Estonian directors Olga and Priit Pärn will be in Bilbao to receive the Animakom 2021 Award.
Olga Pärn
Born in Minsk, Olga Pärn graduated from the Belorussian Art Academy in 2000 as a graphic artist. From 1996 to 2003 Olga Marchenko (maiden-name) worked in the Belarusfilm studio as an art director and animator. From 2003 to 2005 she studied at La Poudriere (France, Valence). She has been living and working in Estonia since 2006. Since 2008, her family name is Pärn. She has made 6 award-winning films in collaboration with Priit Pärn, as co-director and co-writer. Among the 36 awards received, 11 of them are Grand Prix from prestigious festivals. Olga has been teaching at the Animation Department of the Estonian Academy of Arts since 2007. She has taught sand animation and glass painting workshops at animation schools in Europe and Japan. She teaches at the Art Department of the University of Tartu, together with Priit Pärn. She is active as an illustrator of children’s books and magazines.
Priit Pärn
Born in 1946 in Tallinn, Priit Pärn graduated from the Department of Biology at the University of Tartu in 1970. He has worked as a cartoonist, illustrator and graphic artist since the late 1960s. Over the last 30 years, Priit has presented around 35 solo exhibitions in various European countries. Since 1976 he has worked as an art director and director of animated films. He has received more than 80 awards at major international festivals, as well as the ASIFA Life Achievement Award in 2002 and 6 other honorary awards for his career. Since 2006 Priit has been directing animated films together with his wife, Olga Pärn. He has also worked as a teacher for the past 31 years. He has taught at film schools all over the world. In 1994 he founded The Animation Studies in Turku, Finland, and in 2006 in Tallinn. He has been a member of the European Film Academy since 2008.
