©Shruti Mehta
Hi there! 🦋
I'm Rita Castro, a Portuguese 2D animator, illustrator and author creating under the name Rasto. I have been living in Belgium for nine years, currently with my partner and two cats: Ollie and Luna.
I work mainly as animator in the Animation Film Industry, in Belgium, and as an illustrator and author developing my own projects.
I am currently working towards making my first animation short film and finishing my first children’s book dummy.
My art and writing focus on inspiring others and mental health. It is often born from observations of precious small moments, autobiographical work, and a search for magical/witchy, goofy, and self-driven characters.
No AI is involved in my practices. :)
A bit more about my journey…
I began my Fine Arts studies in Portugal and obtained a Master's degree in Animation Film with distinction at KASK School of Arts in Ghent, where I made two award-winning student films (bachelor and master). During my bachelor's studies, I was an Erasmus student in Ghent.
I stayed in this city that captured my heart and started working in the animation film industry. In the meantime, I built up a versatile portfolio of self-published work (fanzines, illustration prints, clay sculptures) and collaborations, including an explainer animation for a museum exhibition in Bruges, live drawings for World Refugee Day 2020 with Radio Rood, and an animated portrait selected for Film Fest Ghent 2023. In that same year, I worked as a 2D effects animator for the BBC's Quentin Blake films.
Today, I am one of the leading members of Plica (creative non-profit), that is committed to the flourishing of Ghent and the Belgian art community.
My work revolves around a happy and healthy artistic life, and I use my experience as a teacher and instructor in illustration, animation, and art in Portugal to guide and support others.
©Shruti Mehta
Animation Shorts:
2019 - "aqui entre nós" // "here between us"
Official Selection SCUM ANI, May 2022 (Event)
Invited Film at Shortcutz Leiria, October 2020
Official Selection at PORTO FEMME international film festival 2020
"Star of Students" Selection by HIROSHIMA International Animation Festival 2020
Invited Film at ITFS - International Animation Film Festival of Stuttgart 2020
Official Selection Athens AnimFest 2020
Award at Students Competition at Festa Mundial da Animação (Caldas da Rainha) 2019
Official Selection Students Competition at YMOTION (Famalicão) 2019
2017 - "The Pancakes' House"
Official Selection SCUM ANI, May 2022 (Event)
Students Competition at Anim!Arte Film Festival (Brasil) 2018
Non-Competitive Selection at BIKY Festival (Busan, South Korea) 2018
Students Competition MONSTRA Festival (Lisbon, Portugal) 2018
Internationalization Support by The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation 2018
Award "Best Animation" at YMOTION Festival (Famalicão, Portugal) 2017
Official International Grand Panorama at CINANIMA Festival (Espinho) 2017
2016 - "Dwalen"
Official Competition Festival YMOTION (Famalicão) 2017
Interviews:
2024 - Canvas Rebel: Conversations with Rita Castro – CanvasRebel Magazine
Expositions/Events:
2021-Present – Participation in Belgian Art Markets: “Zine Happening”, Gent; “Potloodvenster”, Kortrijk; “TUIG MARKT”, Antwerp; “PRENTE”, Knokke; “PRINT PRINT”, Brussels…
2023 - Animated Portrait exhibited as part of the Film Fest Ghent 2023, an exhibition organized by 50 x Animated and Maï Calon.
2023 – Illustration Selected to be Featured in the “TUIG KRANT” Newspaper, Edition #9.
2017 – Two animation films present in the art event "MAYDAY MAYDAY", Gent, Belgium.
2016 – Invited Artist at Street Art event "Magenta - Singularidades Femininas em Contexto Urbano", in Matosinhos.
2016 – Exhibition “Procura e Contacto”, at República das Artes, in Cerveira.
2016 – Collective Exhibition “Sobre Relação”, in Galeria Geraldes da Silva, part of Bachelor assignment of Media Art, at FBAUP.
2015 – Collective Exhibition "Pre Ocupação", FDUP, Porto.
2015 – Collective Exhibition "Começar...", FBAUP, Porto.
2014 – Street Photography Workshop Collective Exhibition "Exposição Colectiva | Fotografia de Rua", Casa da Juventude, Famalicão.
2013 – Collective Exhibition "Bichos", Parque da Devesa, Famalicão, organized by the Art Center "A Casa ao Lado".