You graduated in animation and graphic design, but then you have turned more to graphic design. What was the reason you turned away from animation?

My life turned out so that I couldn't continue, but apart from that I really like to fiddle with a picture. Drawing the details, spending a lot of time on it, immersing myself in the composition. When I was making animated films, it was always frustrating to me to move on very quickly. It is not possible to draw 2000-4000 pictures with this kind of thoroughness.

Looking at your images, I can feel the powerful world of colour and form of Spanish fine arts and applied arts. What different artistic influences have you been exposed to out there compared to here? Which artists are your favourites, which paintings have had a strong influence on you?

I think, not even the different artistic influences (nowadays, you can reach any kind of content on the internet easily), but the vibrant, welcoming, tolerant and patient Catalan culture, the cavalcade of colours on a random celebration, the smiling people, the strength of the community and the shared will to do something together is what really impresses and influences me.

When I draw, I do not look for formal references, I am guided by my own feelings. I try to evoke the memories of my childhood: what it was like at home, at grandma's, at the top of the tree, in kindergarden, at school.

Of course, the environment around me has an impact on my view, too. I feel like I am inspired not so much by specific artists or styles, but by the duality: childhood, the memories of home and the diversity of Mediterranean cultures that define my work, and the student years spent in The Netherlands.

If I had to mention artists I really like and who have definitely influenced me, I would say István Iscsu Molnár, Katalin Irsa, Margit Balla, Dóra Keresztes, Chagall, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Pieter Brueghel, Eric Carle, Beatrice Alemagna or Květa Pacovská – strangely enough none of them Spanish or Catalan.

You not only illustrate, but also publish your own books. You’re the author of 'Robotok' and the 'Bújócska - Kukucskálókönyv'. How did you get to these jobs?

I just had to paint these books, stories, and feelings out of me. ‘Bújócska’ is specifically a product of the Covid epidemic. It made me sad and scared that we had to hide our faces behind masks and I felt sorry for the children who were frightened by this. I wanted to help them joyfully with humour. Finally, this thought has led me to making the book. And I had plenty of time.

Ervin Lázár's books have been republished by Móra Publisher with your pictures. After László Réber's iconic illustrations, how challenging was it for you to illustrate the Lázár-tales?

I was very happy to be asked, because I could relive my favourite childhood stories and draw them for a new generation.

However, László Réber's work and his name are so intertwined with the stories of Ervin Lázár that I felt it was a great challenge to create the illustrations. It was not easy.

The first book was very difficult. Then I got into it, and started to leave this paralysing feeling slowly. 'Arnica, the Duck Princess' was one of my favourite books as a child, so I just had to transport myself back to the memories of my 8-10 year old self. And in case of 'A legkisebb boszorkány' I had no preconceptions, the story had an elemental power on me. I really enjoyed the work.

Among contemporary authors, your name is associated with János Lackfi. How did this connection develop, how was it to work together on his books?

I’ve worked with Eszter Molnár T., drawn for the tales of Eszter Szakács, I illustrated the poems of Anna Szabó T. or István Gáti, but there is no doubt that I worked with János Lackfi the most. The wife of János, Juli saw my drawings on an exhibition. She offered that I should illustrate ‘Kövér Lajos’. That was my first book in Hungary. After that, we worked on more than 10 books together. I always had complete freedom in terms of images and design. It's nice to think back to that time.

What kind of animated films did you like to watch as a child? Did you show any of them to your children? What is the animation offer for children in Spain?

As a child, my favourite was 'Hungarian Folktales', and the 'Fehérlófia' was a particularly defining experience for me. Later, I became a fan of Norstein's films. And then, as luck would have it, Jankovics Marcell became my master and Yuri Norstein gave a memorable lecture at the university.

I showed these films to my children along with all the classics of my childhood. We really loved 'The Red Turtle' by Michaël Dudok de Witm ‘Kirikouja’ by Michel Ocelot, 'Spirited Away' and 'Totoro' by Mijazaki Hajao, and 'Animal Farm' by John Halas. 

And of the Spanish films, 'Josep', a French co-production directed by Aurel, or 'Chico and Rita', directed by Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal and Tono Errando, but these are not children's films, of course.

What do you think are the most important expectations in the case of animations made for children?

It depends on what kind of genre we are speaking of – education movie, series, short film or feature-film. The expectations are different for each of them, but perhaps one thing they all have in common is that they should see the child as a thinking, creative viewer, that they should leave room for their thoughts and feelings, and that they should not lack humour.

Do you know what criteria you will be judging on, what you will be looking out for while jurying?

I am very curious about the films submitted to the festival this year. I will try to pay attention to every little thing. I will appreciate it if a film enchants or fascinates me, if it captivates me, if it is playful or funny, if it makes you cry or laugh, or if it is lyrical. I will appreciate if it gives an alternative for the future, if it sets an example, if it pictures a more accepting version of the world, if it looks at children as equal partners, if it points out the problems of society and age groups, if it’s brave, has an innovative formal language, if it surprises me, if it creates worlds where boys and girls start with equal chances, if it’s breaking taboos, if it speaks of freedom, being different, poverty, exclusion, admission or joining forces, and if the message is in balance with the film's imagery and dramaturgy, if it is experimental and forward-looking. I am sure that we will see many exciting creations and that the judging will not be easy.