13/06/2005

Eastern promise for the 29th Annecy Animation Film Festival which, on Saturday, crowned the feature Nyócker (The District) by Hungarian Aron Gauder. Produced by Erik Novák for the German company Lichthof Productions and sold internationally by Berlin outfit Mdc.Int, the filmmaker’s first film has already attracted 80,000 spectators in Hungary and in February won the Visual Expression Prize at the Hungarian Film Week. The story follows the misadventures of the inhabitants of a multicultural neighbourhood of Budapest, district D8, which gathers Hungarians of all hues, Romany, Arab, Chinese, American, German, women of dubious virtue, police and animals. A mixture which ignites rivalries, notably between the Romanies and Hungarians, conflicts treated with an hilarious sense of humour that blends realism and absurdity, illegal misadventures and sentimental intrigue Romeo and Juliette style.

Unbeatable gathering for the animation world, the Annecy Festrival also distinguished The mysterious geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello by Australian Anthony Lucas which picked up the Crystal for best short, with three European films winning special merit awards: Puleng by Ali Taylor (United Kingdom – First Film Prize) and City Paradise by Gaëlle Denis (France – Special Jury prize) and Fliegenpflicht für Quatrat Köpfe by Stephan-Flinf Müller (Germany – Audience Prize ). Also worth noting among the honours Mummy Pig at Work by Mark Baker & Neville Astley from Britain (best film for television) and Overtime from French trio Oury Atlan – Thibaut Berland - Damien Ferrié (best film from an animation school).

(Translated from French)