ASIFA Hollywood – 31st Afternoon of Remembrance: Honoring Animation’s Legacy

The 31st Afternoon of Remembrance will take place on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at 12PM PT
.
This year’s event will be held in person at The Animation Guild Local 839, located at 1105 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505.
Doors will open at 11:00 AM, with light refreshments served before the program commences at noon. Admission is free, offering an opportunity for industry professionals, friends, and fans to gather in remembrance.
The event will also be recorded and made available on YouTube, allowing audiences worldwide to participate in the tribute.
The Afternoon of Remembrance is proudly sponsored by The Animation Guild, Local #839 Hollywood, IATSE, continuing the tradition of honoring the animation industry’s legacy.

International Women’s Day 2025 – JOIN US ON 7TH MARCH!

Back by popular demand, we’re hosting a day of talks with some amazing women from our industry. Expect talks across leadership, technology, virtual production, parenting, creative processes and more! See the schedule here.

This year’s IWD theme is #AccelerateAction – we have to be the change if we want to see change. We have a long way to go for equality so IWD and events like it are still needed. Part of our mission is to host and create more all-women talks until it’s part of the norm (and not just for IWD).

Above all we want to inspire future talent to find their ideal careers and help navigate the challenges along the way.

SIGN UP:

Join the event via our LinkedIn event page to get the latest information and notifications…

Recent data research by VFX Strategy Consultant, Joseph Bell shows approximate gender splits per country:

[Follow Joseph for more insights, or visit his website: https://www.vfxatlas.com/]

SPEAKERS

  • NOSIPHO MAKETO-VAN DEN BRAGT – CEO AT CHOCOLATE TRIBE
  • LUCY WARD – EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AT DNEG
  • ELENA VITANZA – CG SUPERVISOR AT DNEG
  • ZHUJUN BAMBOO WANG – FX SUPERVISOR AT DNEG
  • CHRISTINA CASPERS – GM/MD AT TRIXTER
  • RACHEL COPP – VFX PRODUCER AT RISING SUN PICTURES
  • ISABELLE ALLÈS – VFX PIPELINE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR AT IMAGE ENGINE
  • BECKY GRAHAM – VFX SUPERVISOR AT BELOFX
  • EMMA CLIFTON PERRY – PRODUCTION VFX SUPERVISOR
  • PAMELA NELSON – MANAGING DIRECTOR AT REVENANT
  • MARIA GIRON – PRODUCTION CONSULTANT
  • LAUREN MCCALLUM – VP OF PRODUCTION AT SCANLINE VFX
  • KATIE MITCHELL – CXO AT SWYVL AND PROJECT MANAGER AT DNEG
  • KATHRYN BRILLHART – VIRTUAL PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR, CINEMATOGRAPHER, DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER
  • ROSE HANCOCK – EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, JELLYFISH PICTURES
  • SHARN GONDAL – HEAD OF PEOPLE, JELLYFISH PICTURES
  • OKSANA VOITENKO – COMPOSITING ARTIST, JELLYFISH PICTURES
  • JENN EPSTEIN – COMPOSITING SUPERVISOR, JELLYFISH PICTURES
  • SARAH FERNANDEZ – VFX PRODUCER, TRIXTER, JELLYFISH PICTURES
  • ESTEFANIA FRANCO – ASSOC. DEPT. MGR – PRODUCTION, CINESITE
  • VALENTINA MARIA SGRO – PRODUCTION MANAGER, TRIXTER
  • STEPHANIE ROY – CG SUPERVISOR, CINESITE
  • EMILY HERSCHBERG – MARKETING & PR MANAGER, TRIXTER
  • SARA MARTIN – GROUP EDI SPECIALIST, CINESITE 
  • AMELIA CHAGNON-FATHE – EMPLOYER BRAND MARKETING SPECIALIST, CINESITE
  • JULIANA WATSON – SENIOR VFX PRODUCER, INGENUITY STUDIOS
  • LIZ CHRISTOFARO – VFX PRODUCER, INGENUITY STUDIOS
  • TARA ACQUESTA – SENIOR VFX PRODUCER, INGENUITY STUDIOS
  • REBECCA SMITH – VFX PRODUCER, INGENUITY STUDIOS
  • KATE BONIFAS – MARKETING MANAGER, INGENUITY STUDIOS
  • EMMA BIBBY – HR CONSULTANT, PXL TALENT & PANCAKE HR
spotlight_Fachjury_2024_Foto_Valentin_Oswald.jpg
spotlight_Fachjury_2024_Foto_Valentin_Oswald.jpg

Stuttgart: 28. Festival für Bewegtbildkommunikation spotlight | Online-Voting startet am 14. März 2025 | Live-Programm zum Abschluss am 28. März 2025 im Stuttgarter Rathaus

[Foto Valentin Oswald]

spotlight 2025
28. Festival für Bewegtbildkommunikation
Freitag, 14. März 2025 bis Freitag, 28. März 2024
Online-Voting vom Freitag, 14. März 2025 bis Sonntag, 23. März 2025
spotlight DIALOG am Freitag, 28. März 2025 um 16:00 Uhr, Großer Sitzungssaal im Rathaus Stuttgart
spotlight AWARD PRESENTATION am Freitag, 28. März 2025 um 18:00 Uhr, Großer Sitzungssaal im Rathaus Stuttgart

Die Zeichen auf Sturm. Die Leuchtfeuer entzündet. Auf diesen knappen Nenner lässt sich unsere aus den Fugen geratene Zeit im Spiegel des Festivaljahrgangs 2025 bringen. Bei der 28. Ausgabe des bedeutendsten Wettbewerbs für Bewegtbildkommunikation im deutschsprachigen Raum konkurrieren wieder die besten Werbeprofis und Filmstudierenden um die begehrten und für das Kreativranking relevanten spotlight AWARDS. Das Alleinstellungsmerkmal des Festivals: Die prestigeträchtigen Auszeichnungen werden unabhängig voneinander und doppelt vergeben, von der Fachjury auf der einen und der Publikumsjury auf der anderen Seite. Zudem hat die Zielgruppe vom 14. bis 23. März 2025 ganze zehn Tage Zeit, um sich die PUBLIKUMSROLLE anzuschauen und ihre Gewinner zu küren.
Das kostenlose Online-Voting unter www.spotlight-festival.de läuft vom 14. bis 23. März 2025. Bewertet wird mit Schulnoten von 1 bis 6. Neben hohem Spaßfaktor und Erkenntnisgewinn bietet dies den „Verbraucher*innen“ die befriedigende Chance, den kreativen Machern zu zeigen, wo der Hammer hängt …

spotlight 2025: Die Trends

Die Schlaglichter einer zunehmend dystopischen und in ihren Grundfesten erschütterten Welt kennzeichnen auch das zurückliegende Kreativjahr: Krieg, Flucht, bröckelnder gesellschaftlicher Zusammenhalt – um nur einige Beispiele zu nennen.
Die Auseinandersetzung mit dem „new normal“ fällt jedoch sehr unterschiedlich aus. Die Arbeiten der Filmstudierenden sind überwiegend geprägt durch eine starke Emotionalität und teils durch eine bedrückend düstere Stilistik. Im Profi-Wettbewerb überwiegen dagegen die positiven, hoffnungsvoll stimmenden Botschaften. Die kontrastierenden Herangehensweisen spiegeln unsere eigene Unsicherheit: Was ist wichtiger: aufzurütteln oder sich – mit Hilfe dieser kleinen Fluchten – den Optimismus nicht ganz nehmen zu lassen? Dennoch verbindet Studierende und Profi-Kreative auch eine Menge: Mit handwerklicher Perfektion und einer teils überwältigenden Bildästhetik sorgen sie für spektakuläre Sehwerte.

spotlight 2025: Das Rahmenprogramm

Dem Festival vorgeschaltet ist die Premiere eines ausgesprochen zukunftsorientierten Formats: Am Mittwoch, 26. März 2025 um 19:00 Uhr steigt das Kick-Off Meeting zum spotlight START UP CLUB. Auf dieser neuen Vernetzungsplattform soll der Nachwuchs von den Filmhochschulen mit Gründern studentischer Start-Ups aus allen Disziplinen in Kontakt kommen. Das Ziel: den innovativen Kern des jeweiligen Start-Ups präzise herauszuarbeiten und in eine Geschichte zu gießen. Die Konsequenz dieser Win-win-Kombination: ein werbewirksamer Auftritt für das Start-up und eine tolle kreative Challenge für die Filmstudierenden.

Wenn die Fachjury am Donnerstag, 27. März 2025 im Stuttgarter Rathaus tagt, kommt das Who’s Who der deutschen Kreativszene in der baden-württembergischen Landeshauptstadt zusammen. Das Familientreffen der Top-Kreativen kommt dabei ganz besonders dem studentischen Nachwuchs zugute. Unmittelbar im Anschluss an die Fachjury-Sitzung bringt das exklusive Format spotlight JUDGEMENT NIGHT die Studierenden mit den Mitgliedern der Fachjury zusammen an einen Tisch. Networking vom Feinsten also, das schon in etlichen Fällen zum Karriere-Kick-Start für den Kreativnachwuchs wurde.

Am 28. März 2025 findet um 16:00 Uhr im Stuttgarter Rathaus die Vortragsreihe spotlight DIALOG statt. Unter dem Motto BEHIND THE SCENE geben Top-Filmkreative anhand ihrer Cases Einblicke in ihre aktuelle Arbeit. Ab 18:00 Uhr folgt die spotlight AWARD PRESENTATION. Bei diesem traditionellen Höhepunkt des Festivals werden nicht nur die Preisträger-Spots 2025 bekannt gegeben. Die Besten der Besten der Bewegtbildkommunikation werden in der spotlight-Siegerrolle auch auf der großen Leinwand zu erleben sein. Host ist, wie bereits im vergangenen Jahr, der SWR-Moderator Michael Bollenbacher.

Die Teilnahme an beiden Veranstaltungen ist kostenlos. Hier geht es zur Anmeldung.

Über das Festival für Bewegtbildkommunikation spotlight

Gegründet 1998, setzt ein spotlight-Award in der DACH-Kreativszene inzwischen den Goldstandard für die Einordnung und Bewertung von Bewegtbildkommunikation – und bringt für die glücklichen Gewinner obendrein begehrte Punkte in den Kreativ-Rankings von W&V und HORIZONT. Schließlich zählt das Festival zur exklusiven Gruppe der aktuell 17 weltweit wichtigsten Kreativwettbewerbe. Das Alleinstellungsmerkmal von spotlight ist die parallele Preisvergabe sowohl durch die hochkarätig besetzte Fachjury als auch durch das Festivalpublikum. Ausgelöst durch die Pandemie, verlagerte spotlight sein Voting 2020 ins Internet – und profitiert
seitdem zusätzlich in puncto Reichweite und Teilnehmerzahlen.

Das Wettbewerbstableau für 2025: Die Preise werden in zwei Wettbewerben vergeben, spotlight PROFESSIONALS für die Besten der Branche und spotlight STUDENTS für den besten Nachwuchs. Die Profis gehen an den Start in den Kategorien TV & KINO, WEB & MOBILE, TRAILER / TEASER / TRENNER, ANIMATION & VFX, DIGITALE KAMPAGNE, SOCIAL IMPACT, INFLUENCER, SONDERWERBEFORMEN, KI – DIGITALE TRANSFORMATION sowie in der neuen Kategorie MINUS 15 SEC. Die Studierenden konkurrieren in den Kategorien TV & KINO, WEB & MOBILE, SOCIAL IMPACT, INFLUENCER, KI – DIGITALE TRANSFORMATION, ANIMATION & VFX sowie gleichfalls in der neuen Kategorie MINUS 15 SEC.
Die Preisentscheidungen werden in den Wettbewerben doppelt getroffen: von der Gesamtheit der online abstimmenden Zuschauer sowie von der Fachjury. Neben den wertvollen Punkten im Kreativ-Ranking für die Profis können sich die von der Fachjury mit Gold ausgezeichneten Studenten auf Preisgelder in Höhe von insgesamt € 5.000 freuen.

Verantwortlich für das spotlight-Festival zeichnen die Festivalleiter Peter Frey und Michael Preiswerk. spotlight wird unterstützt von der Wirtschaftsförderung der Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart und dem Land Baden-Württemberg. Das spotlight-Festival bedankt sich außerdem bei seinen Partnern und Sponsoren ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE (Unterföhring), Embassy of Dreams und We make them wonder (München), TRO (Düsseldorf) und Internationales Trickfilmfestival Stuttgart.

Mehr unter: www.spotlight-festival.de

Ludwigsburg, Berlin: Studio Fizbin’s Last Magic Trick: “Reignbreaker”

Berlin: 21st PICTOPLASMA Berlin — Time to Talk Character!

After 20 years of tirelessly zooming in – closer and closer – on the wondrous world of characters, it’s happening: 

This May, across 4 bustling days, Pictoplasma Berlin is set to reinvent itself as the world’s epicenter of contemporary character design.

Featuring a truly epochal line-up of outstanding international artists, our 21st edition will offer more than ever before conference talks, presentations and panels, and introduce new round table sessions, a symposium track, plus many fresh opportunities to discuss the challenges and possibilities of tomorrow’s visual culture – affecting us all.

Across 3 bustling days, international creators and producers from all visual genres – illustration, animation, game design, crafts, fine and graphic arts – meet for an exchange of strategies and stories to shape the future of figurative aesthetics: featured artist lectures explore the edges of contemporary creative practice; daily workshops, jam sessions and demos allow to get hands-on with new mediums; vibrant discussion spaces connect creators, characters, and commercial contributors; and cutting-edge animation screenings invite all to delve into next-level emerging worlds.

Stuttgart, ITFS: The ticket shop is open!

Dear animation professionals,

The ticket shop is open! Buy your accreditation now and benefit from many offers, events and encounters.

There is also news about the programme: The films in the competitions have been confirmed, as have the juries that will award the prizes during the festival week. Look forward to exciting, touching and captivating films from all over the world and meet the filmmakers. You can also get to know the filmmakers Maja Gehrig and Christina Schindler, their working methods and role models in the In Persona programmes.

Save the Date: The Professional Afternoon on festival Thursday (8 May) promises even more opportunities for networking and plenty of inspiration. The nominees for the Screenplay Award and the Trickstar Business Award will present their projects at the Festival Centre. The winners will be announced at the AniX Awards in the evening.

We look forward to meeting you at the festival!

The ITFS team

Get your Accreditation now!

The ticket shop is open! Accredited persons have access to the Festival Centre, the Filmmakers‘ Talks and many other exclusive industry events and offers.

Accreditation:  € 80,00

Accreditation Young Professional:  € 60,00

Combi Pass ITFS + FMX:

  • Professionals: € 460,00 (until 20 March), € 490,00 (from 21 March)
  • Students: € 230,00 (until 20 March), € 245,00 (from 21 March)

Further practical information such as discounted tickets for public transport, travelling by train, hotels and FAQs can be found on our website.

Book now

CEE Animation Forum 2025: Call for Submissions is OPEN

The CEE Animation Forum is the leading regional pitching, financing and co-production event. It aims to boost the projects´ international potential, visibility and their access to a wider European market.

A key part of the programme is the traditional pitching competition. Submissions are open to European animated projects in 4 categories:

  • Feature Films (minimum length of 60 minutes; in concept, in development or in production)
  • Series and TV Specials (web and TV series of any format and single films, minimum length of 20 minutes; all stages of development except for concept stage)
  • Short Films (maximum length of 20 minutes; all stages of development except for concept stage)
  • Student Short Films (maximum length of 20 minutes, all stages of development except for concept stage)

READ OUR GUIDELINES

KEY DATES:
30 April, 2025 | Submission deadline
30 June, 2025 | Notification of selection
October 2025 | Online pitch trainingCEE Animation Forum will take place from 4 to 6 November 2025 in Pilsen (Czech Republic).

SUBMIT NOW

The CEE Animation Forum is financially supported by the Creative Europe MEDIA, the Czech Audiovisual Fund, the Czech Audiovisual Producers’ Association, and the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic.

DNEG x Denis Villeneuve | Showreel

DNEG 🤝 Denis Villeneuve. Following our work on #BladeRunner2049 and #Dune: Part One, it was an extraordinary honour to rejoin visionary director Denis Villeneuve to help bring the breathtaking #DunePartTwo to life! Another honour? Receiving the #Oscar and #BAFTA for our work on all three of these amazing films. 🤩 Enjoy this closer look at some of our favourite shots from each of these epic collaborations now!

Dave Alvarez: A Warning about the real potential dangers out there for artists in general

First published on Facebook/LinkedIn on March 4th, 2025 – Reprinted/reposted/reblogged here with the permission of the Author

I’ve been freelancing here and there, and I’m grateful for every small opportunity that comes my way. However, I feel it’s my responsibility to warn you about certain things you might encounter during this „drought season.“ Maybe my prolonged situation happened for a reason—so I could warn others about the real potential dangers out there for artists in general.

Here are some of them:
1) Recruiter Scammers
These people appear on LinkedIn the very second you post your availability for work.
Ignore them at all costs. They don’t know you. Use your judgment—if they don’t come from the industry you’re looking to work in, they’re not legitimate.
2) „Draw My Husband“ Scammers
These scammers typically reach out via email, asking for a commissioned artwork to „surprise their husband“ (or wife) and offering payment in advance.
Don’t fall for this! It’s a scam. No one offers money upfront like this. These schemes often lead to money laundering.
3) Fake Interviews from Scammers (A newer scam in the community!)
They set up an interview that leads nowhere, often using Zoom filters to hide their background.
In my case, I could see through the filter—the guy was in a run-down apartment with a single flood lamp, meaning he likely had no electricity.
Again, they’ll offer money in advance, which will eventually turn into a money laundering scheme.
Use your judgment—research their company on Google and verify if their email is from a real studio.
4) “Everyone Has an Animation Studio Now!”
With major studios in an inexplicable hiatus, smaller studios are searching for talent everywhere.
Now, not all small studios are bad or unprofessional—I’ve worked with fantastic ones run by wonderful people.
However, I’ve also encountered so-called „studios“ that are just one person with little to no budget.
So, be wary of „John Doe Studios“ talent-seeking ads—they’re not always what they seem.
Always verify the legitimacy of a studio before accepting a job.
5) People Who Send Unsolicited Scripts! These are everywhere. They email you a script and ask you to read it to see if you’re interested.

Dave Alvarez

⚠️ CAREFUL! NEVER read or accept unsolicited material. It can put you in legal trouble.
6) „Dreamy“ Commissions That Are Too Good to Be True
A fantastic commission suddenly appears—one that will definitely pay the bills. And they’ll pay via PayPal! Sounds great, right?
⚠️ Wrong. If you don’t personally know and trust the client, do NOT accept payments directly to your PayPal account.
Here’s why: The scammer pays you a large amount from their credit card, then reports the transaction as fraudulent, and PayPal reverses the payment—leaving you with nothing.
To protect yourself, use a PayPal Business account and offer a protected payment link or an official PayPal invoice. This way, there’s evidence of the transaction.
There are many more scams out there, but these are some of the most common.
Stay cautious, stay informed, and above all—value your work. The right opportunities will come, but they should never cost you your security or peace of mind.
Dave Alvarez
Character Designer and Illustrator

London: 2025 BAFTA GAMES AWARDS NOMINATIONS

41 games receive a BAFTA nomination today, and there’s something for all the family on the list.

Top-nominated games include the British-made Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Still Wakes the Deep and Thank Goodness You’re Here! alongside Astro Bot, Black Myth: Wukong and Helldivers II. From atmospheric adventures to puzzly platformers, this year’s nominees include 41 incredible games you should add to your must-play list.

CHECK OUT THE NOMINEES

Ali Plumb reveals the BAFTA Games Awards nominations for 2025! Join us at the ceremony live on Twitch and YouTube on Tuesday 8th April at 7PM where the winners will be announced. Vote for the most influential game ever at www.bafta.org The views and opinions expressed by individuals featured in this clip are solely those of the individuals expressing them and should not be taken to be the views and opinions of BAFTA.

Amsterdam: Call for entries for Cinekid for Professionals 2025: Send us your children’s project for the Cinekid Script LAB 2025-2026 and the Junior Co-production Market 2025.

Cinekid is accepting applications for this year’s Cinekid for Professionals programmes! Send us your children’s project for the Cinekid Script LAB 2025-2026 and the Junior Co-production Market 2025.

Cinekid Script LAB is a six-month script-development programme for writers with a children’s film or series project. The training was initiated by Cinekid in 2014, and takes place during Cinekid for Professionals in October 2025, and the Berlinale in February 2026.

For the Cinekid Script LAB, we accept series and feature film projects in various stages of development that are either live-action, animation or documentary and can benefit from a tailor-made trajectory under the guidance of specialised coaches.

The deadline for entries for Cinekid Script LAB is 25 May 2025.
Entry regulations of the Cinekid Script LAB can be found here.

Junior Co-production Market

The Junior Co-production Market is an integrated three-day co-production market that enables financiers, broadcasters and producers to assess new and innovative children’s projects across the film and series sectors.

We accept feature films and episodic content (live-action, animation and documentary) in development, as well as works-in-progress from all over the world.

The submission deadline is 29 June 2025.
Entry regulations for the Junior Co-production Market can be found here.

https://cinekid.nl/nl/over-ons/nieuws/call-for-entries-for-cinekid-for-professionals-2025

CARTOON MOVIE RETURNS TO BORDEAUX WITH A LINEUP OF 55 NEW EUROPEAN ANIMATED FILMS

PRESS RELEASE March 4, 2025.

Cartoon Movie brings the future of European animation back to Bordeaux on March 4-6, when 55 new projects from 16 countries will participate in the 27th edition of this co-production and pitching event for European animated feature films. With the aim of speeding up their funding and distribution, the projects will be presented in pitching sessions to potential co-producers, sales agents, distributors, streaming platforms representatives and investors, among other industry players. Organised by CARTOON, the event also features networking and training activities, as well as the presentation of the Cartoon Movie Tributes and the Eurimages Co-production Development Award.

The lineup is spearheaded by France with 19 projects, followed by Germany (6), Norway (5) and Spain (4), while Belgium, Czechia, Ireland and Latvia participate with three films each. Wrapping up the list is Finland with two projects, while Denmark, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Armenia (the latter non-EU Participating Country in the Creative Europe Programme) participate with one project each.
Led by Czechia and Latvia – country to which Cartoon Movie is dedicating its spotlight this year – with three projects each, the CEE countries account for 10 feature film projects, whereas the Nordic countries participate with 8 works. Selected from 120 submissions, Cartoon Movie’s selection includes mostly in-development projects (32), followed at a distance by in-concept (17) and in-production projects (3). Three sneak previews will also be presented: “Fleak” by Jens Møller (Finland), “Tales from the Magic Garden” by Jean-Claude Rozec, Patrik Pass, Leon Vidmar & David Sukup (Czechia), and “The Songbirds’ Secret” by Antoine Lanciaux (France).

Seasoned directors such as Alain Ughetto (“Rose and the Marmots”), Anca Damian (“Short Stories about Love and Space”), Vincent Paronnaud & Alexis Ducord (“Treasure Island”), Toby Genkel (“Skip”), Kajsa Næss (“How to deal with Shattering Geists”) and Werner Herzog – who is presenting his first animated film, based on his book “The Twilight World” – will be pitching their new projects at the event.
Alongside them, several emerging talents will be presenting their first works at Cartoon Movie, one of the main showcases for the promotion of European animation, as attested by the 487 films – for a total budget of 3.2 billion EUR – it has helped since its creation. In addition to promoting a new generation of films in development, Cartoon Movie will be an opportunity to feel the pulse of European animation, an industry known for its high creativity, its graphic styles and narrative diversity, and the wide range of audiences it addresses. These characteristics are reflected in the broad array of genres featured in the selection, including adventure, comedy, drama, documentaries, fantasy, and sci-fi, while inclusion, gender equity and sustainability concerns are among the topics addressed by the projects. Literary and comic-book adaptations, as well as films based on mythological and folklore tales, are also present in this year’s selection.
Figures & trends
With an overall budget of 316.9 MIO EUR, this year films have an average cost of 5.7 MIO EUR, a 20% drop year-on-year. With more than half of the projects (30) produced among two or more Creative MEDIA countries, co-production emerges as the main financing model for animated feature films in Europe. France, Czechia, Belgium and Germany are the most active co-producers this year, while non-Creative MEDIA countries – including Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and the United States – are engaged in 7 co-productions. The projects total duration represents 75 hours, with an average length per film of 82’. Regarding target groups, films aimed at Family audiences are nearly half of the total (27 projects – 49%), while those targeted at Young Adults/Adults have risen from 18% to 29% year-on-year (16 projects). Projects aimed at Children stand at 20% (11 projects), whereas only one project is aimed at teen audiences. This edition welcomes back 15 projects which have already been pitched at Cartoon Movie in previous stages of development, including “Condenaditos” by Matisse Gonzalez (Germany), “Lou and the Glacier’s Secret” by Frédéric & Samuel Guillaume (France), and “Mikisoq” by Mette Rank Tange (Denmark), among others.

Concerning animation techniques, 2D is on top with 22 projects, while 3D projects stand at 20. Ten projects combine 2D/3D, and 8 use other techniques such as stop-motion, cut out paper, and VR technology, among others. Gender equity-wise, the number of films directed and produced by
women are in line with last year’s (22% and 35%, respectively). Barely half of the selected projects (45%) have implemented some elements/procedures towards sustainability, in line with CARTOON sustainable commitment. After obtaining the ISO 20121 certification, CARTOON remains committed to strengthening sustainable economic growth, minimising its environmental impact, promoting inclusivity, and setting an example for the industry.
Looking into the future
With the aim of celebrating creativity and promoting animation policies throughout Europe, Cartoon Movie annually dedicates a spotlight to a European territory. This year, Latvian animation will be under the limelight with the following projects: “Born in the Jungle” by Edmunds Jansons (Atom Art), “Karmic Knot” by Signe Baumane (Studio Locomotive) and “The Northern Star” by Karlis Vitols (Studija Kokles). A Latvian delegation of 16 producers and players will travel to Bordeaux to participate in the activity. Latvia’s animation industry is gaining momentum after the international success of “Flow” by Gints Zilbalodis, which has just won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Presented at Cartoon Movie in 2022, the film has made history in European animation after premiering at Cannes Film Festival and winning awards at Annecy, the Golden Globes and the European Film Awards, among other festivals and events. This Spotlight is organised by Latvian Animation Association and supported by the National Film Centre of Latvia
and the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia. In an effort also aimed at the future of animation, Cartoon Movie features the Coaching Programme for 82 young talents and teachers from 14 specialised schools, which will have the opportunity to learn about the animation industry and the challenges of launching a project. Besides, the talents will be invited to participate in a Job Fair where they can contact companies and professionals
attending the event. Many prizes will be awarded at the event. Eurimages Co-production Development Award is an initiative by The Council of Europe’s Eurimages Fund to encourage international co-production from the initial stages of an animation project. Twelve projects are in the running for this 20,000 EUR cash prize.
The Cartoon Movie Tributes winners – which, voted by the participants in the event, recognise the European Producer, Sales Agent, and Director of the Year – will also be announced. The list of finalists can be found here. Lastly, an activity looking to create synergies between the animation, video games & transmedia industries will take place on the opening day of the event. Animation & Transmedia as it is titled, will feature two roundtables (“Presentation of the Carbulator Tool” and “VFX & Animation: When Post becomes Present”) and one-to-one meetings for animation professionals who wish to meet with video game companies and publishers.
Made in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
The Nouvelle-Aquitaine animation industry continues to gain momentum thanks to the creativity of its professionals and the region’s active policy for cinema and audiovisual. After the arrival of Cartoon Movie in Bordeaux in 2017, regional animation has reached new peaks as shown by the prominent role played by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine in the lineup, with 7 projects produced or co- produced by regional studios. Six new projects supported by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region will be presented in the event: “The Dreamed Journey of Alpha Two” (Les Contes Modernes), “If I Die” (MIDRALGAR in co-production with Esther Vital (ES) & O Par (BR)), “All the Softness in the World” (Les Valseurs in co-production with Les Valseurs Bordeaux), “Bergeronnette” (Miyu Productions), “Absolute Surrender” (Sun Creature in co-production with Brightstar (UK)) and “Treasure Island” (Je Suis Bien Content). Four are in production (or in co-production) with studios based in Bordeaux: “The Twilight World” (in co-production with Sun Creature), “Absolute Surrender” (Sun Creature), “If I Die” (MIDRALGAR) and “All the Softness in the World” (in co-production with Les Valseurs Bordeaux). Two involve regional authors or co-authors: “The Dreamed Journey of Alpha Two” (co- written by Alpha Kaba and Christophe Erbes) and “Treasure Island” (written by Vincent Paronnaud aka Winshluss); and one is supported by the Département Charente: “The Dreamed Journey of Alpha Two” (Les Contes Modernes).
About Cartoon Movie
Since its first edition in 1999, 487 films have been financially supported by Cartoon Movie for a total budget of 3.2 billion EUR. Organised by CARTOON, Cartoon Movie is an annual forum aimed at strengthening the production and distribution of animated feature films in Europe. The event has the support of Creative Europe – MEDIA, CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée), Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Bordeaux Métropole, Pôle Image Magelis and France Télévisions. CARTOON – European Association of Animation Film is an international non-profit association based in Brussels that organises Cartoon Movie, together with Cartoon Forum, a co-production forum for animated TV series, and the training seminars Cartoon Springboard, CartoonNext, and Cartoon Business.
Cartoon Director: Annick Maes

Kontakt

Wir sind erreichbar! Seid nicht schüchtern, schreibt uns oder schickt uns eine Zeichnung.