Animation sector mobilises to keep MEDIA Programme

by Cineuropa

10/03/2011 - Members of the European animation industry have mobilised in large numbers to voice their support for the European Union’s MEDIA Programme by signing a petition to keep it in its current form.

More than 6,500 professionals from 35 European countries, supported by a group of non-European colleagues (from 20 countries, including the USA, China, India, Australia, Brazil and Japan, etc) have signed a new petition sent to EC President José Manuel Barroso (see news).

In the letter accompanying the signatures, members of the animation sector support their argument with a persuasive list of figures and an analysis of the impact of European production on the animation scene:

“[...] Thus, in 20 years, over 6,000 hours of animation for television and 150 animated features have been produced within the European Union, for a total investment of over €3bn, along with the creation of over 10,000 jobs. The training courses provided for animated film professionals are enjoying growing success among students, professionals and teachers too. All these actions help create a stronger synergy between producers, buyers, broadcasters and distributors in Europe and worldwide.[...]”

The most important directors of European animated films have signed this petition, including Luc Besson (Arthur and the Invisibles [trailer]), Nick Park (Wallace & Gromit [trailer]), Marjane Strapi (Persepolis [trailer, film focus]), Sylvain Chomet (The Illusionist [trailer, film focus]), Michel Ocelot (Kirikou & The Wild Beasts [trailer]), and Ben Stassen (Sammy’s Adventures: The Secret Passage [trailer]). They have joined forces with all European broadcasters, the main European distributors, and the European production sector as a whole.

As a reminder, Barroso recently made a statement about maintaining the MEDIA Programme (see news), but his words, which were meant to be reassuring, were not enough to dispel the doubts that persist among professionals, who are still very concerned about the future.