Cartoon d'or
Encyclopedia
The Cartoon d’Or is the pan-European award for animation
short films. It rewards every year the best one since only prize-winning films from Cartoon’s partner festivals can compete.
Amongst this short list, a jury
selects 5 films that will be screened during the Cartoon Forum (in order to promote 5 filmmakers each year) and one film will receive the Cartoon d’Or
Created in 1991, the Cartoon d’Or is still remaining the only completely Europe
an animation prize. This competition aims to promote the talents of European animation.
to compete with programming on offer from the USA
and Japan
.
Moreover, although major financial support was being given to develop European animation, no special place was made for it at major European festivals and awards (Cannes Film Festival
, Berlin
, Venice
, the European Felix etc.).
takes place during the Cartoon Forum which gathers all the players in the economic structure of European animation (700 professionals including 250 potential investors, 350 producers, 60 journalists and 40 public funding bodies). Consequently the Cartoon Forum can act as a pipeline between short film makers and the industry. Indeed the finalists are often approached by producers to work on series or feature film
s. Some finalists and prize-winners have themselves gone on to make series or feature films.
, still unknown at the time, for his film Creature Comforts
. Since then, he has created Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run
. Sylvain Chomet
received the Cartoon d'Or in 1997 for his short The Old Lady and the Pigeons
. A few years later, he enjoyed success through The Triplets of Belleville, nominated for two Academy Awards
. He has now released his second feature, The Illusionist. Jacques-Rémy Girerd walked away with the award in 1998 for Charlie's Christmas. The French director founded an animation studio, Folimage
, and released two feature films: Raining Cats and Frogs
and Mia & the Migoo. Mark Baker
, who created TV series such as The Big Knights and Peppa Pig
, Michael Dudok De Wit
for his much acclaimed Father & Daughter and Joanna Quinn
for Dreams and desires – Family Ties.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
short films. It rewards every year the best one since only prize-winning films from Cartoon’s partner festivals can compete.
Amongst this short list, a jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
selects 5 films that will be screened during the Cartoon Forum (in order to promote 5 filmmakers each year) and one film will receive the Cartoon d’Or
Created in 1991, the Cartoon d’Or is still remaining the only completely Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an animation prize. This competition aims to promote the talents of European animation.
Why create such an award?
The Cartoon d’Or was created in order to nourish the European animation industry by work from creative filmmakers. European television series lacked of creativityCreativity
Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new that has some kind of value. What counts as "new" may be in reference to the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs...
to compete with programming on offer from the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Moreover, although major financial support was being given to develop European animation, no special place was made for it at major European festivals and awards (Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, the European Felix etc.).
The award ceremony
The award ceremonyAward ceremony
An awards ceremony is an event and television programming genre where an award, of any type, is given to a person or people. Ceremonies are usually held at night, with guests wearing formal gowns and suits. They also usually have a host, with many categories for the awards. In the event that there...
takes place during the Cartoon Forum which gathers all the players in the economic structure of European animation (700 professionals including 250 potential investors, 350 producers, 60 journalists and 40 public funding bodies). Consequently the Cartoon Forum can act as a pipeline between short film makers and the industry. Indeed the finalists are often approached by producers to work on series or feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
s. Some finalists and prize-winners have themselves gone on to make series or feature films.
Prominent winners
In 1991, the first Cartoon d'Or went to British director Nick ParkNick Park
Nicholas Wulstan "Nick" Park, CBE is an English filmmaker of stop motion animation best known as the creator of Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep....
, still unknown at the time, for his film Creature Comforts
Creature Comforts
Creature Comforts was originally a 1989 British humorous animated short film about how animals feel about living in a zoo, featuring the voices of the British public "spoken" by the animals. It was created by Nick Park and Aardman Animations...
. Since then, he has created Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run
Chicken Run
Chicken Run is a 2000 British stop-motion animation film made by the Aardman Animations studios, the production studio of the Oscar-winning Wallace and Gromit films...
. Sylvain Chomet
Sylvain Chomet
Sylvain Chomet is a French comic writer, animator and film director.- Early career :Born in Maisons-Laffitte, Yvelines, near Paris, he studied art at high-school until he graduated in 1982. Chomet moved to London in 1988 to work as an animator at the Richard Purdum studio...
received the Cartoon d'Or in 1997 for his short The Old Lady and the Pigeons
The Old Lady and the Pigeons
The Old Lady and the Pigeons is a 1997 French animated short film written and directed by Sylvain Chomet. It tells the story of a hungry policeman who dresses up as a pigeon and tricks an old lady to feed him. It was Chomet's debut film...
. A few years later, he enjoyed success through The Triplets of Belleville, nominated for two Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
. He has now released his second feature, The Illusionist. Jacques-Rémy Girerd walked away with the award in 1998 for Charlie's Christmas. The French director founded an animation studio, Folimage
Folimage
Folimage is a French animation studio, based in Bourg-lès-Valence, Drôme, France. The studio produce animation films for cinema and TV . The company has created an animation school, La Poudrière, also in Valence...
, and released two feature films: Raining Cats and Frogs
Raining Cats and Frogs
Raining Cats and Frogs is a 2003 French traditional animation children's feature film directed by Jacques-Rémy Girerd and written by Girerd, Antoine Lanciaux and Iouri Tcherenkov at the animation studio Folimage...
and Mia & the Migoo. Mark Baker
Mark Baker (animator)
Mark Baker is an English animator whose films include The Hill Farm. In 2003 he participated in the collaborative project Winter Days....
, who created TV series such as The Big Knights and Peppa Pig
Peppa Pig
Peppa Pig is a British animated television series created directed and produced by Astley Baker Davies and distributed by eOne Entertainment. To date, three series have been aired. It is shown in 180 territories.-Background:...
, Michael Dudok De Wit
Michaël Dudok De Wit
Michael Dudok de Wit is an animator, director and illustrator. In 1978, he graduated from the West Surrey College of Art with his first film The Interview. After working for a year in Barcelona, he settled in London where he directs and animates award-winning commercials for television and cinema...
for his much acclaimed Father & Daughter and Joanna Quinn
Joanna Quinn
Joanna Quinn is an English film director and animator. She was born in Birmingham. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Famous Fred in 1998....
for Dreams and desires – Family Ties.
List of winners since 1991
| Year | Title | Winner | Nationality | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Creature Comforts | Nick Park | UK | 5' |
| 1992 | Manipulation | Daniel Greaves | UK | 6'20 |
| 1993 | The Village | Mark Baker | UK | 14' |
| 1994 | The Wrong Trousers The Wrong Trousers The Wrong Trousers is a 1993 animated film directed by Nick Park at Aardman Animations in Bristol, featuring his characters Wallace and Gromit... |
Nick Park | UK | 29' |
| Os salteadores (special mention) | Abi Feijo | P | 15' | |
| 1995 | Le moine et le poisson | Michael Dudok de Wit | NL | 6'20 |
| 1996 | Quest | Tyron Montgomery Tyron Montgomery Tyron Montgomery is a film director and media creative. Originally raised in Ireland, near Limerick, Montgomery today is a German citizen, living and working in Munich.... |
D | 12' |
| 1997 | The Old Lady and the Pigeons The Old Lady and the Pigeons The Old Lady and the Pigeons is a 1997 French animated short film written and directed by Sylvain Chomet. It tells the story of a hungry policeman who dresses up as a pigeon and tricks an old lady to feed him. It was Chomet's debut film... |
Sylvain Chomet | F | 23' |
| 1998 | L'enfant au grelot | Jacques-Rémy Girerd | F | 26' |
| 1999 | Migrations | Constantin Chamski | F | 4' |
| 2000 | A suspeita (The Suspect) | José Miguel Ribeiro | P | 25' |
| 2001 | Father and Daughter | Michael Dudok de Wit | NL/UK | 8'10 |
| 2002 | Home Road Movies | Robert Bradbrook Robert Bradbrook Robert Bradbrook is an English filmmaker and animator. He began his career as a cartographer before turning to making films. He received a Masters in Art degree in Electronics and Graphics from Coventry University. His films include Home Road Movies, which is said to be largely autobiographical... |
UK | 12'18 |
| 2003 | Sans queue, ni tête | Sandra Desmazières | F | 6'35 |
| 2004 | Fast Film | Virgil Widrich Virgil Widrich Virgil Widrich is an Austrian director, screenwriter, film-maker and multimedia artist.Widrich works on a large number of films and multimedia projects, sometimes as part of a creative team... |
D/LUX | 14' |
| 2005 | Jojo in the stars | Marc Craste | UK | 12' |
| 2006 | Dreams and Desires - Family ties | Joanna Quinn | UK | 9'50 |
| 2007 | The Pearce Sisters | Luis Cook | UK | 9'27 |
| 2008 | A mouse's tale | Benjamin Renner | F | 4'10 |
| 2009 | Please say something | David O'Reilly David O'Reilly (artist) David O'Reilly is an Irish film director and artist based in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is known for creating animated short films with a stripped down aesthetic.-Work:... |
DE/IR | 10' |
| 2010 | Crocodile | Kaspar Jancis | EE | 17' |
| 2011 | Der Kleine und das Biest | Uwe Heidschötter, Johannes Weiland | DE | 6' |