Following two days of intensive pitches, 1:1 meetings and workshops, the event successfully concluded with the announcement of the winners. The awards were distributed in a total amount of 40,000 EUR.
CEE Animation Forum is financially supported by International Visegrad Fund, Ministry of Culture Czech Republic, Czech Film Fund, Audiovisual Producers ́ Association CZ, Pilsen Region, Polish Film Institute, Slovak Audiovisual Fund, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest and LITA.
A total of 31 projects, divided into four categories – 9 features, 7 TV series, 9 short films, and 6 student shorts – were included in the Pitching Competition. The selected projects cover a diverse range of topics and target audiences, from children up to the age of 12 (10 projects) and teenagers (5) to adults and young adults (16). The total budget for these projects exceeds staggering 40 million EUR.
Marta Jallageas, Managing Director of the CEE Animation Forum, said:
I am amazed by the overall quality of the pitches and the energy invested in these incredible animated film projects. The majority of them left the audience breathless. The bravery and enthusiasm with which the presenters—both young students and experienced filmmakers with highly ambitious projects—performed on stage is truly inspiring. We are proud to see the projects that participated in our other activities, like CEE Animation Workshop or Rise and Shine pitching lab, come well-prepared and start their successful development.
AUDIENCE AWARD
Toink! sc. Bert Lesaffer, p. Kristof Lantin, Animal Tank, Belgium
FEATURE FILMS CATEGORY
Saima – Scenes from a Midlife Crisis, d. Chintis Lundgren, p. Draško Ivezić, Adriatic Animation, Chintis Lundgreni Animatsioonistuudio, Croatia
TV SERIES CATEGORY
Toink!, sc. Bert Lesaffer, p. Kristof Lantin, Animal Tank, Belgium
Special Mention: The End, d. Paul Muresan, p. Mihai Mitrica, Safe Frame, Romania
SHORT FILMS CATEGORY
Ant, d. & p. Jonatan Schwenk, Germany
Special Mention: Killin’ It, d. Balázs Turai, p. Péter Benjámin Lukács, Boddah, Hungary
RISING STARS – STUDENT FILMS CATEGORY
My Granny Amphibian, d. Viktória Zimmermannová, p. Film and Television Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava – VŠMU, Slovakia
Special Mention: Cashier, d. Alina Sivets, p. University of West Bohemia, Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art, Czech Republic
CEE ANIMATION WORKSHOP SCHOLARSHIP
English Lessons, d. Ivan Tymchenko, p. Svitlana Soloviova, Digital Platform, Svitlofor Film, Ukraine
CICLIC RESIDENCY
Ant, d. & p. Jonatan Schwenk, Germany
TRAVELLING – DISTRIBUTION AWARD
Ant, d. & p. Jonatan Schwenk, Germany
Special Mention: A Walk in Nature, d. Matej Mihalyi, p. Academy of Arts Architecture & Design in Prague UMPRUM, Czech Republic
CARTOON MOVIE – direct access
In My Head, d. Veronika Zúbek Kocourková, p. Monika Lošťáková, Super film, Slovakia
The Axolotls, d. Filip Posivac, p. Barbora Chaberova, Bionaut, Czech Republic
TVPAINT – ANIMATION LICENSE
Total Eclipse, d. & p. Marija Stojnić, Set Sail Films
YOUNG HORIZONS INDUSTRY – direct access
Finding Home, d. Anja Manou Hellem, p. Lillian Løvseth, Trollfilm, Norway
ANIMARKT STOP MOTION FORUM – direct access
Ant, d. & p. Jonatan Schwenk, Germany
BRATRONICE RESIDENCY
A Walk in Nature, d. Matej Mihalyi, p. Academy of Arts Architecture & Design in Prague UMPRUM, Czech Republic
