Playboy announced today that “Basement Gary,” an original animation co-created by New York animator Sean Donnelly and actor Alessandro Minoli, was named winner of its 2009 Animation Contest.

Rick DeMott leads the charge with his picks for this year's Oscar animation race.

The European Independent Film Festival (ÉCU), Europe’s premier event for independent filmmakers and their audiences, announces the closing of the early submission deadline on 14 December 2009.

The International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, announced nominations today for its 37th Annual Annie Awards recognizing the year's best animated features, television productions, commercials, short subjects and outstanding individual achievements in the field of animation.

The 14th edition of i Castelli Animati ended on November 29, 2009 with the announcement of its awards.

The grand prize went to "Life Without Gabriella Ferri" by Priit and Olga Parn. This is a complex, sensual, poetic film. "Wallace & Gromit: A Matter Of Loaf And Death" by Nick Park took the special jury prize. Even though they are masters of the art, these filmmakers were pleased and genuinely touched by the recognition.

Creator of Rocket, Melanie Hurley from Rocket Enterprises commissioned earlier in the year a team to bring this loveable Reindeer and his friends to the screen.

First of all I want to say that it's really hard to make an excellent film. I'm just completing my fifth film, and believe me it's very easy to fall in love with your work, not so easy to see it with some objectivity.

So what is it about I Castelli Animati that makes it one of the most loved animation festivals in the world? The answer is simple... and evident from the first moments of arrival. It's the people.

I'm sitting here in the KLM lounge in Toronto waiting for my flight to Paris so I can make my connection to Rome where I'm on the jury of this year's I Castelli Animati.