TASS, April 10. The international animation festival to be held in Voronezh in southwestern Russia on May 19-21 has received over 800 applications from 78 countries, including from China, Turkey, Israel, Brazil and Serbia, festival organizers told TASS on Monday.

"More than 800 animated films from 78 countries <…> have been submitted. Apart from films by professional animation studios, students have applied to participate, so we have decided to add `The Best Student’s Work’ nomination," the organizers said, citing Festival Director Vladimir Nikolayev. They expect the program to be of interest to both ordinary spectators, as well as aspiring animators and other creatives.

Workshops and creative meetings will be held as part of the festival, Nikolayev added. Entrance to screenings and workshops will be free, and people can attend by registering beforehand. Films for the competitive and non-competitive programs should be selected by late April. The festival jury will include Russian and foreign professional cartoonists and people in the animation industry.