We thank those AWN readers who contributed their thoughts on the passing of legendary Russian animator Fyodor Khitruk.

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"This is a great loss to Russian animation. Khitruk was the teacher of many famous Russian directors - Norshtein, Nazarov, Petrov, Maksimov, Aldashin and many others.  He was my teacher also. Khitruk was not only a good director and a teacher but also a unique person, a great conversationalist.  He always had positive energy."

Igor Kovalyov

Director

"Fyodor Khitruk helped modernize Russian animation. His sense of rhythm, his humor, his ability to tell stories concisely made him an example. But more importantly, his graphic virtuosity made history. Othello 67, the very short film (50 seconds) he made for the international competition organized for the Montreal World Exhibition is a masterpiece of irony and pacing."

Marcel Jean

Artistic Director, Annecy International Animation Film Festival

 

 

It is with great sadness that I report Dr. Changyou Chen, father of AWN contributing writer and Ingrid Pitt: Beyond The Forest animator Perry Chen, passed away from cancer last Thursday, July 19.  A memorial service is scheduled this Sunday, details below.

 

 

One of the highlights of this past Saturday's ASIFA-Hollywood Annie Awards was Brad Bird's acceptance speech, done via video from the Vancouver set of Mission Impossible IV.  Brad was honored with the Winsor McCay Award for Lifetime Achievement.  How could you possibly out-do the compilation of clips they screened highlighting his incredible body of work?  Well, you follow it with a recorded acceptance speech that brought down the house. 

If you weren't at Royce Hall, you're in for a treat.  If you were lucky to be there, this is certainly worth at least two more viewings...enjoy!

 

 

Craig Barron has posted a really nice short film tribute to film historian and preservationist Kevin Brownlow, who this past Saturday received the Governors Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 

 

No, Anderson, Bullwinkle, Rocky and Me is not a British supergroup from the 80s.  Please, who would have played bass?

Alexander Anderson Jr., who along with Cal frat brother Jay Ward created Rocky & Bullwinkle and Dudley Do-Right among other cartoon characters, passed away last Friday at age 90. My daughters grew up with a constant barrage of my “Wossamotta U” and “fan mail from some flounder” mimicry.  Of course back then, they thought me odd and had no idea what I was saying, until I bought them (actually, I bought for myself) our first set of The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle VHS tapes at least 15 years ago and opened their eyes and young minds to all the greatness and splendor of Anderson and Ward’s creations.