Valentas Aškinis was born on July 16, 1960, in Šiauliai. Since 1976, as a cinema enthusiast, he has been creating animated films. In 1983, he graduated from the Faculty of Urban Construction and Planning at Vilnius Engineering Construction Institute. Since 1979, he worked as the head of the Animator Group at the Republican Young Technicians' Station. Since 1984, he has worked as an animator at the Studio of Commissioned Films. Since 1985, he has been the director and animator of this studio.

As an animator and director, he created 21 animated segments for the "Children's Cinema" collection (one minute each), and as an animator, he contributed to 4 more animated segments. He created technical and narrative animation inserts for 7 documentary and popular science films. For the film "For the Killer – the Nobel Prize!" he created a 7-minute narrative animation insert. On commission from Lithuanian Television, he created an animation sequence for the children's program "Good Night, Little Children" ("Uncle Sleep"). As an animator, he worked on films produced by the Lithuanian Film Studio. In 1986, he was elected as the head of the animation department at the Lithuanian Film Studio. In 1991, together with Antanas Abromaitis, he founded the animation studio "Vilanima." That same year, a project for a feature-length animated film "The Hunchback Musician" was prepared, and production started, but later had to be stopped due to lack of funds. He created animated films in collaboration with various foreign film companies and also produced commercial films (for "Vilniaus bankas," "LAIB," "BAVO ice cream," "Tirpuko ice cream").  
Valentas Aškinis is one of the most active promoters of animation in Lithuania.

Since 2003, he has been organizing the international animation film festival "Tindirindis," and he serves as the festival's general director. He also teaches animation at the Vilnius College of Construction and Design.

Filmography
1982 (Automatizuotas dispečeris) "Automated Dispatcher," Studio of Commissioned Films – animator  
1983 (Granitas) "Granite," popular science film, Studio of Commissioned Films – animator  
1984 (Vaikų kinas) "Children's Cinema," animated segment collection, 4 films, 1 min each, Studio of Commissioned Films – animator  
1984 (Bado dieta) "Hunger Diet," popular science film, directed by A. Dausa – Studio of Commissioned Films, animator  
1984 (Draugas ir priešas) "Friend and Foe," popular science film, 20 min., Studio of Commissioned Films – 7 min. animation insert, director and animator  
1985 (Paskutinė dovana) "The Last Gift," directed by I. Bereznickas, Lithuanian Film Studio – animator  
1986 (Baubas) "The Boogeyman," directed by I. Bereznickas, Lithuanian Film Studio – animator  
1986 (Buvo, buvo, kaip nebuvo) "It Was, It Was, As If It Wasn't," directed by I. Šteinys, Lithuanian Film Studio – animator  
1987 (Dėdė miegas) "Uncle Sleep," animated insert for the program "Good Night, Little Children!" 1.5 min., Studio of Commissioned Films – director  
1988 (Vaikai gatvėje) "Children in the Street," commissioned by VAI, 5 min., Studio of Commissioned Films – director and animator  
1989 (Dviratininkas gatvėje) "Biker in the Street," commissioned by VAI, 4 min., Studio of Commissioned Films – director and animator  
1989 (Pinklės meiste) "The Trap in the Forest," 10 min., Studio of Commissioned Films – director and animator  
1989 (Kaktuso paslaptis) "Cactus Secret," 6 min., Lithuanian Film Studio together with "Mosfilm" Experimental Creative Union – director and animator  
1990 (Raganiuko išdaigos) "Witch's Mischief," commissioned by VAI, 4 min., Studio of Commissioned Films – director and animator  
1991–1995 (Normano arka) "Norman’s Ark," 13 episodes of 15 min each, "Vilanima" in cooperation with a British company – director, animator  
1992 (Trovas) "Trovas," 26 min., "Vilanima" in cooperation with the British studio "Treehouse" – director, animator  
1993 (Smaugliukas Džeikas) "Smaugliukas Jake," 24 min., "Vilanima" in collaboration with the British studios "Spectator Entertainment" and "Jake and Kids Entertainment" – director, animator  
1994 (Nassagranas ir piratai) "Nassagran and the Pirates," 24 min., "Vilanima" in collaboration with "Tema" (Russia), "Rovin Andora" (Spain), and TV Kataluna (Spain) – director and animator  
1995 (Velnių istorijos) "Devil's Stories," in collaboration with A. Taujanskas, "Vilanima" – director and animator  
1996 (Metamorfozės) "Metamorphoses," directed by Jūratė Leikaitė, 5 min., "Vilanima" – producer and art director  
1997 (Meškinai – pasalio gelbėtojai) "The Bears – The Rescue Team," 2 episodes of 24 min each, "Vilanima" together with A. Taujanskas – director, animator, and producer  
1998 (Odisėjas) "Odysseus," 95 min. (8 episodes of 15 min. each, TV version), "Vilanima" in collaboration with a British company – co-author of the script, director, animator, art director, and producer  
1999 (Lietuviškos pasakos – Kaip Benas velnius prigavo) "Lithuanian Tales – How Ben Caught the Devil," project unfinished – director, animator  
2002 (Aš einu pas tave) "I'm Coming to You," directed by Ieva Bunokaitė, 4 min. – producer  
2005 (Užgavėnės) "Shrove Tuesday," directed by Jūratė Leikaitė, 15 min., "Filmų štrichai" – animator, montage director (together with J. Leikaitė)  
2005 (Tik nereikai mūsų gąsdinti) "Don't Scare Us," directed by Ilja Bereznickas, 5 min., "Filmų štrichai" – montage director  
2006 (Marti iš jaujos) "The Daughter-in-Law from the Yard," directed by Jūratė Leikaitė, animator Viktor Petravičius, 12 min., "Filmų štrichai" – animator, sound and montage director  
2006 (Filmas apie filmus) "A Film about Films," documentary, 18 min., "Filmų štrichai" – director  
2007 (Filmas po margučių ryto) "A Film After Easter Morning," documentary, 15 min., "Filmų štrichai" – director