Pierre Ayma. Courtesy of Alain Seraphine

Pierre Ayma passed away quite suddenly last month. We wanted to pay a tribute to this personality of the French Animation industry, with remembrances from Pierre's friends and former students. In 1975, Pierre Ayma founded the Animation Department of the CFT Gobelins school, the main animation school in France. For more than 20 years, Pierre expressed his passion for animated films through his teaching and with his involvement in many other animation related projects. His commitments had a permanent focus point: to give to young people the means to express and develop their talent. I worked with him for a few years at Annecy International Animation Festival, where he was involved in the International Film Project Competition. I was always struck by the quality of his commitment. Despite the difficulties, despite his outspokenness, Pierre was always there.

The following testimonies strongly illustrate his passion and generosity and pay him back well.

Annick Teninge
General Manager
Animation World Network

Pierre, his first name was that of the founders.

And he was one of them, he who, after so many years put together in Europe, stone by stone, image by image, animator after animator, the edifice of this art of animation which has become, thanks to him, a profession, a passion and an industry for those who live in France on what they learned from him and thanks to him. I will keep the essence of what Pierre left: a force. The force with which he built his teaching. The force he gave to those who fight today so that animation may live. The force which, after he is gone, will be set into motion within us as we continue his work.

Will we live up to it?

Jacques Peyrache
Chairman
XD Productions

We all owe something to him.

Upon the French professionals request, in 1975, Pierre Ayma founded the Animation Department of the CFT Gobelins school. This marks the beginning of a long venture which is still alive and well.

Pierre succeeded in creating a curriculum acknowledged by professionals worldwide. All of the classes who spread out into small and large production studios alike display the vitality of his work. Pierre became a personality that could not be ignored in the animation world and this certainly contributed towards the radiance of the school. His main concern was that each student found his place in the industry. He leaves us a past full of a life-long passion in the service of education. Everyone in the animation industry benefits from it and it will remain an example for all the people who met him and for the school's team who ensures its continuity.

The team of the Animation Department - CFT Gobelins School