Failed Comics

Frames from an ill fated comics I drew, written by Trillo and Maicas.

Cuadros de una historieta malparida dibujada por mi y escrita por Trillo y Maicas.

Wedding

In the book this was in black and white-En el libro salió en blanco y negro

Divertimenti

A collection of some not so new works-Una coleccion de trabajos no muy nuevos.

The Last of The I Castelli Animati Postings

In the Flintstones car we went to the Campidoglio, in Rome.

I still don't know why Silverman, Bozzetto and I were invited to see Mr. Veltroni, il Sindaco di Roma.

The palace was most impressive and had a photo of Sun Yi hanging in the entrance. Surely to demonstrate the solidarity of the people of Rome with the Burmese people



They showed us around and invited us to look at the view from the Sindaco's office window. Legend suggests that only the Pope, Bush Sr., Clinton, Putin and us were accorded such privilege

Mr. Veltroni, the Sindaco of Rome, couldn't make it to the date because he was urgently summoned by Mr. Silvio Berlusconi for one reason or another. A very nice gentleman, who in the future may become the next President of Italy, gave us a book and a medal (I still don't know why!) and got his photo taken with us.

The chamber was in session and David Silverman was invited to say hello to the representatives from the podium. A man with X-Ray eyes told David how to say it in Latin I believe.

The one at the bottom is the medal they gave me in the Campidoglio (What for?) and above there is a plaque given to me by The I Castelli Animati guys in the closing ceremony, and I still am also ignorant of the reason for why they gave it to me. My good looks perhaps. I am very grateful though. It looks great in my front room.
The terracota lady with the big feet is a souvenir we've bought in Argentina. It is an indian woman making "Empanadas" (meat pies)

In the Campidoglio they also gave us a wonderful book by Trilusa, beautifully illustrated by Galantara. A special edition, very well printed. A real treasure.

And finally.

A photo of Patricia and I taken in the set of "Gangs of New York" by an Italian guide who looked like General Colin Powell.

People at Castelli Animati

A very confused Liz Fairs conducts a prayer meeting before dinner

Larry Banfia from Vancouver talks about Marv Newland to clarinetist Nik Phelps.

Oscar discusses the cruelty of bullfighting with Antonio Zurera, from Cordoba.

A couple of twins look with great interest how Oscar moves manically his hands scaring gnats.

Nancy Phelps shows her teeth fillings to the president of the jury Roberto Perpinani.

Animator Mario Addis looks with great interest how French master Michel Ocelot converses with the very young and prolific Joshua Held.

Photos by Patricia Grillo

I Castelli Animati Part 2

Oscar makes a fool of himself.

Without his glasses Oscar can hardly see what he draws and dips his pen in the capuccino.

David Silverman plays "Verklarte Nacht" by Schoenberg in tuba.

The Three Stooges. Grillo, Bozzetto and Giulio Cingoli, doyen of Italian animators, in the back lot.


Animator Leonardo Carrano makes a passable imitation of Popeye.

I Castelli Animati 2007

Another Castelli Animati Animation Festival , i'ts 12th edition, came and went. This time it was celebrated at Cinecittá Studios, a place haunted by the ghosts of Ben Hur and Federico Fellini.
As usual, and thanks to the conduction of Lucca Raffaelli and the organization of a great gang of guys and dolls, the festival was another nice occasion for meeting people, eating terrific food, boozing great wine, talking rubbish and visiting interesting places....Oh, Yes! I forgotten!!...It was also an opportunity for watching a large selection of animated films!...

On a VERY rainy day we went to visit Rome with Dave Silverman. In the Coliseum we tossed a coin to find who was going to be crucified first. I can't remember who won the toss.

Dave Silverman gave several masterclasses on the Simpsons that were the brightest point of the festival.
Dave is an extraordinary guy, great animator, terrific musician and marvellously entertaining orator.
We all loved every minute of his company.

Here Dave is seen playing the tuba. Someone had the brilliant idea of renting one and "forced" him to play. David confessed he much preferred to play the tuba under duress that to draw Simpsons characters for EVERY visitor at the festival. I stopped counting when he was into his eighteen hundred and twenty two Krusty The Clown, and that was on the first day of the festival!

I think when Patricia took this photo they were playing "Sweet Georgia Brown"

Organizer Sabrina Perucca and festival director Luca Raffaelli get drunk and tell us to leave them in peace. Luca could be very dangerous under the influence of alcohol and brandishing a knife.

Rositta Raffaelli videos me grimacing my "drawing Face".

Every day in the commissary of Cinecittá I sat in front of this Federico Fellini's drawing representing himself directing "Fred and Ginger"

Here I explain to a young Roman about the mystery and meaning of my art during and impromptu visit to the exhibition. Piero Fortini smiles ironically and Vincenzo Silvestri leaves the room disgusted.

All photos by Patricia Grillo

Back to the Future

Back from I Castelli Animati International Animation Festival in Cinecittá, Rome.
We had a great time there and I will be posting some photos of the event in the next few days.
Here is one of me at the exhibition of my Kafka drawings.

Heckling at the screen after everybody left the theatre in disgust for my behaviour.

David Silverman, tuba player extraordinaire and genius director of "The Simpsons Movie" posing in front of the window of a Roman shop, admiring elegant underwear showing his namesake's dick.

Rome=Roma

Today I am going to the I Castelli Animati International Animation Festival in Rome, among other things there is an exhibition of my drawings , a collection called: "Animated Kafka". It will be shown at the famous Cinecittá Studios, where Fellini shot "Intervista", a film about the studios and his attempts to shoot Kafka's "America". Wonderful coincidence.

If you "need" to see my daily drawings, please, visit www.okgrillo.blogspot.com . Ruben Gonzalez, "The Editor", has a collection of fresh pictures to post until Monday.

See you next week

Hoy salgo para eI I Castelli Animati International Animation Festival en Roma, Entre otras cosas habrá una muestra de dibujos mios titulada "Animated Kafka". Por una feliz coincidencia, la muestra tendra lugar en los famosos estudios de Cinecittá, donde Fellini filmó "Intervista", una pelicula sobre esos estudios y de como trató de filmar alli "America" de Kafka. Maravillosa coincidencia.

Si te "moris de ganas" de ver mis dibujos diarios, visita www.okgrillo.blogspot.com . Ruben Gonzalez, "El Editor", tiene una coleccion de dibujos nuevos que le durara hasta el lunes.

Nos vemos la semana que viene, salute.

Oscar

So Cold!

Pages

The text was written, wonderfully, by Alan Passes.

Old People's Faces

Another illustration for the book. Rembrandt confronts old age.

Otra ilustracion para el libro. Rembrandt confronta la vejez.

Rembrandt

I feel deeply honoured because a museum in Ohio is going to have an exhibition of Rembrandt self-portraits and they asked me for this illustration I drew a few years ago for the catalogue.

Estoy prfundamente orgulloso porque de un museo en Ohio me pidieron permiso para usar esta ilustracion en el catalogo de la muestra.

Premonition