PORTRAIT: IZABELA PETRASINCU

Isabela Petraşincu is a Romanian born artist who started her career as an architect (earned a Bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Architecture “Ion Mincu” Bucharest in 1956) and soon turned towards animation, when she started working for the Animafilm Studio. During 1970-1994, she signed the script, costumes, animation and direction of numerous short films and she also did character design and animation of characters for all her films. Her favourite techniques were cut-out and puppet animation and her skills, imagination and innovation brought her a number of awards in Romania and abroad, such as  the Grand Prize in Tehran for “The Number Parade” (1973),  the selection in competition in Toronto for “Holidays are here” (1975) and in Annecy for “Story of a Ball of Woolen Thread” (1987). Here are some of the prizes awarded in Romania:  prize for ”The Acrobat Wolf” (1981) in Piatra Neamţ animation film festival, Best Photography for “Grandma’s Visit” (1982) in “Cântarea României” national contest, Best Director for “The Bear Cubs’ Gift” (1986) in Piatra Neamţ, ACIN Prize for direction and animation in Piatra Neamţ for “The Little Train” (1989).

From 1975 to 2000, she participated in a series of exhibitions dedicated to animation set and costume design in Lundt, Annecy, Vienna… and, for a few years, she accepted the invitation of teaching animation to undergraduate and post-graduate students, with Toniţa Art High-school in Bucharest and the National University of Theatre and Cinematography, respectively.

Selection of short films directed by Mrs Isabela Petraşincu, selected from the Romanian National Film Archive by Mrs Dana Duma

Parada cifrelor / The Number Parade - 1973
Lupul / The Wolf – 1979
Graba strică treaba / Haste Makes Waste – 1984
Trenuleţul / The Little Train – 1989
Vizita bunicii / Grandma’s Visit – 1982
Poveste cu gheme de lână / The Story of a Ball of Woolen Thread – 1987
Cadoul ursuleţilor / The Bear Cubs’ Gift – 1986
Mami / Mummy – 1990