Hasan Everywhere receives US premiere



Kavaleer Productions award winning short film Hasan Everywhere will have its first screening in the US at the Brooklyn Film Festival in New York. The festival takes place from June 4th – 13th and will showcase 100 films, including the Irish animation company’s most successful short film, Hasan Everywhere. The first screening will take place at the festival on Sunday 6th June at the Indie Screen in Brooklyn with another screening on Tuesday 8th June.

Hasan Everywhere, which is based on the friendship between an Israeli novelist and Palestinian artist, is scripted and directed by Kavaleer CEO, Andrew Kavanagh. Andrew described the event as exciting and fitting, “We are delighted at the success of Hasan Everywhere since its release in 2009. It is exciting and such an honour to receive international recognition for this touching story. For Hasan Everywhere to have its US premier in New York is the perfect tribute to Hasan Hourani, who studied at the Art Students League of New York.”

Not only will Hasan Everywhere receive its US premier this weekend, but the short film is also nominated for an award at the festival bringing the total number of award recognitions for the short film to four in the last five months. The film, which depicts an animated version of love and friendship across a difficult divide, walked away with two Digital Media Awards in February, including the prestigious Grand Prix award. Hasan Everywhere will also screen at the Palm Springs International ShortFest & Film Market at the end of June.

This is the 13th Brooklyn International Film Festival and will see the presentation of 100 films from over 92 countries around the world.

About Hasan Everywhere
Production on the film which is classically animated began in 2008, incorporating live action, CGI and Hourani’s own paintings. The filmmakers were determined to make a traditional piece which would reflect the illustrative style of Hourani’s own work. The film follows a split timeline, detailing the developing relationship between Rabinyan and Hourani, and following Hourani’s last journey to Jaffa. Using magical realism to reflect the inner worlds of the protagonists, the film seeks to evoke the dream-like hinterland that lies between the two friends, gradually eradicating political and perceived borders, culminating in a union through shared ideals, passions and values.

Hasan Everywhere is an animation which broaches the subtlety of a relationship between a man and a woman who bear the passports of enemies, to sympathetically deal with the subjects of death, grief, lost opportunity; but mostly is seeks to demonstrate the possibility of friendship triumphing over the deepest of rifts between two people. In that regard it is most unusual among the standard fare of animated shorts.

Winner of two Digital Media Awards in the Best Use of Film or Animation category, and the overall Grand Prix award, February 2010.

Nominated for an Irish Film and Television Award in the Animation category, January 2010.

About Kavaleer
Kavaleer Productions was founded in November 2001 and has become one of Ireland’s most prolific and well respected providers of animated content. Kavaleer’s early work in filmmaking garnered awards from Portugal to China and secured official selection in 100 international festivals on five continents. In 2004, Kavaleer moved to their current home at Dublin’s Digital Hub, placing the studio at the heart of Ireland’s digital media sector and giving Kavaleer a highly competitive edge through a number of strategic technological partnerships.

Kavaleer have developed a bespoke facility in their Digital Hub premises and provide a full animation service covering everything from TV commercials to full length TV series.

Kavaleer are also the proud winners of four Digital Media Awards and have been nominated for two Irish Film and Television Awards and a British Animation Award. Kavaleer are currently developing a number of projects for the pre-school and teen markets and are also hoping to expand their services in new territories such as the UK, Canada, US and Australia.

www.kavaleer.com