Paris, 15th May 2009. Inspired by the worldwide success of animation giant Haim Saban (creator and producer of the mega-successful series POWER RANGERS amongst many others), passionate French entrepreneur Jeremy Zag announced today the creation of his media production company Univergroup and its subsidiary ZAGTOON. The holding company will oversee film and TV production and ZAGTOON will be dedicated to the production of animation programs for the international market.

Annecy 2009 will feature several American animated features, including BATTLE FOR TERRA, CORALINE, MONSTERS VS. ALIENS and MARY AND MAX.

French, Irish and Belgian co-production BRENDAN AND THE SECRET OF KELLS was also chosen to compete. Check out the rest of the films here.

Selections for short films and TV shows were chosen last month.

Annecy is scheduled for June 8-13 with the MIFA held June 10-12.

Press Release from the San Joaquin International Film Festival

AJA Video Systems' KONA 3 video capture and playback cards are an integral part of the post production workflow at Norwegian VFX and post facility Storm Studios. KONA 3 is AJA's top-of-the-line uncompressed capture card for SD, HD, Dual Link 4:4:4 HD and 2K formats for Apple Mac Pro systems.

Alphanim's new 52x13 series MATT'S MONSTERS has secured new broadcasts of the series with Cartoon Network in Asia, RTP in Portugal and Noga Communications in Israel.

Co-produced by Alphanim, RAI Fiction and Torino-based animation studio Lanterna Magica, MATT'S MONSTERS is a 2D/Flash comedy starring boy-next-door Matt Average, an 8 year-old monster enthusiast who takes family business quite seriously and, as soon as homework is done, rushes to help out in his mom and dad's monster care agency.

Cuppa Coffee Studios is celebrating what promises to be the "Year of the Nerd" now that the pilot episode of Nerdland has been selected as a finalist at two prestigious animation festivals: the Annecy International Film Festival and Cartoons on the Bay's Pulcinella Awards.

This represents the third nomination for the Canadian studio in the past four years at the Pulcinella Awards, having won previously for RICK AND STEVE and A VERY BARRY CHRISTMAS. The studio also won the Grand Prix award at Annecy for Best Educational Film with the pilot for SUPERWHY? in 2000.

The official selection for Annecy 2009 has been announced; among the 40 short films are a few hot titles, including WALLACE & GROMIT: A MATTER OF LOAF AND DEATH and PES' WESTERN SPAGHETTI.

Among the TV series in consideration is an episode of Nickelodeon's THE MIGHTY B!.

Click here to view the full selection list.

David Polonsky, the art director of the acclaimed Oscar-nominated animated feature WALTZ WITH BASHIR, will talk and show clips from the film at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23 at Santa Monica College's Academy of Entertainment & Technology.

His talk will kick off SMC's spring entertainment industry speakers series, called the Mary Pickford Series, which features a wide range of speakers representing virtually all aspects of the business.

Toothy fiends, giant cats, exploding pigeons, screaming vegetables, and hungry mailboxes -- your television will never be the same. Independent animator Amy Winfrey's popular web series MAKING FIENDS is now also a full length television series on the Nicktoons network. MAKING FIENDS debuted on Nicktoons in October 2008, and is currently the channel's highest rated original program. Episodes air every Saturday at 12 p.m. ET. A special marathon featuring all the television episodes will be airing on February 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET.

Annecy 2009 Call for Projects
Deadline: February 15, 2009

The Creative Focus is strengthening its support to projects for animation films At Annecy 2009. Discovering and promoting projects for animated films has always been central to the Creative Focus and has become a top priority.

After a very promising start in 2008, Annecy is renewing its four Calls for Projects in 2009, adapted especially to the different categories concerned: