The seventh annual Cartoon Movie in Potsdam, Germany, paid tribute March 12, 2005 to France 3 Cinéma, Ralph Christians and the directing team of Piet De Rycker and Thilo Rothkirch (Cartoon- Film, Germany) for significantly contributing to the success of the European feature animation industry. The event, set up by Cartoon as a movie version of its successful Cartoon Forum meeting for animated series, brought together some 448 participants to focus on the fast-growing sector for European animated feature films.
Fifty projects were presented for a total budget of 289 million Euros. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia where present for the first time. While traditional animation is still the artistic choice of many directors, computer-generated films are on the increase as 60% of the projects were presented in 3D.
Attending distributors and sales agents were positive about the future of animated film, and hoped for a growing number of animated films for adults.
Since the creation of Cartoon Movie, 79 feature films have been finance (for 420 million Euros) and put into production. With the growing number of admissions and the quality of the films, the next step will be to strengthen pan-European marketing and distribution strategies.
One of the tributes went to France 3 Cinéma for its co-production of an average of three full-length features a year.
Ralph Christians (from Magma Films, Ireland) was awarded a tribute for his dedication to the cause of European storytelling in animation.
The third tribute was dedicated to the directing team of Piet De Rycker and Thilo Rothkirch (Cartoon-Film, Germany); a pair of directors with complementary attributes, who are racking up the hits and are in production on LITTLE POLAR BEAR II.
A special Cartoon Movie tribute was made to Alexandra Tholance who passed away last year, for her steadfast work in the animation industry and 15 years as press attaché for Cartoon, general secretary of the French Association of Animation Producers and delegate of communication for Magelis.
The next Cartoon Movie has already been planned and will take from March 9-11, 2006.
Animation is a high-potential part of the creative industry in Berlin-Brandenbourg, said Petra Müller, md of location marketing, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg. It is therefore very important for us to have the three days of Cartoon Movie and the European animation community in March at the fx Centre in Babelsberg.
But before that event, Cartoon will continue to support the development of European animated film by organizing the Cartoon Forum the co-production forum for animated series which will take place in Kolding, Denmark, Sept. 21-24, 2006.
The two upcoming Cartoon Masters will take place in Spain (La Coruña) in April, Cartoon Future and in Germany (Halle) in June, Cartoon Finance.
For more information on all the upcoming Cartoon events and pictures of this forum, please visit the website: www.cartoon-media.be.
