Deep beneath Wildwood lies the Coyote Warren, a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers where the Dowager Governess’s Coyote Army makes its home and where secrets take root in the shadows.
In this exclusive behind-the-scenes featurette, LAIKA’s artists and craftspeople reveal how they brought this sprawling underground world and its inhabitants to life through intricate character design, handcrafted environments, and meticulous stop-motion artistry. This is where every tunnel is built by hand.
Where danger lurks around every corner. Where secrets take root in the dark. This is Where Shadows Grow.
From director Travis Knight, Wildwood is based on the bestselling novel by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis.
The lineup is here! Eight animated series projects have been selected to compete for the Council of Europe Series Co-Production Development Award, to be presented at the 14th edition of CEE Animation Forum, taking place on 10–12 November 2026 in Pilsen, Czech Republic.
CEE Animation Forum is the first animation-focused event selected to present the Award, joining a network of European series markets under the the programme. The €50,000 Award will support one European animated series project in development with strong international co-production potential.
The selection features three Czech projects, alongside one project each from Slovenia and Poland, as well as a Ukrainian-Czech,Bulgarian–French, and Slovak–Norwegian–Spanish co-production.
Buddy – d. Nejc Gazvoda, Anja Jager; p. Aerodrom, Gliser (SI)
• Bugs – d. Veronika Trokšiarová, Zlata Golecová; p. Artichoke, Mikrofilm, Alba Sotorra (SK, NO, ES) • Didi and the Magical Garden – d. Anna Matuszewska; p. Filmograf (PL)
• Finding Home– d. Maria Stanisheva; p. Animadocs, Iliade et Films (BG, FR)
• Illogical Adult World – d. Iryna Sosimovych, p. Salt Cinema Productions, Pure Shore (UA, CZ)
• Little Big Ones – d. Lucie Štamfestová; p. Maurfilm (CZ)
• Mould – d. Philippe Kastner; p. BATCH film, 13ka (CZ)
• Pebbi – d. Sofiya Gorokh; p. Pirogy Studios (CZ)
CEE Animation is financially supported by Creative Europe MEDIA.
CEE Animation Forum 2026 is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. CEE Animation Forum is further supported by the Czech Audiovisual Fund, the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the Czech Audiovisual Producers‘ Association, the Council of Europe, home of Eurimages, the Pilsen Region, the Slovak Audiovisual Fund and the LITA Society of Authors.
In our visit to DreamWorks Animation in Glendale, California, the cast and crew of Forgotten Island chat to Mia Lee Vicino about voice acting, artistic inspirations (Neon Genesis Evangelion, Spirited Away, Mob Psycho 100, FLCL, The Ring, Salem’s Lot) and bringing Filipino folklore and mythology to the big screen. Featuring stars H.E.R, Liza Soberano and Dave Franco, co-directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, production designer Ryan Carlson, and head of character animation Sean Sexton.
Your best friendship is worth fighting for.
#DreamWorks Animation, the studio that brought you unforgettable bonds between a boy and a dragon in How to Train Your Dragon, an ogre and a donkey in Shrek, and a robot and a gosling in The Wild Robot, now welcomes a dazzling and emotional story about two lifelong best friends who must come together before they drift apart in Forgotten Island. The new original film is written and directed by Academy Award® nominee Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado and is produced by Academy Award® nominee Mark Swift, the filmmaking team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Grammy and Academy Award® winning supernova H.E.R. and Liza Soberano (Lisa Frankenstein, Alone/Together) star as high school graduates Jo and Raissa, who have been best friends since grade school but are now about to embark on separate life paths. While celebrating their last night together, Jo and Raissa stumble upon a mysterious portal that transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali, packed with magical and mythological creatures they grew up hearing stories about from their Filipino families. Some of these figures will become friends, some foes. Joined by well-meaning-but- hapless weredog Raww (Dave Franco) and a small-but-mighty pack of pals, Jo and Raissa must face The Dreaded Manananggal (Tony winning icon Lea Salonga), the most feared creature on the island. When they discover that the memories of their entire friendship are the price for returning home, Jo and Raissa will race to find a way to leave the island before they forget each other forever.
The film’s all-star voice cast also includes Emmy nominee Jenny Slate (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Dying for Sex), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place, Top Gun: Maverick), BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon (Triangle of Sadness, Ghostlight), global comedy superstar Jo Koy (Haunted Mansion, Jo Koy: Live from Brooklyn) and Emmy winner Ronny Chieng (The Daily Show, M3GAN). DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island is distributed by Universal Pictures.
We’re looking for an experienced Lead CG Animator at Stirling Animation Studio on a new Magic Light Pictures’ Special.
Working in Maya, you will start by establishing the production’s animation style through rig and animation testing. You will also build cycles and libraries to ensure consistent character performance and continuity.
As production ramps up, you will lead the animation team and collaborate with the senior supervision team to drive the creative vision. Your role will include scheduling, casting shots, and attending Director reviews, while remaining hands-on with key sequences.
The role is expected to start in early November, so if you’re passionate about character animation and want to help shape a charming new CG production, we’d love to hear from you!
Please note that we’re particularly keen to connect with Scotland-based artists and our preference is to work with artists based regionally within the UK (outside the M25).
The art of illustrators, that tells mythic narratives and stories of our shared humanity, is at the core of a new Los Angeles institution: The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, showcasing works featured in magazines, comics, fantasy stories, and motion picture design. CBS News‘ Norah O’Donnell talks with the museum’s founders, George Lucas, the creator of „Star Wars,“ and his wife, businesswoman Mellody Hobson, about the emotional draw of storytelling art that shapes our world.
Stars Liza Soberano and Manny Jacinto, and directors Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado join Rotten Tomatoes editor Jacqueline Coley on stage to talk about their upcoming DreamWorks animated picture, ‚Forgotten Island‘! They share the joy of bringing Filipino culture into the film, the sensibility of family no matter where you are from, and the enthusiastic humor that audiences will love. See ‚Forgotten Island‘ in theaters September 25!
Forgotten Island – In Theaters September 25
Your best friendship is worth fighting for.
DreamWorks Animation, the studio that brought you unforgettable bonds between a boy and a dragon in How to Train Your Dragon, an ogre and a donkey in Shrek, and a robot and a gosling in The Wild Robot, now welcomes a dazzling and emotional story about two lifelong best friends who must come together before they drift apart in Forgotten Island. The new original film is written and directed by Academy Award® nominee Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado and is produced by Academy Award® nominee Mark Swift, the filmmaking team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Grammy and Academy Award® winning supernova H.E.R. and Liza Soberano (Lisa Frankenstein, Alone/Together) star as high school graduates Jo and Raissa, who have been best friends since grade school but are now about to embark on separate life paths. While celebrating their last night together, Jo and Raissa stumble upon a mysterious portal that transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali, packed with magical and mythological creatures they grew up hearing stories about from their Filipino families. Some of these figures will become friends, some foes. Joined by well-meaning-but- hapless weredog Raww (Dave Franco) and a small-but-mighty pack of pals, Jo and Raissa must face The Dreaded Manananggal (Tony winning icon Lea Salonga), the most feared creature on the island. When they discover that the memories of their entire friendship are the price for returning home, Jo and Raissa will race to find a way to leave the island before they forget each other forever.
The film’s all-star voice cast also includes Emmy nominee Jenny Slate (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Dying for Sex), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place, Top Gun: Maverick), BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon (Triangle of Sadness, Ghostlight), global comedy superstar Jo Koy (Haunted Mansion, Jo Koy: Live from Brooklyn) and Emmy winner Ronny Chieng (The Daily Show, M3GAN).
DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island is distributed by Universal Pictures.
Big news: Rodeo FX is officially opening the first roles for our Bengaluru studio!
We are currently looking for experienced Supervisors and Senior Artists in Animation, Compositing, Lighting and FX.
Become part of our Bengaluru team and work alongside our global talent on challenging and ambitious projects!
Before applying, please take a moment to review a few important points:
→ These positions are not remote. We require you to be on-site in Bengaluru, 5 days a week.
→ Please make sure you meet the minimum experience and requirements listed in the job posting before applying.
→ Please do not contact our team directly to apply. Apply online through the links below so we can collect all the information needed to properly review your profile.
→ We are not offering work permit or visa sponsorship for these positions.
Stanzin Jigmet, Nicolás Acevedo Ferraté, Elio Molinaro, Jonathan Lally, Lei He, Arjun Fischer, Lara Dihmis, Jason Elliott, Academy CEO Bill Kramer, Leon Korzyński, Noran Fikri Alezabi, Yulin Yue, Matthias Strasser, Viktorie Štěpánová, Nina Broers and Antoine Boulanger attend 2026 Student Academy Awards on September 14, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario.
LOS ANGELES, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tonight honored its student winners from colleges and universities around the world at the 53rd Student Academy Awards® ceremony. Gold, Silver and Bronze placements were announced and trophies presented during a ceremony held at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) inside TIFF Lightbox at Reitman Square, in partnership with Rolex. This year, the Student Academy Awards competition received 2,972 entries from 894 colleges and universities worldwide. With remarks by Academy CEO Bill Kramer, Academy Directors Branch Governor and Academy Museum Trustee Jason Reitman and Academy Foundation Board President and Casting Directors Branch Governor Kim Taylor-Coleman, the night’s category presenters included Actors Branch member Gemma Chan, Oscar® nominee and Documentary Branch member Liz Garbus and Actors Branch member Gael García Bernal.
ALL WINNING FILMS NOW ELIGIBLE FOR 99TH OSCARS®
Jonathan Lally, Nicolás Acevedo Ferraté and Elio Molinaro speak onstage during the 2026 Student Academy Awards on September 14, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario.
Alternative/Experimental Gold: Lei He, “Drifting,” Duke University, United States Silver: Viktorie Štěpánová, “Volklore,” Filmová a Televizní Fakulta Akademie Múzických Umění v Praze (FAMU), Czech Republic Bronze: Nina Broers, “Where Is My Sex Drive?” St. Joost School of Art & Design, Netherlands
Animation Gold: Jonathan Lally, Elio Molinaro & Nicolás Acevedo Ferraté, “COWS,” École Supérieure de Métiers Artistiques (ESMA), France Silver: Matthias Strasser, “The Panic Inside,” Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, Germany Bronze: Noran Fikri Alezabi, Xinyue Ma & Yulin Yue, “Gauze,” Gobelins, France
Documentary Gold: Lara Dihmis, “The Last People of Petra,” New York University, United States Silver: Jason Elliott, “I Want to Live,” National Film and Television School, United Kingdom Bronze: Arjun Fischer, “Artificial Love,” University of Southern California, United States
Narrative Gold: Stanzin Jigmet, “The Dragon Letter,” Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya (ESCAC), Spain Silver: Antoine Boulanger, “The Pichenotte,” Concordia University, Canada Bronze: Leon Korzyński, “Kamathipura Express,” Warsaw Film School, Poland
[The Animation Segment starts at Minute 18:00 and ends around Minute 38:00]
Welcome to the 53rd Student Academy Awards®, in partnership with Rolex at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) inside TIFF Lightbox at Reitman Square, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
This year, the Student Academy Awards competition received 2,972 entries from 894 colleges and universities worldwide. The 2026 winners join the ranks of such past Student Academy Award® winners as Patricia Cardoso, Pete Docter, Spike Lee, Patricia Riggen and Robert Zemeckis.
First-time honors go to students from Concordia University, Duke University, École Supérieure de Métiers Artistiques (ESMA), Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya (ESCAC), St. Joost School of Art and Design and Warsaw Film School.
Gold, silver and bronze placements in the four award categories will be announced at the ceremony. In addition, winners will have a robust weekend of education programing, networking opportunities and exclusive access to Academy members to support their career advancement.
Matthias Strasser and Gemma Chan appear onstage during the 2026 Student Academy Awards on September 14, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario.
All Student Academy Award-winning films will be eligible to compete for the 99th Oscars® in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film or Documentary Short Film category. Past Student Academy Award winners have gone on to receive 70 Oscar® nominations and have won or shared 15 awards. Rolex is supporting the Student Academy Awards through its partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, reflecting its ongoing commitment to fostering excellence, achievement and the transfer of cinematic knowledge to the next generation. The Student Academy Awards were established in 1972 to provide a platform for emerging global talent by creating opportunities within the film industry to showcase their work.
Academy members from all 19 branches are invited to opt in to view and vote for the Student Academy Awards. Voting is done by secret online ballot and tabulated by the independent accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. Following the ceremony, winners are paired with Academy members and receive robust educational programming, networking opportunities, and exclusive access to Academy members to support their career advancement through the Academy Gold Mentorship Program and Alumni Network.
Yulin Yue and Noran Fikri Alezabi speak onstage during the 2026 Student Academy Awards on September 14, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario.
ABOUT THE ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s premier film organization and is home to a global membership of more than 11,000 of the most accomplished film industry artists and leaders. The Academy connects global audiences – its members, the film industry, and film fans – through their shared passion for making and watching films. The Academy does this by recognizing and celebrating the arts and sciences of moviemaking through renowned awards for cinematic achievement, including the Oscars®, the Governors Awards, and the Scientific and Technical Awards. The Academy’s affiliated charitable organization, the Academy Foundation, serves a public benefit through its robust educational, preservation and cultural activities. This includes the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the world’s largest global film museum, the Academy Collection, the largest film-related collection in the world, and talent development programs for emerging artists. Year-round, the Academy creates opportunities for all communities to engage with the film world. Across all initiatives, the Academy connects global audiences – its members, the film industry, and film fans – through their shared passion for making and watching films.
Now presented in its original 576p glory (upscaled to 4K to reduce YouTube compression artefacts), The Passenger premiered in Hollywood on 10 September 2006.
DreamWorks Animation, the studio that brought you unforgettable bonds between a boy and a dragon in How to Train Your Dragon, an ogre and a donkey in Shrek, and a robot and a gosling in The Wild Robot, now welcomes a dazzling and emotional story about two lifelong best friends who must come together before they drift apart in Forgotten Island.
The new original film is written and directed by Academy Award® nominee Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado and is produced by Academy Award® nominee Mark Swift, the filmmaking team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Grammy and Academy Award® winning supernova H.E.R. and Liza Soberano (Lisa Frankenstein, Alone/Together) star as high school graduates Jo and Raissa, who have been best friends since grade school but are now about to embark on separate life paths. While celebrating their last night together, Jo and Raissa stumble upon a mysterious portal that transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali, packed with magical and mythological creatures they grew up hearing stories about from their Filipino families. Some of these figures will become friends, some foes. Joined by well-meaning-but- hapless weredog Raww (Dave Franco) and a small-but-mighty pack of pals, Jo and Raissa must face The Dreaded Manananggal (Tony winning icon Lea Salonga), the most feared creature on the island. When they discover that the memories of their entire friendship are the price for returning home, Jo and Raissa will race to find a way to leave the island before they forget each other forever.
The film’s all-star voice cast also includes Emmy nominee Jenny Slate (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place, Top Gun: Maverick), BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon (Triangle of Sadness, Ghostlight), global comedy superstar Jo Koy (Haunted Mansion, Jo Koy: Live from Brooklyn) and Emmy winner Ronny Chieng (The Daily Show, M3GAN). DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island is distributed by Universal Pictures.
Lauren Miller Rogen, Seth Rogen and Abbi Jacobson discuss two TIFF films, ‘Tangles’ and ‘Babies,’ with The Ankler’s Katey Rich at Ankler Studios at TIFF. Lauren Miller Rogen directs ‘Babies,’ a comedy starring Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick, and is also a producer on ‘Tangles,’ the animated adaptation of Sarah Leavitt’s graphic memoir about her family’s experience with her mother’s Alzheimer’s disease. Abbi Jacobson is part of the ‘Tangles’ voice cast.
Miller Rogen discusses the personal experiences behind both projects and why comedy and painful subject matter can strengthen each other. Jacobson talks about being drawn to ‘Tangles’ because of the way it confronts Alzheimer’s while finding humor within a family living through the disease. Seth Rogen reflects on being directed by his wife and the creative environment they built together on ‘Babies.’
The three also discuss bringing comedy performers into more dramatic territory, assembling the casts of both films and the unusually collaborative voice-recording process on ‘Tangles.’ Seth Rogen explains why he now pushes for animation casts to record together whenever possible, a process he has also used on the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ films.
For more entertainment news, subscribe to The Ankler: theankler.com/subscribe
00:00 Lauren Miller Rogen on the creative philosophy behind ‘Babies’
00:45 Abbi Jacobson and Seth Rogen on getting the work right
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