Headlines
Subscribe to the RSS feedWalking The Dog named European Animation Producer of the Year at Cartoon Movie Tributes
Flemish animation studio Walking The Dog by Eric Goossens and Anton Roebben has been chosen as European Producer of the Year during Cartoon Movie Tributes, the awards for outstanding contribution to the development of European animation.
Divided into three categories – director, distributor and producer of the year – the Cartoon Movie Tributes bring together the best European animated features as well as some of the continent’s most active companies within the industry.
Mia hits 20
Wouter Bongaerts’ short film Mia has been confirmed for the Little Big Shots International Film Festival in Australia. It’s the 20th festival selection for the animation short that was internationally released six months ago.
This March, Mia is to be seen at the Omaha Film Festival in Nebraska, the Holland Animation Film Festival and the Oscar-qualifying Cleveland International Short Film Festival. April proves to be busy too with festival screenings already scheduled in Taiwan, the Netherlands and the United States, bringing the total number to 20 so far.
Jack & The Cuckoo-Clock Heart and animation studio Walking The Dog nominated for Cartoon Tributes
French-Belgian co-production Jack & The Cuckoo-Clock Heart by Mathias Malzieu and Stéphane Berla is one of the finalists for Cartoon Tributes, the awards for outstanding contribution to the development of European animation of the last year. Brussels-based animation hub Walking The Dog, which co-produced the feature for Flanders, is also among the nominees, vying for the award as producer of the year. The Cartoon Tributes will be announced on 7 March during Cartoon Movie in Lyon.
Divided into three categories – director, distributor and producer of the year – the Cartoon Tributes bring together the best European animated features as well as some of the continent’s most active companies within the industry.
Mia nabs Canal+ Award in Clermont-Ferrand
Wouter Bongaerts’ animated short film Mia has received the Canal+ Family ‘Coup de Coeur’ Award at the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival (31 January-8 February), a new initiative between the festival and Canal+ Family which awards the best short film of the Young Audience Programme.
A special jury of 18 pupils of the Saint-Gervais-d’Auvergne College and a representative of French television chain Canal+ Family awarded the Canal+ Family ‘Coup de Coeur’ Award to Wouter Bongaerts’ Mia, lauding it as the best short film of the 50 or so films that were part of the Young Audience Programme this year.
7-year-old Mia wins over audiences in Austin
Wouter Bongaerts’ short film Mia has won the Audience Award for Animated Short at the Austin Film Festival in Texas. It’s the first international award for the recently released animation short, kick-starting little Mia’s international career.
Following his graduation project Mouse for Sale, which travelled to festivals worldwide, Wouter Bongaerts now created a story about seven-year-old Mia who tries to liberate her overworked mother from the clutches of an overpopulated metropolis.
Marina, I’m the same… and 82 Days in April to Valladolid
There's a strong Flemish presence at this year's Valladolid International Film Festival in Spain (19-26 October), where Stijn Coninx’ feature film Marina and Caroline Strubbe’s I’m the same I’m an other screen in the Official Competition and Bart Van den Bempt’s debut feature 82 Days in April is in the fest’s Meeting Point programme. Bülent Öztürk’s short film Houses With Small Windows and Pieter Coudyzer’sThe Wake complete the Flemish line-up.
As part of the Official Competition, both Marina and I’m the same I’m an other are vying for the Golden and Silver Spike with cash awards worth €60,000 and €20,000, respectively, to support a Spanish release of the film.
Pinocchio and The Congress shortlisted for European Film Awards
Enzo d’Alò’s Pinocchio and Ari Folman’s The Congress are both nominated for the European Film Awards in the category Animated Feature Film. Brussels-based animation studio Walking The Dog coproduced Pinocchio for Flanders and played an important role in animating The Congress.
The European Film Academy (EFA) announced its shortlist of animation features. Besides French contender Jasmine, the list consists of Enzo d’Alò’s Pinocchio and Ari Folman’s The Congress. Animation and production company Walking The Dog played an important role in the creation process of both features.
Flemish animation company Grid Animation elected European Animation Producer of the Year
Ghent-based animation studio and producer Grid Animation has been elected European Animation Producer of the Year at Cartoon Forum, the Pan-European co-production and financing platform for animation programmes. French speaking Belgian broadcaster RTFB was also nominated in the category European Broadcaster of the Year, the award eventually went to Super RTL/ RTL Disney.
Both Jan Goossen and Mark Mertens of Grid were present to receive the award. The duo was pleasantly surprised by the choice of the jury within the category European Animation Producer of Year in which they had to compete with some well renowned companies within the industry.
Prey, The Importance of Sweet & Salt and DAY_6011 to LA Shorts Fest
Jonas Baeckeland’s short film Prey has been selected for this year’s Los Angeles International Short Film Festival. Also known as LA Shorts Fest, it is one of the largest American Oscar-qualifying short film festivals. The Importance of Sweet & Salt by Benoit De Clerck and Raf Wathion's animation short DAY_6011 are also added to the LA fest’s slate. The festival screens more than 250 short films from 5-12 September.
In Prey, director Jonas Baeckeland follows Algerian-born Ali Toumi, who has just escaped from a Belgian prison. Buying himself a new identity he hopes to make a fresh start and provide his family with a normal integrated life. But an unforeseen encounter with an old acquaintance makes Ali relapse into old habits.
Betty’s Blues scores Cartoon d’Or nomination
Betty’s Blues, a co-production with Flanders by Rémi Vandenitte, has been selected as one of the six finalists for the Cartoon d’Or, the pan-European award for best animated short film of the year. Last year, this prestigious award went to Oh Willy... by Marc James Roels and Emma De Swaef. This year’s winner will be announced during Cartoon Forum, the co-production forum for animated TV series.
Each year, the Cartoon d'Or rewards the best European animation short film among the prize-winning films from the major European festivals. Consequently, those films competing are generally considered to be ‘the best of best’ in Europe. The 2013 Award Ceremony is set to take place on 19 September in Toulouse.
