Festival Director
Laurie Gordon
Laurie Gordon leads Animaze – Montreal International Animation Film Festival, now in its 13th edition, and continues to develop it as an international platform for animation, music, technology and visual storytelling. Through partnerships, cross-disciplinary programming and international collaborations, she expands the festival’s reach while creating opportunities for emerging and under-recognized animators to present their work, connect with audiences and gain wider exposure.
Her career includes close collaborations with some of Canada’s most influential animation artists. She produced, scored and co-directed Spare Change, the final film by Oscar-nominated animator Ryan Larkin, and later wrote and produced *Ryan’s Renaissance*. She also served as producer and composer on Academy Award-winning filmmaker Co Hoedeman’s 55 Socks and worked closely with legendary director Gerald Potterton. She is currently developing a documentary project focused on Potterton’s life and creative legacy.
A graduate of Concordia University’s Fine Arts program in Music, Gordon is a classically trained musician, composer and performer whose work draws on classical, jazz, pop and contemporary influences. She performs under the name Coda Chrome and continues to work across music, film and live performance.
Gordon also serves on the committee of MiCannes – Music International Cannes, contributing to international collaborations across music, film and the creative industries.
Board of Directors
Lowell Hall
Animaze is an independent, curator-driven animation festival now in its 13th year, connecting creators, students, industry professionals and audiences through screenings, talks, and international creative events.
Each year, our passion travels beyond borders:
- Animation Day in Cannes — during the Cannes Film Festival, Animaze curates screenings, panels, and awards that spotlight independent animation and connect creators with global industry leaders.
- MiCannes — blending music and animation, our music video showcase at Music International Cannes, a top music industry conference, explores the powerful intersection of sound and music with Animaze curated films.
From Montreal to Cannes, Animaze is more than a festival — it’s a movement linking artists, audiences, and opportunities across the globe.
Join us. Be part of the future of animation.
Alexa Momtaz
Programmer
Born in Montreal in 1968 to an Egyptian father and a French mother, Alexa Momtaz began her musical career with the trio Skull Fracture. Formed alongside her brother and a friend, the group gained a following throughout the 1990s by performing in alternative clubs and receiving airplay on university radio stations.
Since 1998, Alexa has pursued a solo career, developing a signature sound that bridges the gap between the historical and the avant-garde. Her eclectic work spans electronic, classical, new-age, and experimental industrial music, drawing inspiration from compositions ranging from the 1400s to the present day. To date, she has released 24 albums available on Bandcamp, and she continues to hone her technical craft through ongoing classical piano training.
Alexa is a prominent collaborator within the electronic and modular synth communities. She frequently performs in the project Kill Gadget with Animaze Festival Director Laurie Gordon (Coda Chrome), and her music is featured in 3D animations for the Animaze MIAFF. Since 2017, she has collaborated with Johno Wells of Modular World (USA) and remains an active member of several collectives, including Data Cult Audio, the Montreal Synth Society, Modular & Synths Quebec, Brain Freeze, and EMOM.
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