CARTOON MOVIE, the only event dedicated to promoting European animated feature films, has announced the nominated companies for the Cartoon Movie Tributes 2005. These tributes highlight the initiatives that contribute to the recognition and the success of the European animation cinema. Three of them will be chosen by the professionals attending the event, taking place March 10-12 in Potsdam, Germany.
The nominated companies are:
France 3 Cinéma for its co-production of an average of three feature-length films a year, which represents 10% of its co-productions and 10% of its annual budget. France 3 Cinéma is a subsidiary of public service channel France Télévision. The films co-produced or currently in co-production are A MONKEYS TALE, BABAR: KING OF THE ELEPHANTS, BELLEVILLE RENDEZVOUS (THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE) THE BOY WHO WANTED TO BE A BEAR, PICCOLO AND SAXO, FIVE TALES OF KIRIKOU, THE SUN QUEEN, U AND AZUR and ASMAR. WHY I DID (NOT) EAT MY FATHER, THE LION CHILD and MIA AND THE MIGOU are in development.
Indie Circle for its contribution to the development of a crossborder European strategy for distributing animated films. Indie Circle is a first initiative that brings together European film distributors. Set up in September of 2003, it aims to acquire films as a team and collaborate in distributing them in its members respective countries. Indie Circle is made up of A-Film Distribution in the Netherlands, Cinéart in Belgium, Frenetic Films in Switzerland, Haut et Court in France and Lucky Red in Italy.
Portuguese distributor Lusomundo for its strong European distribution strategy in Portugal. Active in the home video and theatrical distribution of animated films, Lusomundo has handled the video distribution of THE BOY WHO WANTED TO BE A BEAR, CORTO MALTESE, THE KING AND THE BIRD, MILLIONAIRE DOGS, LITTLE HIPPO and KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERER. It theatrically distributed THE LIVING FOREST, EL CID and the upcoming features, BACK TO GAYA, PINOCCHIO 3000, SPRUNG! THE MAGIC ROUNDABOUT and A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM. Additionally, Lusomundo has negotiated distribution agreements for such films as DONKEY XOTE, NOCTURNA, ASTERIX AND THE VIKINGS, THE UGLY DUCKLING AND ME and HAPPILY N EVER AFTER, while they were still in production.
The directing team of Piet De Rycker and Thilo Rothkirch for their exemplary role in the pursuit of quality and success, especially since these two directors are of different nationalities. Their first film together was the European hit TOBIAS TOTZ AND HIS LION (which achieved more than 500,000 admissions). They followed up with THE LITTLE POLAR BEAR, which sold 2,700,000 tickets in Germany alone, and LAURAS STAR which has sold more than 1,300,000 tickets in Germany. They are in production on LITTLE POLAR BEAR II.
M6 for the prominence it gives to animation and for its commitment to feature films. M6, a major partner for producers of animation, invests 5 million Euros annually in series and films. The channel has decided to diversify its animation co-production activity by investing in features as well as series. It also pre-purchases or co-produces French films in development or in production via its subsidiary, M6 Films. In 2004, M6 decided to co-produce two CG films, THE UGLY DUCKLING AND ME (with co-production partners A. Film of Denmark, Magma Films of Ireland and Futurikon of France) and ASTERIX AND THE VIKINGS (with A.Film/Denmark and TPS of France).
Ralph Christians, a German writer living in Ireland, for his dedication to the cause of European storytelling in animation. For more than 10 years, Christians has been based at the Magma Films studio in Galway, and, with the Magma writing team, written more than 200 hours of scripts for animated series and features. Feature films involving Christians are THE UGLY DUCKLING AND ME, DERRICK, BUG MULDOON and HUGO. His best-known TV series are LOGGERHEADS, NORMAN NORMAL, LILLY THE WITCH, THE WORLD OF TOSH, THE FAIRYTALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN, PIGS NEXT DOOR and FUNKY COPS.
The three winners will be announced during the closing ceremonies at Cartoon Movie on March 12.
CARTOON MOVIE offers professionals involved in the financing, the production, the distribution or the exploitation of feature films, a complete panorama of European cartoon films at different stages of their production or already available. For registration and information e-mail: movie@cartoon.skynet.be or go to www.cartoon-media.be.
