My name is Marat Barsky, I am an independent producer and organizer of events, the founder and organizer of the International Animated Films Festival — BIMINI (Riga, Latvia).
I started organizing events back in 1996. In cooperation with my two friends, we have started to organize massive techno parties in Latvia. So, we worked together until the end of 2001, and then everyone went their own way.
A lot of public and private events were realized during my activity in Latvia from 1996 to 2009. Some of these events were organized both in cooperation with other producers, but some were organized solely by me personally. Some events took place in Latvia for the first time, including BIMINI festival.
All massive public events were supported by leading media groups, private sponsors and government.
Here is my first event on 29.11.1996 in Riga, Latvia.
In 2002 was founded the International Animated Films Festival BIMINI, which took place annually in Latvia until 2008.
For the first time I got acquainted with the author’s animation in 1997 and since then this type of art stayed in my heart forever. In early 2002, I started to think about creating my own animated film festival, and already in September 2002 the BIMINI festival was founded and preparations for the festival began. The first festival has taken place in March 2003. In a short time, the festival BIMINI became one of the favorite festival among professionals and fans of animated films, and also the festival became my favorite event from those I have produced before.
For the selection of the first festival were sent only 38 animated films from which 36 films participated in the festival’s program. More than 700 animated films were sent for the selection of the last festival in Latvia, 126 films participated in the competition program, in all the programs of the festival participated about 200 films.
Throughout the time, the festival BIMINI was organized by two people, my assistant and me.
My assistant took part in the selection of the films for the festival, she was responsible for public relations, wrote articles in newspapers and magazines, she hosted the guests of the festival and members of the jury.
I was responsible for films selection for the festival, preparation of the festival’s programs, development of advertising strategy of the festival , writing texts for commercials, a selection of audio and video materials for commercials, together with designers I developed layouts of visual products, took part in audio clips recording, wrote scripts and prepared the opening and closing ceremonies of the festival, collaborated with the media and sponsors of the festival.
The most important thing that has happened over the years of the festival, is that we have been able to convey to the Latvian audience that the animated movies are not just for kids!
Every year the festival was attended more and more adult audience, who after each session were completely delighted with what they saw.
Of course, all of the above has brought me great pleasure and understanding that the festival goes in the right direction, but . . .
When the global financial crisis of 2008 began, the Latvian financial market collapsed and I, like many other organizers and producers, lost financial support from the State and Private Sponsors. I tried to restore the festival, but all my attempts were in vain. I understood that the festival will have to be postponed for a certain period, but I did not expect that it will last for so long.
In 2012, I was forced to move from Latvia to Germany, where I currently live and work. During my life in Germany I did not lose the passion to animated movies and I have a great desire to revive the festival but . . .
It will be a little bit more than a festival!
2003-2008 — BIMINI International festival of Animated films!