Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1278887
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 AUGUST 2020 4 THIS WEEK FILM Currently completing her final year in a BA in Character Animation at The Animation Workshop, a prestigious institution in Viborg, Denmark, Michelle Gruppetta speaks to TEODOR RELJIC about being chosen as Malta's new representative for 27Times Cinema, an EU-wide initiative which gives under-27s from all member states the opportunity to serve as Jury Members for the Giornate degli Autori selection at the Venice Film Festival Heading for the jury First of all, how does it feel to be select- ed to serve as Malta's representative at 27 Times Cinema? What led you on this path, and what do you hope to get out of it? I really feel honored to have been picked to be Malta's representative! I've been wanting to attend for years, but the timing never seemed right, so I'm really glad I could make it for this edition. Two friends of mine had pre- viously been selected in the preceding years, and hearing about this experi- ence drove me to apply for this edition. I can't wait to see some really fantastic films and connect with other film lovers from all over the world, but what I real- ly hope to get out of it is to broaden my network within the industry. Like most lines of work, it's really im- portant to meet people because you never know where the next interest- ing opportunity might arise, and I feel that attending this festival is coming at an excellent time now that I'm nearing the end of my education and hoping to tentatively begin making steps towards a career in directing. I feel that coming from an education in animation cer- tainly encourages me to make the most out of this opportunity, and try to learn from the countless professionals that will be there. Your background is informed by comic book art and animation. When did your passion for the moving image first start, and how did you set about developing it further? I've always been super interested in storytelling since I was really young, which is why comics and animation re- ally appeal to me as mediums: they're such strong storytelling tools. I got very casually into art when I was around 16 and had toyed with the idea of anima- tion as a career, but only at 18 did I start thinking that I could turn it into a real possibility. I had been studying Biolo- gy and Chemistry at the University of Malta, when I realised that I really, re- ally wasn't into it, and changed course to do a Diploma in Design Foundation Studies. I thought that I would see how stud- ying a year of design went, and that if I liked it, I would pursue animation. Well, I loved it, so I decided to get se- rious about making a portfolio for my current university. Even though I went to my current university with the in- tention to study 2D and 3D animation, I came out with a love of directing and storyboarding, which is where I want to focus my energy on. You are also currently studying ani- mation at the prestigious Animation Workshop school in Viborg, Denmark. What has that experience taught you and, importantly, what do you think you've gained from it that you wouldn't have gained in Malta, perhaps? The community feeling of the school is certainly a big part of it all. Studying at The Animation Workshop has been a fantastic experience that I wouldn't trade for anything. Aside from learning the technical side of animation, I've also learned so much more from my fellow students and teachers. I think being in a community of people who really love animation definitely helped inform and strengthen the way I approach things in my own work. What would you say were some of the most significant professional and Michelle Gruppetta "It's very clear that there is a lack of interest from the authorities in nurturing the film scene in Malta, as evidenced by the cancellation of the Valletta Film Festival"