Europe’s animation market is staying strong, evidenced by the growing number of submissions to the Czech-based regional pitching, financing and co-production event CEE Animation Forum (Nov. 2-3 in Plzeň, with 1:1 meetings online Nov. 4). The 10th edition will showcase 49 animated feature film, TV, short and student film projects.
This includes 33 projects being presented in competition, selected from nearly 130 applications from 34 countries, representing a variety of new voices and established auteurs. Among the countries with the largest presence are France (seven projects), Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland (five), followed by Germany (four), Slovakia (three), Slovenia (two), and one project each from Austria, Bulgaria, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania and Serbia.
Increasing gender equity in the industry is also reflected by a high number of female directors, with a ratio of 24:15, particularly noticeable in the short films category. When it comes to technique, the creators have opted for or combined drawing (16), 2D (16), stop motion (11), 3D (six), cut out (four) and, exceptionally, collage, pixilation or rotoscoping.
The CEE Animation Forum aims to create a meeting space for creators, producers and industry decision makers to come together. “We are honored that experienced producers such as Sébastien Onomo (Special Touch Studios, France), József Fülöp (SALTO Films, Hungary), Robert Jaszczurowski (GS Animation, Poland) or Ron Dyens (Sacrebleu Productions, France) regularly return to our event, looking for partners for their ambitious projects,” said Managing Director Marta Jallageas.
Another important part of the program is an audience with representatives from national broadcasters and accompanying discussion panel. CEEAF also serves as a gateway for young film professionals. European universities regularly send envoys to showcase their talent pool of current animation students. Plus, accredited guests will be able to check out a selection of non-competing projects — the selection of the CEE Animation Workshop 2022 and animated works given the seal of approval at partner events such as AnimatekaPRO, Animarkt, Animest, Kids Kino Industry and one student project from Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art – University of West Bohemia in Plzeň.
The 2022 event will take place in hybrid form; accredited guests may participate either in person in Plzeň or online. The organizers have also joined forces with another industry event, the Animarkt Stop Motion Forum (Nov. 5-8 in Łódź, Poland) and are offering an advantageously priced joint accreditation to both events.
“Working together gives a great opportunity to reach many more people working in the animation industry, allows us to share experience and integrate the animation industries. We are convinced that this is just the beginning of our cooperation,” added Agnieszka Kowalewska-Skowron, from MOMAKIN, the Head of the Animarkt Stop Motion Forum.
Accreditation is now open at ceeanimation.eu.
The selected projects are as follows; additional details can be found here.
Feature Film
Dark Horses
Directors: Massimo Ottoni, Linda Kelvink, Salvatore Centoducati, Francesco Forti, Victoria Musci
Producers: Federico Turani, IBRIDO Studio (Italy)
Technique: 2D (vector based), 3D (CGI), drawing, stop motion
Deleted
D: Zoran Krstic
P: Aleksandar Protic, MIR Media Group (Serbia)
T: hybrid / 3D animation (virtual production) + live action
Sorya
D: Denis Do
P: Sébastien Onomo, Marion Boffelli, Special Touch Studios, (France)
T: 2D, 3D (CGI)
The Helpers
D: Betina Bożek
P: Grzegorz Skorupski, Animoon (Poland)
T: drawing
The Islands of Salamanders
D: Catherine Maximoff
P: Patrice Nezan, Les Contes Modernes, France, Juraj Krasnohorský, Artichoke (Slovakia), Fabian Driehorst, Fabian&Fred (Germany)
T: Unreal Engine, 3D with a 2D render
TV Series / Specials
9 Million Colors
D: Bára Anna Stejskalová
P: Jakub Kostal, Bionaut (Czech Republic)
T: stop motion / TV Special
Billy & the Boingo Band
D: Shabnam Rezaei
P: Shabnam Rezaei, Big Bad Boo Studios (Austria)
T: 2D (vector based)/ TV series
Bug City
D: Jøran Wærdahl
P: Kjersti Greger, Klipp og Lim (Norway)
T: puppets, CGI, 2D / TV series
Endover Groove
D: Łukasz Kacprowicz
P: Robert Jaszczurowski, GS Animation (Poland)
T: 2D vector based / TV series
Giggle Wiggle
D: Marzena Nehrebecka
P: Magda Rawa-Galczynska, Badi Badi (Poland)
T: 2D vector based / TV series
Lemon and Berry
D: Ilenia Cotardo, Piotr Ficner
P: Anna Mroczek, Likaon (Poland)
T: stop motion / TV series
The Song of the Storms
D: Caroline Attia
P: Ron Dyens, Sacrebleu Productions (France)
T: 2D vector based / TV Special
The Three Gadgetiers
D: Kiril Ivanov
P: Lachezar Velinov, Zographic Films (Bulgaria)
T: drawing, 3D (CGI) / TV series
Short Films
Bruno
D: Danas Bereznickas
P: Inesa Ivanova, MB Danas Bereznickas (Lithuania)
T: cut out, pixilation, stop motion, 2D
Father’s Letters
D: Alexey Evstigneev
P: Clemence Crepin Neel, moderato (France)
T: 2D vector based, hand drawn, stop motion
Funfair
D: Éva Darabos
P: József Fülöp, Orsolya Sipos, SALTO Films (Hungary0
T: 2D hand drawn
Hun Tun
D: Magdalena Hejzlarova
P: Karolina Davidova, 13ka (Czech Republic), Romain Bent, Protest Studios (France), Inez Mátis, Pi Production (Hungary)
T: stop motion
I Am Not Here Anymore
D: Nawojka Wierzbowska
P: Robert Sowa, Aneta Zagórska, Krakow Film Klaster – Animation Center (Poland), Delphine Schmit, Tripode Productions (France)
T: 2D vector based
Kill, Kokesh, Kill!
D: Jan Míka
P: Jan Míka, Filmofon (Czech Republic)
T: hybrid (live action – animation), digital cut out, stop motion
Second Hand War
D: Anna Benner, Eluned Zoe Aiano
P: Natalia Imaz, parabellum film (Germany), Jakub Pinkava, Punk film (Czech Republic)
T: drawing, rotoscoping
Supersillynurseryrhyme
D: Veronica Martiradonna
P: Ron Dyens, Sacrebleu Productions (France)
T: drawing
The Girl with the Occupied Eyes
D: André Carrilho
P: Hemi Fortes, Blablabla Media (Portugal)
T: 2D vector based, hand drawn
The Lute
D: Laura Pop
P: Mihai Mitrică, Safe Frame (Romania)
T: 2D vector based, drawing
Rising Stars
5 Cases of Sergeant Goodmind
D: Filip Tatyrek
P: Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague (Czech Republic)
T: 2D vector based, hand drawn
Bonefuzz
D: Mark Laszlo
P: Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest (Hungary)
T: 3D (CGI), drawing
Dream Dive
D: Johana Mlíchová
P: University of Nova Gorica, School of Arts (Slovenia)
T: 2D animation – Toon Boom
I’ll Be There When You Wake Up
D: Nina Chubinishvili
P: Willem de Kooning Academie (Netherlands)
T: drawing
M-0
D: Vivien Csigó
P: Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest (Hungary)
T: drawing
Noah
D: Luca Ábrányi
P: Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest (Hungary)
T: drawing
The Chicken’s Calling
D: Rebecca Osterberg
P: Hochschule Wismar (Germany)
T: stop motion, cut out
The Girl Who Wasn’t Afraid of the Bear
D: Darya Sidorova
P: Film and Television Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts (Slovakia)
T: drawing
The Spell
D: Dora Pejić Bach
P: University of Ljubljana, Academy of Fine Arts and Design – ALUO (Slovenia)
T: stop motion, cut out
Touch of Light
D: Vanesa Nipčová
P: Film and Television Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts (Slovakia)
T: drawing
Out of Competition
MY NAME IS…
D: Eliza Płocieniak-Alvarez
P: Carol Leander Ratajczak, Blaue Pampelmuse (Germany)
T: 3D, CGI, Collage / TV series – in collaboration with Kids Kino Industry (Poland)
Orban Balazs – The Bone Baron
D: Fazakas Szabolcs
P: Fazakas Szabolcs, Legendarium (Romania)
T: 3D – Maya, 2D frame by frame / TV series – in collaboration with Animest – Pitch, please! (Romania)
Selfation
D: Veronika Skalická
P: University of West Bohemia in Plzen (Czech Republic)
T: stop motion / short film – in collaboration with Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art – University of West Bohemia in Plzen (Czech Rep.)
The Girl Who Was Not Afraid of Bears
D: Lea Vučko
P: Maja Zupanc, invida (Slovenia, Croatia)
T: 2D frame by frame / short film – in collaboration with AnimatekaPRO (Slovenia)
Three Cups of Coffee
D: Natalia Krawczuk
P: Róża Misztela, LeLe Crossmedia Production (Poland)
T: stop motion, cut out, painting on glass / short film – in collaboration with Animarkt (Poland)
