AI Keynote: How “Keep Festive” is Championing Safer Animation Events

This text, generated using AI, accompanies the full webinar available on our Vimeo channel.

Keep Festive and Create Safer Events
May 26 | 14:00—15:00 | Case Study Discussion

Animation festivals and industry events are the vibrant heartbeats of our creative community. They’re the spaces where inspiration ignites, collaborations are forged, and lifelong connections are made. But there’s a shadow side: sometimes, these bustling environments can inadvertently become stages for misconduct, leaving attendees feeling unsafe or unwelcome. Recognizing this critical need, the Keep Festive initiative has emerged, offering a beacon of guidance and practical tools for event organizers committed to fostering genuinely safer, more inclusive environments.

This isn’t just another well-meaning idea; it’s a concrete framework developed by and for the animation community. If you’re involved in organizing any kind of industry gathering, from a local meetup to an international festival, the insights shared by Aneta Ozorek (Kaboom Animation Festival) and Anastasiya Verlinska (Linoleum Festival) in a recent webinar are invaluable. Let’s explore how Keep Festive is helping to redefine what it means to truly welcome everyone.

The Spark: Why ‘Keep Festive’ Was Born

The initiative didn’t appear out of thin air. It was a direct response to a growing awareness within the animation world that more needed to be done. The catalyst was a powerful address by Luce Grosjean of MIYU Distribution at the Animateka Festival in late 2019. She didn’t just point out the problems – racism, sexism, sexual harassment – she proposed tangible actions: rethinking invitations to problematic individuals, sharing information responsibly to protect others, and encouraging open communication between festival programmers about guest conduct.

This call to action resonated deeply, leading to a series of dedicated meetings between roughly a dozen festivals. Their collective efforts, enriched by legal and expert advice, culminated in the Keep Festive initiative – a practical, community-driven approach to a sensitive challenge.

The ‘Keep Festive’ Toolkit: Your Blueprint for a Safer Event

At the core of Keep Festive is a downloadable toolkit – a treasure trove of resources designed not as a rigid set of commandments, but as an adaptable foundation for any event organizer. It’s about empowering you to build a safer space tailored to your event’s unique context, local culture, and legal obligations.

Inside the Toolkit, you’ll typically find:

• A Comprehensive Code of Conduct: A robust template that you can customize.
• Standardized Report Forms: For clear, consistent documentation if an incident occurs.
• Impactful Animated Shorts: Created by animator Britt Raes, these videos deliver essential messages about consent and respectful behavior in an accessible way.
• The Keep Festive Logo: A visual cue for your attendees that you’re committed to these principles.

Key Takeaway: This toolkit is designed for action. As the presenters emphasized, feel free to “copy, paste, but also modify, cut, change.” It’s a living document meant to serve your specific needs. (You can usually find these resources via the Animation Festival Network website, often under a “Keep Festive” section.)

Laying the Groundwork: Transparency and Clear Boundaries

Creating a safer festival starts long before the first guest arrives. It begins with clear, unwavering communication.

1. Declare Your Commitment: Make your stance on inclusivity and zero-tolerance for harassment unequivocally public. This should feature prominently on your website (especially on the main page during the event), across social media, within your event’s rules and regulations, and even in film submission guidelines. The message? Everyone is accountable for their behavior.
2. Define the Unacceptable: Ambiguity is the enemy of safety. Clearly spell out behaviors that will not be tolerated. This includes:
   • Harassment: Any verbal, non-verbal, or physical act that crosses boundaries of safety and comfort, including inappropriate sexual behavior (unwanted advances, comments, or physical contact).
   • Discrimination: Treating individuals differently based on characteristics like religion, race, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, age, or disability.
   • Bullying, Stalking, and Threats: Any form of intimidating behavior.

These definitions should be readily accessible – think posters (even in restrooms!), pre-screening slides with QR codes linking to your full Code of Conduct, and clear information about how to contact your designated “Person of Trust.”

Proactive Preparation: Equipping Your Team and Setting Up for Success

The whirlwind of a live event is no time to be drafting policy. Thorough preparation is paramount.

• Train Your Front Line – Staff & Volunteers: Your team members are your eyes, ears, and often the first point of contact. Equip them with training on recognizing discrimination, effective bystander intervention, and your festival’s specific response protocols.

Pro-Tip: Empower volunteers! They are invaluable in observing and reporting. Make sure they know the procedures and feel supported.

• Appoint a ‘Person of Trust’: This is a cornerstone of the Keep Festive approach. This individual serves as a confidential point of contact for anyone wishing to report an incident or seek guidance.
  • Strategic Selection: Ideally, this person should have some independence from top festival leadership (in case management itself is part of an issue) and shouldn’t be someone already overwhelmed with critical operational tasks. Their contact details must be highly visible – on badges, lanyards, the website, and in guest guides.
• Communicate Before Arrival: Share your Code of Conduct with all participants – guests, jury members, partners, and sponsors – before they set foot at your event.
  • Practical Implementation: Consider making acknowledgment and agreement to the Code of Conduct a mandatory tick-box during the registration process. This provides clear grounds for action if violations occur.
• Integrate Information: Weave key elements of your Code of Conduct and Person of Trust details into essential print and digital materials, like the festival catalogue or guest guide.

Navigating Incidents: A Calm and Considered Response Protocol

Even with the best preparation, incidents can occur. Having a clear, pre-defined process is crucial for handling them effectively and fairly.

1. Act with Urgency: Time is of the essence, especially at short-duration festivals. Aim to address reports within 24 hours. If a serious report comes in, be prepared to pause other tasks.
2. Formalize with an Assessment/Complaint Form: This is vital. It moves a report from hearsay to documented fact. The Keep Festive toolkit provides an excellent template covering essentials like:
   • Details of the reporting person
   • Nature of the complaint (sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying, etc. – remember, the form is adaptable)
   • Date, time, and location
   • Information about the person whose behavior is being reported
   • Any witnesses
   • A detailed narrative of the incident
   • The reporting person’s desired resolution or outcome
3. Prioritize Safety & Listen: The well-being and perspective of the person reporting the incident are paramount. Ensure they are heard and supported. The person reported also needs to be informed of the complaint and given an opportunity to respond.
4. Practice De-escalation: Approach the situation with the intent to understand. Sometimes, especially with cultural differences, misunderstandings can occur that might be resolved through facilitated conversation and a sincere apology.
5. Balance Transparency and Confidentiality: This is perhaps one of the most challenging aspects. You must protect the privacy of the reporting individual. However, if there’s a genuine risk to others, you may need to share minimal, essential information to prevent further incidents – all while diligently working to prevent gossip and further harm.
6. Communicate with Empathy: Throughout the process, ensure all communication is clear, respectful, and empathetic.

Crucial Warning: While you shouldn’t ignore whispers or rumors (they might prompt discreet observation), never act solely on them. Formal complaints, backed by the assessment form, are key. Spreading unverified information can have serious legal and reputational consequences.

Addressing Violations: Consequences and Complexities

The actions taken following an investigation will depend on the severity of the incident and your festival’s clearly communicated policies. These can range from:

• A verbal warning.
• Limited access (e.g., ensuring the involved parties are not in the same spaces).
• Full exclusion from the festival.
• In more complex or repeated cases, festivals might consider future bans or decisions about screening an individual’s work. This is highly nuanced, especially as films are collaborative efforts, and decisions rest with individual festival policies.

The question of sharing information about proven incidents between festivals is also complex. While it can be vital for community safety, it must be done with extreme caution and only with verified, documented proof.

Beyond Your Gates: Incidents Involving Non-Attendees

What if a festival guest experiences harassment from a member of the public, outside official festival venues? While your direct control is limited, your responsibility to your guest remains.

• Offer support and assistance.
• Standard societal responses apply (involving venue security if at a partner establishment, or law enforcement for more serious issues).
• This can also inform your future partnerships – seek out venues that share your commitment to safety.
• Situational awareness helps: being mindful of other large events happening in your city can allow you to advise guests accordingly.

The Path Forward: Building a Culture of Respect, Together

The Keep Festive initiative isn’t just a set of documents; it’s a movement towards a more conscious, respectful, and safe industry. It provides the tools and a clear philosophy, but the real change happens when individual festivals and event organizers embrace these principles proactively.

By clearly defining expectations, preparing our teams, and committing to a fair and empathetic response process, we can all contribute to making animation events the truly celebratory and inspiring spaces they are meant to be – for everyone.

Your Next Steps:

• Explore the Keep Festive toolkit (a good starting point is the Animation Festival Network website).
• Engage your team in a discussion about these principles.
• Adapt and implement a Code of Conduct and reporting mechanism tailored to your event.
• Invest in training for your staff and volunteers.
• Make your commitment to safety visible and unwavering.

Together, let’s ensure our festivals are not just about great animation, but also about great experiences, built on a foundation of safety and respect.