Abbas Naaseri / We usually use this proverb when we want to pretend we had no part in something that happened—when, in reality, it turned out exactly as we intended!
Now, this seems to be the case with some festivals, their judging process, and their final results.
Have you heard the saying, “Throw an insult to the ground, and its rightful owner is picking it up”? But we, as cartoonists, are not in the business of insults and foul language—we speak commonly and logically. So, if someone feels offended, the problem is with the receiver, not the sender!
Over the years, certain festivals—which we all know—have manipulated their results to fit their desires, all under the guise of “Jury votes.”
The key issue here is the selection of judges: choosing those who will obediently accept whatever the festival organizers want.
Out of respect for some of the winners—who have no role in these incorrect policies—I won’t name the festivals. But all it takes is a glance at the almost always the same list of judges. And if, by chance, a person missing from the jury panel, don’t hurry! Once the Results are announced, you’ll likely find their names among winners!
Some of these so-called judges are not even top-tier cartoonists, let alone qualified art critics. Some of them haven’t been involved in the field for years but still evaluate today’s works with outdated knowledge. Unfortunately, they are nothing more than yes-men who are content with being invited and adding another line to their résumés. Their presence on the jury is merely symbolic—they follow orders and do exactly what the organizers expect.
For these festival directors, it seems that only the names of winners really matter or which names do not take the prize. Every person or every work won an award prize, that is not important.
If they were to review past editions of their festivals, they would realize they have awarded prizes to almost identical works before!
Repetitive and unqualified judges expose a deeper crisis in the management of cartoon festivals. There are plenty of highly skilled, professional cartoonists with the expertise and sharp judgment needed for fair evaluations. But they are deliberately overlooked—not just because the organizers refuse to select them, but also because many respectable artists refuse to be associated with such biased leadership. Festival directors are well aware of this, which is why their circle of chosen judges keeps shrinking, resulting in poor decisions and a noticeable decline in the credibility of these prestigious events.
Artists may remain silent for now out of decency, but make no mistake—they are watching every move of these organizers and judges, they know what happens in these kinds of festivals.
Don’t mistake the artists’ decency for your cleverness.
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Weekly Single Page of Cartoonmag
No 37
Saturday , 15. February. 2025
This single page has been prepared to remind the news and calls published on the cartoonmagazine website and it is supposed to be published every Saturday.
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