02.10.2026

The TAFF opening ceremony August 27th 2026 featured a spectacular animated performance by Thomas Volda entitled “A Trace of Somewhere”. The extended performance took the audience on a journey from Zagreb via Frankfurt to Turku. At the opening ceremony, the audience were invited to take part and create animations together with Thomas.

Thomas Volda is a British-born animation film director and multidisciplinary artist based in Croatia, working primarily in stop-motion animation. A graduate of the University of Wales Institute Cardiff, and the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, Together with his partner Ivana Volda the couple have written, co-directed and animated several animated short films. Their distinctive work blends handcrafted animation with experimental visual storytelling, exploring themes of memory, nature, perception, and the human condition. Their films including Simulacra, Imbued Life, and Remember How I Used to Ride a White Horse, have been screened internationally at major animation festivals and received numerous awards.

Alongside filmmaking, Thomas is a multidisciplinary artist often combining animation and performance art disciplines in his work, he has created puppet animation performances at numerous international festivals and galleries across Europe.

At Turku Animated Film Festival 2026, Thomas Volda served as a member of the international jury and gave a talk as part of our professional programme, TAFF Pro, on how handcrafted animation can transform inanimate materials into captivating cinematic worlds.