Comics and animation festival set

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine International Cartoons, Comics and Animation (PICCA) Festival is accepting members who will get special privileges during the PICCA main event on Oct. 22 to 25 at the SM City North.

PICCA will be marked with cartoon and comics exhibits, comics drawing contests, animation creation contests, talks by local and foreign guests, book launches, workshops for children, caricature sessions, game demos and animation showing.

PICCA will also hold a trade exhibit and showcase at SM City North Annex. Comics publishers, content creators, animation studios, mainstream and indie comics artists, gaming producers and multi-media schools are participating. Booths and displays will be set up in the CyberZone floor.

The four-day event is open to the public except the talks and the showings where PICCA members have the first crack at reserved seats. Members will also be entitled to PICCA “loot bags” that contain numerous souvenirs and collectible items.

In addition, PICCA members will be entitled to raffle tickets, awards night party and discounts on special skills training.

The annual event is dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of creative content generation in the Philippines, particularly in the fields of comics, animation and also gaming.

Resource persons will come from the US, Canada, China, Japan, Israel, Singapore, Australia and Pakistan. PICCA members are expected to benefit from the talks.

PICCA is presented by Mango Comics and SM malls. Partners include Japan Foundation, CITEM, Samahang Kartunista ng Pilipinas, Cosmopolitan International Institute of Technology, Seventoons, UP College of Fine Arts, Creative Media Professionals Guild of Asia and the Pacific, Holy Cow Animation and Design Plus Printers, Panda Travel Service and Derwent Art Supplies.

For details, log on to piccafest.com.