012, has been selected in more than 150 international festivals such as Locarno and Telluride, and has received more than 35 international awards.

His extensive filmography includes titles such as “The Magic Mountain” (Romania, 2015) Award for Best Film at the Zagreb and Amiens festivals , and Eurimages Audentia Award, among other awards; “Moon Hotel Kabul” (Romania, 2018) awarded the Best Director Award in Warsaw and Mirada International Award at the Madrid Film Festival; “Marona’s Fantastic Tale” (Romania, France and Belgium, 2019) distinguished with the Special Jury Prize at the Animation Is Film festival in Los Angeles, André-Martin Award for Best French Film in Animation at the 2021 Annecy Festival and Grand Prix at the 2020 Tokyo Anime Festival, among other awards.

More recently he has premiered “The Island” (Romania, 2021), a musical fable about the myth of Robinson Crusoe in reverse. Robinson is a doctor and his solitude is voluntary on an island overrun by migrants, NGOs and guards. He saves Friday, shipwrecked, sole survivor of an illegal refugee ship. During his journey to the island, Robinson encounters extraordinary beings and events. He will face current affairs through visual poetry and symbolism in a world where everyone is looking for their paradise. The artistic direction of this film is signed by the renowned illustrator Gina Thorstensen, author of the Animac poster in the two previous editions of the Mostra and who this year has ceded the reins to the illustrator and Valencian entertainer Rocío Álvarez, who has shaped the poster and the animated face of Animac 2023.

Currently, she is immersed in the production of her fourth animated feature film entitled “Starseed”, which tells the story of an albino girl trying to survive in a poor neighborhood in Zimbabwe called ironically Los Angeles. The 3D story uses the narrative tool to create a character with a longing for that which is beyond their familiar, physical and personal surroundings. For this project, Damian has, once again, the art director Gina Thorstensen.