AninA

U.S. Premiere!

The palindromically named Anina Yatay Salas lives in Montevideo and attends elementary school, where her classmates make fun of her because of her name. She has a best friend, but also a girl with whom she doesn’t get along at all: Yisel. One day she fights with Yisel, and so her problems begin: the school principal gives them both an intriguing punishment, a suspended detention. Anina spends her days in that suspension, a period of time with particular tension and questions, and her voiceover guides us as she comments on life with her nice parents, meals, the eyes of gossipy neighbors, homework, and childhood feelings, joys, and fears. Featuring particularly beautiful animation that perfectly integrates the movement of the characters with background settings that are worthy of illustrated children’s books (AninA is based on the 2003 book Anina Yatay Salas), this moving animated film has the homemade flavor of a warm and happy afternoon tea on a rainy day. (BAFICI ’13)