Mascha Halberstad has been crowned Director of the Year for her Berlinale Kplus opener Oink, whilst Roberto Saviano’s first animated project scooped the Eurimages Co-Production Development Award

The team behind I'm Still Alive with their Eurimages Co-Production Development Award

It’s a wrap for this year’s Cartoon Movie, the pitching and co-production event for European animated features that unspooled in Bordeaux from 7-9 March. On day 3 of the event, Cartoon’s team handed out this year’s Tributes along with the prestigious Eurimages Co-Production Development Award. On this occasion, the award winners were voted on by 876 industry professionals in attendance.

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The producers of Alain Ughetto’s No Dogs or Italians Allowed [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alain Ughetto
film profile] (France/Italy/Portugal/Belgium/Switzerland) were crowned Producers of the Year. The award-winning companies are French outfits Les Films du Tambour de Soie, Vivement Lundi ! and Foliascope, along with Italy’s Graffiti Film, Switzerland’s Nadasdy Film, Portugal’s Ocidental Filmes and Belgium’s Lux Fugit Film. Using a fascinating style of claymation, the movie follows the true story of Luigi, an Italian immigrant who, in the 1920s, clandestinely passes the border of the Alps and starts a family in France. Ughetto’s tale previously won both the Jury Prize at Annecy and the European Film Award for Best European Animated Film in 2022.

Meanwhile, Dutch filmmaker and illustrator Mascha Halberstad was voted Director of the Year for Oink [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mascha Halberstad
film profile] (Netherlands). The picture premiered at the Berlinale in 2022 as the opening film of the Generation Kplus section, and was nominated for the 2022 European Film Awards. In Bordeaux, Halberstad also pitched her next effort, titled Fox and Hare Save the Forest, which is based on Sylvia Vanden Heede’s books.

Next, French distributor KMBO was elected Distributor of the Year. Founded in 2007, the Paris-based firm’s catalogue combines auteur and commercial animated flicks, taking in titles such as The Amazing Maurice [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Moonbound, Just Super [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and The Elfkins – Baking a Difference [+see also:
trailer
film profile].

Finally, the Eurimages Co-Production Development Award – consisting of a cash prize of €20,000 – went to I’m Still Alive, produced by MAD Entertainment (Italy), Lucky Red (Italy), SIPUR (Israel) and Gapubsters (Belgium). The animated feature marks the directorial debut of Roberto Saviano, author of the internationally acclaimed bestseller Gommorah. Based on his autobiographical graphic novel illustrated by Asaf Anouka, the project tells the story of a man forced to live under police escort for the last 15 years.

Here is the full list of award winners:

Producers of the Year
Les Films du Tambour de Soie, Vivement Lundi !, Foliascope, Graffiti Film, Nadasdy Film, Ocidental Filmes, Lux Fugit Film - No Dogs or Italians Allowed [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alain Ughetto
film profile] (France/Italy/Portugal/Belgium/Switzerland)

Director of the Year
Mascha Halberstad - Oink [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mascha Halberstad
film profile] (Netherlands)

Distributor of the Year
KMBO (France)

Eurimages Co-Production Development Award
I’m Still Alive - Roberto Saviano (Italy/Israel/Belgium)
Producers: MAD Entertainment, Lucky Red, SIPUR, Gapubsters