The FIBDA took on the atmosphere of a real live show on Saturday, October 3, with the first selection round of the Cosplay Competition. Highly anticipated by festival regulars, the event drew a large and particularly enthusiastic crowd. With each appearance, the audience did not hesitate to react, applaud and interact with the contestants, giving this first day of competition a festive and friendly atmosphere.
No fewer than nine contestants took to the stage before the jury during this first selection: Marwane Hamdane, Nafti Mayssa, Laamara Oukba, Ramdani Rachdine, Sami Rebbache, Bencheikh Abdelkader, Ahmin Zoulikha, Ghellouche Aymen and Fatma Belaroussi. Different profiles, diverse universes and, above all, plenty of imagination were on display. Some contestants chose to portray well-known characters from manga, anime or video games, while others opted to bring entirely original characters to life.
But in the Cosplay Competition, simply putting on a costume is not enough to impress. The craftsmanship and work that go into creating the outfit are an important part of the judging process. The jury therefore took a close look behind the scenes of each creation, asking contestants how they had designed their costumes, what materials they had used, what difficulties they had encountered and, above all, how much time they had devoted to making them. This offered an insight into the sometimes considerable amount of work hidden behind a few minutes in the spotlight.
The performances also generated enthusiasm among the jury, which closely followed each contestant’s appearance and artistic choices. Cosplay is not simply about physically resembling a character: contestants must also know how to embody them, adopting their gestures, attitude and universe. This dimension greatly contributed to the lively atmosphere of the day.
To assess the contestants, the FIBDA brought together a jury with particularly diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Rasha Abou El Maati, an Egyptian manga artist, 2D animator and digital graphic artist, brings her experience in visual creation and animation. Alongside her, American graphic artist and publisher Michael Polson, as well as Japanese academic Watanabe Io, carefully observed the performances. The jury also includes Alitha Martinez, an internationally renowned American comic-book artist, who is taking part in the FIBDA for the eighth time this year.
In the audience, spectators also played their part, supporting the contestants during their appearances and reacting enthusiastically to the various performances. Between colourful characters, meticulously crafted costumes and stage performances, the competition quickly took on the feel of a small show at the heart of the festival.
This first selection nonetheless confirms the popularity of cosplay among the FIBDA audience. Behind the sometimes spectacular costumes lies a genuine process of creativity, patience and passion. For the nine contestants taking part in this first selection, the challenge was not only to impress the jury, but also to bring a character and their entire universe to life for a few minutes before an audience that was clearly won over.
Four awards will be presented at the end of the competition: Best Solo Cosplay, Best Duo Cosplay, Best Costume and Best Stage Performance. The winners will be announced on October 5, during the closing ceremony of the 18th edition.