At the Cartoon Forum tonight, Studio Soi's THE LITTLE BOY AND THE BEAST won the coveted Cartoon d'Or prize. Torben Meier, one of the seven founders of Studio Soi, was on hand to accept the award and the 10,000 Euro check on behalf of directors Uwe Heidschoeher and Johannes Weiland, who couldn't attended because they are in heavy production on the Christmas special THE GRUFFALO'S CHILD, the sequel to the Oscar- and Cartoon d'Or-nominated THE GRUFFALO. Germany' public broadcaster, ZDF financed THE LITTLE BOY AND THE BEAST.

The other nominees include Verena Fels' MOBILE from Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Damian Nenow's PATHS OF HATE from Platige Image, Andre Bergs' PIVOT from Il Luster Prods. and David O'Reilly's THE EXTERNAL WORLD from David O'Reilly Animation and DETAiLFILM.