26/10/2009

The 2010 British Animation Awards has added a special category for Best European Animated Feature. Any European-made feature film that has been theatrically released in any EU member country in 2008 and 2009 is eligible.

BAA Director Jayne Pilling said, “The aim of the Best European Animated Feature Award is to draw attention to the incredible richness and diversity of animated features across Europe. They speak with a resolutely distinct voice. The UK has traditionally been a difficult theatrical market for non-Hollywood animated features, but this has, finally, begun to change. It is significant that Time Out magazine’s recent Top 100 Animated Films list, going back through a century’s history, did at least contain Kirikou [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Persepolis [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marc-Antoine Robert
interview: Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Pa…
film profile].

“We’re in discussion with the National Film Theatre about a season of Euro animated features, not yet released in cinemas, to encourage distributors. Finally, there are our unique prizes – individual artworks created specifically for the winners for previous editions by such internationally renowned names as Michel Ocelot, Richard Williams, Nick Park, Tim Burton, Jan Pinkava, Sylvian Chomet, Joanna Quinn, Gaelle Denis, Regina Pessoa, Raoul Servais, Piotr Sapegin, Igor Kovalyov… The entire list is very long, and features many Europeans so we thought it would be nice to give some European filmmakers a chance to win one!”

The BAA covers all aspects of the UK animation scene, from student work to commercials, children's entertainment, short and experimental art films, music videos, new technologies and is held every two years. The next Awards will take place at the BFI SouthBank, on April 8, 2010.