This year, Animation First will launch its first Animation Jam, where students will be given 48-hours to complete an animation sequence. The teams will be made up of students from BRASSART School, Montpellier campus, in France, and Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore. Teams from each school will create a short animation sequence. Students can use any animation techniques, but must include a still and the original music from Anca Damian’s film The Island, in their finished sequence. Students will work (almost!) around the clock from their own campuses beginning on January 28. Audiences will be able to check their progress via Twitch during the festival or online. The animated sequences will be unveiled during the festival’s closing night program, on Sunday, January 29 at 8:30pm in FIAF Florence Gould Hall. The short films will be followed by the US premiere of Alain Ughetto’s new feature film, No Dogs or Italians Allowed. The animated sequences will also be available online on Eventive from January 30 to February 12 for free. Special thanks to Anca Damian and Alexander Balanescu, Moira Marguin, Yoni Arena and Laurence Arcadias.