International Cluj Comics,
Illustration and Animation Festival
Our Guests
Iulia BurlacIulia Burlac graduated from the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca, Graphic Design Department. She worked, from 2010 to 2019, as a freelancer, producing illustrations for commercial purposes. Since 2019, she has been a teacher at the "Corneliu Baba" Art High School in Bistrița, a profession she has grown to love. She is the author and illustrator of several children's books and if you take a look at her website, https://iuliaburlac.ro, you will see that she is constantly discovering new characters and new worlds to explore. She has made books in which numbers and letters become likeable characters, has had numerous practical projects (wallpaper, wrapping paper, jigsaw puzzles, etc.) and is now working on her second book with the Nter robot.
Workshop GuestJury Member
Horațiu ComanHorațiu Coman is a PhD candidate and Assistant Professor at the Design Department of the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca, graduate of the University's Comics and Animation Master program. His research explores the integration of artificial intelligence in interior design and architecture through the Transdigital Theory, a framework that investigates the intersection between digital and analog media. He emphasizes AI's dual role as both a tool and a co-creator, analyzing its potential to reshape design methodologies while bridging the gap between virtual and physical realities. As a visual artist, Coman works with residual images created through interactions between media and tools, producing metaimages and metaobjects that highlight the intrinsic connection between medium, process, and technique. He is also co-founder of PRACTICA, a platform dedicated to developing innovative educational environments that foster collaboration between students and professionals in the design industry.
Workshop Guest
Maria SurducanMaria Surducan has been working for over 15 years as an illustrator, comics author and scriptwriter. She has published several comic books in French, Romanian, Czech, Hungarian — and most of them are, in various forms, interpretations of Eastern European fairy tales. In 2021, she was selected for the Comic Art Europe Fellowship, and in 2023 she was awarded the Helen M. Salzberg Residency at the Jaffe Center for Book Arts, Florida.
Workshop Guest
Radu GaciuRadu Gaciu este absolvent al Universității de Artă și Design Cluj, cu peste 10 ani de experiență în animație, desen, design grafic, artă digitală și editare foto/video. A debutat ca regizor de film în 2020 cu scurtmetrajul de animație „Moartea și Cavalerul/Death and the Knight” (34min.), iar în prezent lucrează la alte două scurtmetraje animate.
Workshop GuestJury Member
Claudia ChelaruClaudia Chelaru este absolventa a Universității de Artă și Design Cluj, cu peste 10 ani de experiență în ilustrație, design de personaje și de mediu pentru animații și jocuri indie, veșnic pasionată de desen și fotografie pe film. A lucrat ca si designer de personaje la scurtmetrajul de animație „Moartea și Cavalerul/Death and the Knight”, iar în prezent lucrează la personajele celor două scurtmetraje animate regizate de Radu Gaciu
Workshop GuestJury Member
Gizem GüvendağGizem Güvendağ is a concept and motion designer with extensive experience in animation and media design. He has worked with international brands such as Telekom, Xbox Turkey, Aldi and Knorr. He graduated from Anadolu University, where he earned a master's degree in Animation. Throughout his career, he worked as a motion designer at Denkwerk GmbH and as a 3D animator for the animated series "Pepee". He has also held animation workshops and courses at institutions such as Istanbul Medipol University and SAE Media Institute. He has exhibited his work in various solo and group exhibitions in Cologne, Istanbul and London.
Workshop Guest
Juan AntinAnimation director, screenwriter and producer. Juan Antin was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, now based in Paris, France. He studied physics and computer science at the Universidad de Buenos Aires before conducting research in the field of computer graphics and developed and created a film/digital intermediate system. He then studied animation. Juan directed and produced more than 70 short films using different animation techniques and two feature films. Mercano the martian (72min, Argentina) and Pachamama (80min France, Luxembourg and Canada). In 2019, Pachamama was nominated to the prestigious French Cesar Awards. Pachamama was released on Netflix on 184 countries, dubbed to 20 languages.
Workshop GuestTalk GuestJury Member
Cristian OprișCristian Opriș has been teaching at the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca since 1999. He is mainly interested in engravings and artist's books. Between 1995 and 2024 he participated in international exhibitions dedicated to engraving, where he won numerous prizes (Japan, Czech Republic, Sweden, Hungary, Belgium). He also participates in workshops and artist residencies in Portugal (Lisbon), Sweden (Tidaholm), France (Rennes, Lyon, Nantes), Hungary (Miskolc), Turkey (Karabuk). Among the most important solo exhibitions, we mention Subjective Archive and Ierbare-Ferpar at the Mediateca Hermeland, Saint-Herblain (1998, 2002), the etching exhibitions at the Gallery ,,G'', Lisbon (2004), Anna Iglinska, Krakow (2003), Mathieu Gallery, Lyon (2004), Etching Course. Portret si peisaj at the Hag Gallery, Bucharest, (2009) and Reconstructie identitară, at the Cluj Art Museum (2008), respectively at the Romanian Institute of Culture and Humanistic Research Venice (2008)
Workshop Guest
Márta AdorjániBetween 2008-2011 and 2019-2021, she was a student at the Art and Design University in Cluj-Napoca. Currently, she works in bookbinding and creates artist books in which she combines graphic and experimental printing techniques. She has led several bookbinding workshops within the framework of Cele mai frumoase cărți din România [The Most Beautiful Books of Romania] and the Minitremu Art Camp – contemporary art camp. She lives and works in Cluj-Napoca.
Workshop Guest
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Roma GavrilăRoma Gavrilă is an illustrator with a focus on editorial illustration, as well as book illustration for children and young adults, as well as comic books. Many of her projects focus on social themes as well as related to women and the issues they face. She has illustrated articles for Recorder, Rise Project, HotNews, Freedom, Snoop, Films in Frame, Scene9, School9, The Academic Quarter, DoR. In her personal work she is inspired by nature, the world around her, the landscapes and scenes she encounters on walks, details of personal space and everyday life, and how they contribute to the story she tell
Workshop Guest
Lambert Barthelemy Lambert Barthelemy is a specialist in comparative literature and cultural studies. His research focuses on the relationship between literature, visual arts and popular culture. He has taught at several French and foreign universities, including Montpellier, Poitiers, Berlin, Aarhus and Warsaw. His work has been published in various journals and he has supervised numerous research dissertations. In parallel to his teaching and research activities, Lambert Barthelemy has held important administrative positions, in particular as director of the Master's courses in Cultural Studies and Comics. His areas of expertise include graphic novels, fantasy literature, British cultural studies and contemporary literary theory.
Talk GuestJury MemberRound table Guest
Bianca Mereuță Bianca Mereuță is a dedicated entrepreneur in education, known for founding the Signatura publishing house and the non-governmental organization "Versus." She established the online community "What We Read to Children," which boasts over 150,000 members, and created Romania's largest private library focused on children's literature. With over 20 years of experience, Bianca emphasizes the importance of books in early childhood development, believing they play a crucial role in shaping future generations. Her work is driven by the idea that education should empower children to become creators of a better society.
Through her extensive involvement in literacy projects, Bianca has forged over 150 strategic partnerships with various organizations and donated more than 30,000 books to promote reading among children. As the founder of Signatura Publishing House, she has developed a highly regarded portfolio of picture books that integrate ethical and aesthetic values. Bianca has spearheaded numerous educational initiatives, including European Book Day, and has organized over 2,000 creative workshops, all aimed at enriching the educational landscape for children, youth, and adults in Romania and beyond.
Through her extensive involvement in literacy projects, Bianca has forged over 150 strategic partnerships with various organizations and donated more than 30,000 books to promote reading among children. As the founder of Signatura Publishing House, she has developed a highly regarded portfolio of picture books that integrate ethical and aesthetic values. Bianca has spearheaded numerous educational initiatives, including European Book Day, and has organized over 2,000 creative workshops, all aimed at enriching the educational landscape for children, youth, and adults in Romania and beyond.
Talk GuestJury Member
Nicola Alessandrini Nicola Alessandrini is an Italian visual artist, born in Macerata, with a diverse artistic practice that includes mural art, painting and graphics. His work explores complex themes such as the relationship between the body, society and nature, blending elements of popular culture, science and folklore. Founder of the creative studio Studio Ratto and artistic director of the cultural association Ratatà in Macerata, which launched the Ratata Illustration and Comics Festival, Alessandrini is known for his murals realized in various cities in Italy and abroad, as well as for his participation in international collaborative art projects. His exhibitions have been hosted by major galleries and contemporary art festivals in Europe.
Talk GuestJury MemberRound table Guest
Paul Mureșan Paul Muresan - born on January 27, 1988, in Bistrita, Romania, is a graphic illustrator, film director and animator. His work often explores themes such as existential angst and queer love, highlighting their beauty and challenges through surreal and sometimes erotic lenses.
His animated films have been presented at festivals such as Annecy IAFF and Uppsala ISFF and awarded at Oberhausen IFF, ANIFILM, SPLIT FILM FESTIVAL, TIFF, ITFS Stuttgart, FICAE Valencia, ANIM’EST.
His animated films have been presented at festivals such as Annecy IAFF and Uppsala ISFF and awarded at Oberhausen IFF, ANIFILM, SPLIT FILM FESTIVAL, TIFF, ITFS Stuttgart, FICAE Valencia, ANIM’EST.
Talk Guest
Animation Incubator The Animation Incubator is the largest community for animation and digital art for teenagers in Romania and Moldova. Its mission is to create safe, diverse, and inclusive spaces where non-formal education programs in animation and digital art can take place, accessible to adolescents regardless of their financial means, geographical location, or educational background. The Incubator is a diverse and inclusive community, serving as an animation school, studio, and research lab, all designed to encourage and support the new generation of artists and more.
Talk Guest
Matei BraneaMatei Branea, animation filmmaker, comics author and illustrator, creator of OMULAN, a minimalist character with notoriety in independent animation and alternative comics. His style is characterized by dark, brutal humor, (self-)irony, erotica and sarcasm. Branea is known for his animations for Planeta Moldova, the image of the NexT film festival and the animated spots for the SonoRe festival. His provocative illustrations and comics have been exhibited and published from Tokyo to New York, via Berlin, London, Paris and of course Bucharest. Currently Matei Branea teaches and coordinates the Master's program Animation Film at UNATC I.L.Caragiale in Bucharest where he is the director of the department and is working on an animated film for children about death.
Round table Guest
Adina Șuta Adina Șuta, lives and works in Cluj-Napoca. A graduate of the University of Art and Design Cluj-Napoca, Graphic Design Department, she has 14 years of teaching experience in the same university. Gesture, intention, anticipation or chromatic and textural experimentation, in conceptual drawing, more or less abstract, are some of the artist's concerns in her personal practice. Her passion, curiosity, and research area have naturally shifted in recent years from personal practice to book illustration and editorial design, gaining experience through the coordination of various editorial projects disseminated to students. Over the years, she has also been involved in teams organizing exhibitions for students, so important for their artistic practice. Currently, she focuses on her academic and teaching work, generating new contexts and opportunities for students through partnerships and collaborations for different projects, thus providing them with a framework for professional and artistic development in the field of graphic design.
Jury MemberRound table Guest
Meister Kante Kante Meister is a visual artist, lecturer at the University of Oradea, Faculty of Visual Arts, with an internationally recognized artistic activity. He has exhibited works in solo and group exhibitions in France, Germany, Slovakia and Romania, exploring various art forms ranging from painting and sculpture to multimedia installations. His artistic work reflects a deep preoccupation with labyrinthine imagery and composite portraits, and his conceptual approach is found in projects that combine elements of graphic design, painting and graphic design. He is a member of the Romanian Fine Artists Union since 2003.
Jury MemberRound table Guest
Victor Drujiniu Victor Drujiniu, born on February 8, 1981 in Sfântu-Gheorghe, discovered his passion for comics early on, being inspired by the superhero magazines of his childhood. He graduated from the Art High School and then the Art Faculty in Timisoara in 2005. After a brief experience in animation, he debuted in 2007 in Helion magazine and quickly entered the international market, collaborating with Zenescope Entertainment. His talent was recognized by Dark Horse, for whom he illustrated the Predators adaptation in 2010. In 2011, he collaborated with Marvel, drawing for the Incredible Hulk, and later with DC Comics for successful series such as Justice League Dark and Arrow. Thanks to his agent Csaba Kopeczky, he has also established himself on the French market with albums published by Editions Soleil, including most recently Les Maîtres Assassins T04. His style, academic and realistic, continues to be appreciated internationally.
Jury MemberRound table Guest
Sabina Drinceanu Ana-Sabina Drinceanu is a visual artist and illustrator from Iași. She studied graphic at the National University of Arts "George Enescu" in Iași, and book illustration in the UK. In her works she deals with fantastic and mythological themes, where she emphasizes on characters and the story they can tell. He is part of a group of four illustrators from Iași, Drawing Group Iași, and together they create illustrated zines, collaborate multidisciplinary projects that promote illustration in various forms, and is currently lecturer at the Faculty of Visual Arts and Design in Iași, graphics department.
Jury MemberRound table Guest
Greti Adriene Papiu Greti Papiu - Adrienne is a lecturer since 2006 in the Fine Arts - Painting Studies Program at the Faculty of Letters, University Center of Baia Mare, Technical University of Cluj Napoca. Since 2022, he holds the title of PhD lecturer and lives in Baia Mare. His artistic studies began at the Art College of Baia Mare and continued at the North University of Baia Mare, with a bachelor's degree obtained at the Faculty of Arts and Design of Timișoara, Painting Department. She completed a Master's degree in Decorative Arts - Textile/Tapestry Section at the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca, and in 2014 she completed her PhD at the West University of Timișoara, with the thesis "Portretul fără identitate - Condiția omului postmodern," under the supervision of Prof. Carol David. Since 2007, she is a full member of the Fine Artists Union of Romania, Baia Mare Branch. Her artistic activity includes participation in national and international Biennials and Triennials, with group exhibitions in Hungary, Poland, Germany, Slovakia and Romania. She is a member of the specialized committee of the County Art Museum "Baia Mare Artistic Center". Her main artistic field is painting, but she also teaches courses on art techniques, chromatology, perspective, sign and symbol, exploring various forms of artistic manifestation.
Jury MemberRound table Guest
Mihai Ciplea Mihai Ciplea is a teacher at the Baia Mare Art College since 2009 and since 2015 associate at the University of North, Faculty of Painting in Baia Mare, where he teaches drawing and graphic. He studied graphic design in Cluj-Napoca and Timișoara, and in his artistic practice he uses both painting, as well as a variety of graphic techniques, currently working predominantly in the dry pastel technique, a technique technique that he approaches from a more conceptual perspective.
Highlights of her professional career include Artist Talk -Different Degrees ale desenului, Kunsthalle Bega, Timișoara, 2023, Grand Prize - International Pastel Biennial, Nowy Sacz, Poland 2013, Solo exhibitions - Numinous, Atelier 030202 - Spațiu de Artă Contemporană, Bucharest, 2016; Palimpsest, Uj Kriterion Gallery, Miercurea Ciuc, 2017; Mihai Ciplea / Works of Art, Gothic House, Nowy Sacz, 2019.
Highlights of her professional career include Artist Talk -Different Degrees ale desenului, Kunsthalle Bega, Timișoara, 2023, Grand Prize - International Pastel Biennial, Nowy Sacz, Poland 2013, Solo exhibitions - Numinous, Atelier 030202 - Spațiu de Artă Contemporană, Bucharest, 2016; Palimpsest, Uj Kriterion Gallery, Miercurea Ciuc, 2017; Mihai Ciplea / Works of Art, Gothic House, Nowy Sacz, 2019.
Jury MemberRound table Guest
Dana UngurCommunity Organizer at Centrul Cultural Clujean
Round table Guest
Alexandra Rusu Alexandra Rusu is a cultural manager with a passion for exploring innovative formats and digital art. Interested in interdisciplinary projects that combine various forms of artistic expression, she brings her expertise in promoting and supporting contemporary art in particular. Currently, she is the director of the German Cultural Center in Cluj-Napoca, where she actively contributes to the development of the local cultural scene and to the creation of opportunities for international collaboration.
The German Cultural Center has been supporting Comics Club Cluj for 14 years. Together they have published two comic books, a series of flipbooks and a series of fanzines.
The German Cultural Center has been supporting Comics Club Cluj for 14 years. Together they have published two comic books, a series of flipbooks and a series of fanzines.
Round table Guest
Alexandru Chituță Alexandru Chituță is a prominent Romanian cultural manager and academic with significant expertise in museum marketing and curating. Currently, he is the general manager of the Brukenthal National Museum in Sibiu, where he has been employed since 2008. He is also the president of the Asociația Culturală Pictor Octavian Smigelschi since 2014. He holds a PhD in Theology from Universitatea Lucian Blaga Sibiu and has authored and co-authored numerous cultural publications, focusing on Romanian religious art, European graphics, and diplomatic cultural projects. He has organized and co-organized a wide range of international exhibitions, symposia, and editorial projects, including events honoring historical diplomatic relationships. He is an experienced communicator and project manager in cultural institutions.
Round table Guest
Alexandra Bratosin "Creativity and "hmm, what if...?" moments are what get me out of my comfort zone and let my imagination run laps through the most colorful and crazy ideas.
In marketing I have about five years of (serious!) play, and in my spare time I'm actively involved in the youth area in Cluj-Napoca through the Youth Federation of Cluj. I have the honor of being the Vice President of the Communication Department - meaning I'm in charge of keeping things moving and people informed.
I am the kind of person who throws himself into challenges of any kind and firmly believes that there are no problems? just puzzles waiting to be solved!"
In marketing I have about five years of (serious!) play, and in my spare time I'm actively involved in the youth area in Cluj-Napoca through the Youth Federation of Cluj. I have the honor of being the Vice President of the Communication Department - meaning I'm in charge of keeping things moving and people informed.
I am the kind of person who throws himself into challenges of any kind and firmly believes that there are no problems? just puzzles waiting to be solved!"
Round table Guest
András Farkas Co-founder at PONT Group, a social innovation organization. Co-founder of Allyourtime, a startup. Found of international relations, social innovation systems, urban development, but also time and consciousness.
Round table Guest
Helga Fodorean Helga Fodorean is a cultural manager and film producer, trained as a screenwriter with a special interest in animation. She mainly works with Romanian and Hungarian artists, having co-produced Balázs Turai's multi-award-winning animated short Amok through Safe-Frame. In 2018 he joined the Animest Festival as the festival's producer, and shortly after that he became the president of the Animest Association, where he works as the financial director for all the projects developed throughout the year under the Animest umbrella. In 2021 she initiated SYAA, a mentorship program for women in animation.
Round table Guest
Laura Pop Laura Pop is a multi-award-winning animation film director from Sibiu, Romania. Laura has studied in Romania, France, Belgium and the United States, and holds a BA in scenography, an MA in animated film and a PhD in film studies. She is interested in poetic cinematography and her films offer philosophical perspectives on the self, the cycle of life and death. Her films have been screened around the world at festivals such as Ji.hlava, Anifilm, AnimaSyros and Animation Nights New York. Laura founded the studio Libelopia in 2020 and is currently working on a new short film.
Jury Member
Medeleanu Constantin "Born in Bucharest, I studied Graphic Arts at the Nicolae Tonitza High School of Fine Arts, being passionate about drawing and especially engraving techniques, and then to continue this passion at the National University of Arts in Bucharest, Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Graphic Arts, both through undergraduate and master's studies, I also got into the field of visual art theory during my doctoral studies, which focused on a comparative analysis between digital artwork for PC or console games and representative Renaissance drawing, but also through my constant interest in knowledge in general, in the philosophy of art and aesthetics. During my development as an Assistant and later as a Lecturer, I have taught courses in Computer Graphics, for the first, second and third years of the Bachelor's degree, as well as for the first and second years of the Master's degree, courses involving multimedia techniques, namely video editing, animation and special effects. In this way I have covered both traditional studio techniques, which I consider an essential basis for any type of artistic expression in all areas of the visual field, digital, two-dimensional, graphic design techniques, but also those specific to dynamic imagery, which include animation and film. Throughout my artistic career I have worked on a number of projects, both within the university and outside, national and international projects, in collaboration with professors and students, as well as individual, involving various realizations in the area of graphic design, such as posters, logos, illustrations, books and magazines, but also video editing, or animation."
Jury Member
Bianca Simionescu She graduated from the University of Arts "George Enescu" in Iasi, specializing in photo-video graphics, and obtained a PhD in visual arts with the thesis "Digital Illustration - interconnection of computer art forms." Currently, he is a teacher at the National University of Arts "George Enescu" in Iasi, Faculty of Visual Arts and Design, specialization Fine Arts - GRAPHICS. He has participated in numerous national and international exhibitions, winning awards such as the Graphic Design Award at "Atelier 35" (World Trade Center, UAP, Iași, 2008) and the Silver Medal at Euroinvent, European Visual Art Exhibition, Iași, in 2019. His work in the area of advertising graphics extends over a period of more than 17 years, including collaborations with numerous publishers and institutions for the realization of posters, cover illustrations and book illustrations.
Jury Member
