KingstOOn Details Focus on diversity for the 2021 event

The KingstOOn Animation Conference and Film Festival, which will be held virtually from 21 to 25 April, has identified “Diversity in animation” as the central theme of this year's staging. The organizers structured three distinct sessions focused on the themes of diversity and cultural inclusion within the media: "Diversity in the Media Industry", "Black Women in the World of Animation" and a conversation on the Oscar-winning short film " The Creation ". of Love for hair - From script to screen. "

Registration for KingstOOn is free and can be accessed at www.kingstoonfest.com.

The organizers point out that Jamaica is an entirely appropriate place from which to host a global conversation on “diversity in animation”. Although small, the island itself is a rich study of diversity with its history of slavery, indentureship and migration that paves the way for a potpourri of cultures that are reflected today in its demographics, cuisine, art and its stories. . These stories frame the varied life experiences that make Jamaica and the Caribbean a hotbed of creative and disparate content and address the prevalence of stereotypes and one-dimensional representations of culture, race, religion, disability, gender and sexual orientation.

KingstOOn animation specialist Robert Reid points out: “The media influences us all from an early age, the music we listen to, the books we read, the movies we watch and the video games we play - these become our references and therefore it is essential. that the characters and messages in the media reflect as much as possible the diversity that exists in the world “.

The creation of Love for hair - From script to screen
Wednesday, April 21, 11:15 am EST
The heartwarming 2020 Oscar-winning story about a father's struggle with his daughter's hair in the film Love for hair is at the center of this thought-provoking conversation with the Lion Forge production team, who not only took home the Academy Award with this, their first film, but has since created the spinoff series Young love, picked up by HBO Max. The session will feature Carl Reed e David Stewart II, founders of Lion Forge Animation and fervent supporters of representation in the media. They will be joined by Everett Downing Jr., who co-directed the short with Matthew Cherry and Bruce W. Smith, as well as Love for hair story artist and illustrator Low pearl.

Diversity in the media sector
Saturday April 24th, noon EST
JayFrancis, Vice President of Disney Current Series, Diversity & Inclusion e Camille Eden, Nickelodeon's Vice President Recruiting and Talent Development, will address inclusion and minimizing disparities in content creation. The panel will be moderated by Mounia Aram, Founder and President of The Mounia Aram Company: a production and distribution house that markets African animated stories, films and series to an international audience.

Black women in the world of animation
Sunday, April 25, noon EST
In a field dominated by white males, this panel highlights the personal experiences of four prominent and prominent black women in the world of animation and their commitment to increasing opportunities for women and minorities. They will tell stories of their personal struggles and the role they play in leading the entertainment industry to take action to improve the level of visibility of women in the industry. The jury members are Melanie Goolsby of Netflix; Sonya Carey, Founder of The Animation Lounge; Kimberly Wright by Sesame Street Workshop e Pilar Newton by Pilar Toons. The panel will be moderated by Taylor K. Shaw, Founder and CEO of Black Women Animate, a visionary creator, writer and activist who lobbies to be represented on the media landscape.