The Hollywood Reporter, Animation Is Film Festival Partner on Live Animation Roundtable With Bill Hader, Travis Knight, More

The Hollywood Reporter is partnering with the Animation is Film Festival in Los Angeles for the first-ever live version of THR’s Animation Roundtable, a public conversation with the filmmakers behind this year’s top animated feature awards contenders.

This year’s live roundtable will include Bill Hader, star and executive producer of The Cat in the Hat; Travis Knight, director of Wildwood; Louis Clichy, director of Iron Boy; Joel Crawford, co-director of Forgotten Island; Leah Nelson, director of Tangles; Phuong Mai Nguyen, director of In Waves; and Fawn Veerasunthorn, co-director of Hexed. In an intimate conversion with THR, they will discuss the creative vision, craft and industry forces behind their films, along with issues shaping the medium’s future, from the growth of anime to the rise of A.I.

The live session will take place Sunday, Oct. 18, from 5 to 6 p.m. at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood, the main venue for AIF, which is running Oct. 16-19 and is in its ninth edition.

For more information on the roundtable, please visit: AnimationIsFilm.com.

The live event follows THR‘s launch this week of its inaugural Animation Power List, which recognizes the most influential executives and talents in animation.

“The Hollywood Reporter launched its inaugural Animation Power list this year to recognize the talent and vision of animated filmmakers worldwide,” said Jeanie Pyun, deputy editorial director of THR. “We’re excited to bring THR’s Animation Roundtable to a live audience for the first time, in partnership with AIF, and put animated cinema at the center of the industry conversation.”

The partnership underscores AIF’s commitment to elevating animation to its rightful place alongside live action cinema.

“Animation is one of the most dynamic and creatively ambitious forms of filmmaking today, yet the artists and industry leaders behind it deserve even greater visibility within Hollywood conversation, especially as it is making an impact in today’s box office” said Matt Kaszanek, Animation Is Film director. “Partnering with The Hollywood Reporter to launch the first-ever live THR Animation Roundtable at AIF is an exciting milestone for the festival and a powerful opportunity to celebrate the people driving the medium forward.”