Georgian filmmaker asks fans to help her attend premiere in New York

Georgian illustrator Ana Chubinidze’s debut animation film The Pocket Man will premiere at the New York International Children’s Film Festival next month.

However the director, who has been invited by festival organisers to attend the screening, has no sponsor support to travel to the event.

In a bid to fund her trip for the premiere, the filmmaker has turned to her followers and film enthusiasts on social media this week.

See the teaser for Ana Chubinidze's animation short 'The Pocket Man' below:

Dear friends, I really need your help: I would love to attend the premiere of my maiden film at the New York International Children’s Film Festival. I have received an official invitation but have no sponsor to fund my travel to the festival (from March 15-20)”.

For anyone interested in helping, you can purchase my paintings [online] or see them in person by visiting me!”, said the young director in her post.

Chubinidze’s works feature colourful paintings on various themes including popular fairy tales The Nutcracker and Cinderella. The illustrations are made in acrylic and coloured pencil on paper.

The pieces are featured on the artist’s page at the popular online platform Behance.

The illustrations can also be found on the creator’s WordPress blog, while the artist can be contacted directly through her Facebook account.

Chubinidze's illustrations feature colourful themes including fairy tale scenes.

Chubinidze turned into a filmmaker when she took part in a 2013 workshop organised by the Georgian National Film Centre in cooperation with the International Animation Film Festival Nikozi in Georgia.

Led by French producer Olivier Catherin, the 2013 event involved illustration works for animated projects, with Chubinidze’s work announced as the winner.

The win granted the artist the opportunity to present a demonstration of The Pocket Man at the 2015 Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France.

The prestigious festival was attended by cinema professionals from the well-known French studio Folimage, with Chubinidze’s film preview drawing special attention at the event.

An illustration by artist Ana Chubinidze.

She was then invited by the studio to continue the work on the film with teams in France and Georgia, with the final project co-produced by Folimage and Tbilisi-based Kvali XXI studio.

The final film represents a co-production between France, Georgia and Switzerland.

The production team released their first teaser for the animation last month. They later announced the seven-minute short would debut at the New York festival, which starts this Friday.

The plot for The Pocket Man follows a small man living in an old suitcase, who strikes up a friendship with an elder, blind man after their chance encounter in a big city.

The animation will be screened among 100 new films from over 30 countries at the event that is expected to host over 25,000 visitors and participants.