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2011 Selection committees

Feature films

  • Tomm Moore
    Tomm Moore

    Director, Ireland

    Biography

    Tomm Moore founded Cartoon Saloon in 1999 with Paul Young while studying animation at Ballyfermot Senior College, Dublin. Over the company’s history, he has worked as Director, Art Director, Storyboarder, Animator and Illustrator on a range of projects from commercials to service work for feature films and TV series, as well as a number of short film projects.
    Having completed his first feature film The Secret of Kells (Best Animated Feature Nominee: 2009 Academy Awards) he is currently developing his new feature film The Song of the Sea.

    Interview

    Why did you accept to be part of the selection committee? What discoveries did you make and what will you take away from this selection experience?

    I am starting a new feature and wanted to watch a lot of features. I love Annecy the festival and the town, so I was happy to visit. I discovered some great films and learnt a lot from my selection partners.

    Given your different backgrounds and points of view, was the work eventful? Did you argue or give in?

    We generally agreed but the various points of view were very interesting!

    What governed your selection: emotion, technical skill, personal favourite?

    I tried to be fair, I am more in favour of technically well made films, using traditional methods, but also good directing and writing will shine through no matter the method.

    How would you sum up the 2011 selection?

    Interesting and varied. A few disappointments and some surprises!

    A few words to express your feeling about animation...

    It's an art form, a craft, a technique and a business, all to different degrees depending on the project. Animation is at its best when it does what only animation can do and doesn't try to copy reality.

     
  • Marcin Piasecki
    Marcin Piasecki

    Distributor, Poland

    Biography

    Having studied at the Rotterdam Business School and HEC Montreal, Marcin Piasecki graduated from the Warsaw School of Economics in 1999 with a Masters degree.
    His thesis focused on "The influence of the Internet on the publishing market". From there he went on to work at the Leo Burnett advertising agency in London, and in 2000 became the Managing Director of Echo Cinema, which was at the time the largest cinema chain in Poland.
    In 2001 he was made Managing Director of Gutek Film, a film distribution company in Poland; a position which he held for two years before his appointment as Managing Director and Co-Owner of Kino Świat in 2003. He has been at the helm of the Polish distribution company ever since.

     
  • Valérie Schermann
    Valérie Schermann

    Producer, France

    Biography

    Valérie Schermann is the founder and director of Prima Linea (1988), followed by Prima Linea Productions (in 1995, with Christophe Jankovic). Developing and assisting the work of a team of writers/illustrators has led her over the years to widen her skills to new activities.
    Audiovisual production has emerged in recent years as a key development area, and after taking part in different projects: the Renault Twingo launch (19 animation films in 4 years), the Rouge album by Jean-Jacques Goldman (a book and a 3D animation), she was executive producer for Loulou (2003) by Solotareff, Elissalde, Fromental, McGuire, Caillou, Chalet, Petit-Roulet, U (2006) by Grégoire Solotareff and Serge Elissalde, the collective film Fear(s) of the Dark (2007) and Jean-Christophe Lie's The Man in the Blue Gordini (winner of the “Jean-Luc Xiberras" award for a first film and the junior jury award for a short film at Annecy 2009).

    Interview

    Why did you accept to be part of the selection committee? What discoveries did you make and what will you take away from this selection experience?

    A unique possibility to take a look at current animation production from the world over.

    Given your different backgrounds and points of view, was the work eventful? Did you argue or give in?

    Everything went off really well. We were very united in our choices.

    What governed your selection: emotion, technical skill, personal favourite?

    Films made for the cinema, beautiful and well written stories, nice looking visuals and original films. Films for the initiated and the general public.

    How would you sum up the 2011 selection?

    Generally interesting and diverse.

    A few words to express your feeling about animation...

    It's a technique that gives you the possibility of being very creative and original. So, make the most of it!

     

Short films

  • Sandrine Fillipetti
    Sandrine Fillipetti

    Journalist, France

    Biography

    Sandrine Fillipetti is a film and literary critic.
    She has written a number of biographies of writers (Stendhal, Gallimard, coll. Folio biographies, 2009; Victor Hugo, Gallimard, coll. Folio biographies, 2011) and literary anthologies (Le Goût du théâtre, Mercure de France, 2009; Le Goût de l’opéra, Mercure de France, 2010; Le Goût de l’école, Mercure de France, 2010).
    She has also published guides on Paris (Les Meilleurs Brunchs de Paris, Parigramme, 5th edition in 2009 and Le Jazz à Paris, Parigramme, 3rd edition in 2010) and books of interviews.

    Interview

    Why did you accept to be part of the selection committee?

    It seemed an exciting challenge to try and elicit the substance of a year's worth of global production.

    What governed your selection: script, technique, aesthetics and graphics, personal favourite?

    The writing, coherence, perspective, narrative structure, technical performance, editing, music, soundtrack... i.e., all of the usual factors which govern a competitive selection.

    How did the work go, given your different backgrounds and points of view?

    Let's just say that attention to ethics is not a concept shared by everyone.

    How would you sum up the 2011 selection?

    It had no particular characteristic. Unless perhaps a relative lack of humour.

    What is your background in or link to animation?

    It is a fully-fledged genre, which should be considered as such.

     
  • Antoine LANCIAUX
    Antoine Lanciaux

    Writer-director, France

    Biography

    After studies in Applied Arts in Roubaix, Antoine Lanciaux joined the Folimage team in 1991.
    He honed his craft on many films produced by the studio, working on the layout and in traditional animation. His interest in stories slowly led him to storyboarding, adapting or screen writing, and he has collaborated with Jacques-Rémy Girerd and Youri Tcherenkov on Raining Cats and Frogs, among other films.
    Outside the studio, he took on the pleasure of writing for children, and after telling one of his stories to stop motion producer Pascal Le Nôtre, who happened to be looking for a Christmas tale at the time, the two joined forces with Pierre-Luc Granjon to make L’Hiver de Léon. The collaboration continued with Le Printemps de Mélie, L’Été de Boniface and L’Automne de Pougne.
    He is currently working on a new feature project with Pierre-Luc Granjon, entitled L’Armée des lapins.

    Interview

    Why did you accept to be part of the selection committee?

    My very first experience as an animation professional was at the Annecy Festival. The people I have worked with since are people that I met there. The Annecy Festival remains my preferred place to meet both friends and professionals. So it is naturally with a sense of honour and a profound humility that I accepted my position on the committee for 2011.

    What governed your selection: script, technique, aesthetics and graphics, personal favourite?

    As far as I'm concerned, I looked for what each film I saw could offer me. I looked for something that stayed with me long after – rather than just during – the screening. I looked for a film which balanced a story, graphics and all the other elements it is composed of and, above all, I looked for a film which was thought-provoking, moving and searching.

    How did the work go, given your different backgrounds and points of view?

    We had to compose this selection using our differences and that which we have in common: a love for animation cinema. We are part of the same family.

    How would you sum up the 2011 selection?

    The mix of surprising 3D films with very traditional powder animation and cut-outs – let the show continue! The 2011 selection will be, I hope, representative of a year's worth of global production.

     
  • Vilnis KALNAELLIS
    Vilnis Kalnaellis

    Producer, Latvia

    Biography

    Vilnis Kalnaellis started his animation career in 1991, and with the aim of developing a dynamic and visionary company, he founded Rija Films in 1995, which has gone on to produce over 40 Latvian animation films.
    These films have received 46 national and international awards, as well as being premiered and shown at prestigious festivals worldwide. He has also been involved in international cooperation projects, including Belleville Rendez-Vous and Kirikou and the Sorceress and has worked for the past ten years in close collaboration with Paramount, 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks in animation dubbing.
    He is the President of the Latvian Film Producers Association and since 2006, he has also been the Latvian representative on the Cartoon Council, the European Association of Animation Film.

    Interview

    Why did you accept to be part of the selection committee? What discoveries did you make and what will you take away from this selection experience?

    I regard the Annecy Festival as a high point in my professional year, and it is a great honour to participate in the selection work. It is a fantastic opportunity to keep up-to-date with current global trends in animation.

    Given your different backgrounds and points of view, was the work eventful? Did you argue or give in?

    I think my opinion coincided with most of what we saw during the process.

    What governed your selection: emotion, technical skill, personal favourite?

    My decision was made mainly on the basis of the script, the quality of animation, the rhythm of the movie, the design and its originality.

    How would you sum up the 2011 selection?

    I am very glad that I had possibility to oversee all the submitted films and watch them in a common context. I am surprised that there were so few fanciful and funny movies.

     

TV and commissioned films

  • Marion Edwards
    Marion Edwards

    Producer, Great Britain

    Biography

    Marion Edwards has been working in the UK animation industry for over 15 years in a variety of jobs.
    She was Managing Director of Telemagination, one of Europe’s largest 2D animation studios. During this period she executive produced shows such as The Cramp Twins, Metalheads and Pongwiffy and also received two Bafta nominations. After this, she ran her own production and consultancy company, Red & Blue Productions, where she co-produced the award-winning pre-school series Fun with Claude with the UK’s Dot To Dot Productions.
    In 2008 she joined HiT Entertainment where she is currently VP for Current Programming, a role that has involved overseeing the move to CGI for such iconic brands as Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder and Fireman Sam. She is also Executive Producer of the upcoming CGI series Mike the Knight which will debut in Autumn 2011.

    Interview

    Why did you accept to be part of the selection committee? What discoveries did you make and what will you take away from this selection experience?

    I knew it would be an enjoyable experience and a great way to see work from around the world.

    Given your different backgrounds and points of view, was the work eventful? Did you argue or give in?

    We had great discussions and I'm not unhappy with any of our choices.

    What governed your selection: emotion, technical skill, personal favourite?

    Story telling, design style, animation, humour and relevance.

    How would you sum up the 2011 selection?

    Sadly there were very few outstanding films (except specials and one music video). But in general I think we have composed some interesting programmes.

    A few words to express your feeling about animation...

    It is a wonderful and passionate industry and I'm proud to be part of it.

     
  • Changiz Hasani
    Changiz Hasani

    Producer, Iran

    Biography

    Changiz Hasani is a native of Tehran. He joined Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) in 1985, and has had a varied career with the structure ever since.
    After spending some time as a producer, he was asked to establish the foreign programme's department in 1990. He was also Vice-President of the Acquisitions department (1997-2002) and Head of International Affairs of the Animation department (2002-2007), before becoming General Director of International Media, a department responsible for sales, festivals and co-production activities at IRIB.
    He is a regular visitor to festivals and markets all over the world and was also a jury member at the Laconia Film Festival in Italy in 2005.

    Interview

    Why did you accept to be part of the selection committee? What discoveries did you make and what will you take away from this selection experience?

    It is a remarkable experience, and at the same time the Annecy Festival is one of the most important events in the world of animation. So it's nice to be on the selection committee.

    Given your different backgrounds and points of view, was the work eventful? Did you argue or give in?

    The main argument was about the film The Little Prince, which was finally accepted in the competition.

    What governed your selection: emotion, technical skill, personal favourite?

    For me it was combination of all of the above.

    How would you sum up the 2011 selection?

    We did our best to select the best works. Although there were a few films which we couldn't select due to time limitations.

    A few words to express your feeling about animation...

    Animation enables an artist to express their dreams, emotions, and ideas, even in 10 seconds. It is a world of happiness and honesty.

     
  • Virginie Jallot
    Virginie Jallot

    Director, France

    Biography

    Virginie Jallot, is a graduate of the French School of Fine Arts (Beaux Arts). She has been involved as an artistic director, director, and line producer in the production and direction of numerous short films, music videos, CD-Roms and animation series. She has been very involved in the development of animation digital technology, working with the 2001 company in creating TicTacToon, a “paperless” animation software.
    In 2000, she became director of the Studio Ellipse and oversaw the production of several series and feature films.
    In France she has co-directed all three seasons of Atomic Betty (104x13'), produced by Télé images Kids in co-production with Atomic Cartoons and Breakthrough films. The series was nominated in 2005 for a Gemini Award and a Bafta in the category of "Best Animated Programme or series". The following year, she developed, for the publisher Caligram-Callitoon, various different projects, notably Max & Lili and Pako's Fantasy.
    She also directed, in 2009, the series Trust Me I'm a Genie (52x13'), produced by Milimages. It was first broadcast in December 2010 by CANAL+FAMILY and will be shown by CBBC in the spring of 2011.
    These days she is directing the series Little Spirou, an adaptation of the comic strip created by Tome and Janry, produced by Dupuis Audiovisuel with the participation of M6 and of the RTBF.

    Interview

    Why did you accept to be part of the selection committee?

    Out of curiosity, to get an insight into international production.

    What governed your selection: script, technique, aesthetics and graphics, personal favourite?

    1: personal favourite; 2: emotion or comedy; 3: technique.

    How did the work go, given your different backgrounds and points of view?

    It was necessary to argue or give in, at times, but always intelligently.

    How would you sum up the 2011 selection?

    Lots of comedies.

    What is your background in or link to animation?

    It's my passion.

     

Graduation films

  • Aymeric Hays-Narbonne
    Aymeric Hays-Narbonne

    Vice principal école Emile Cohl, France

    Biography

    Aymeric Hays-Narbonne was born in Paris on 25th June 1974. After studying briefly at the École des Beaux-Arts in Saint-Étienne, he enrolled at the École Émile Cohl in Lyon, where he received his degree in computer graphics. From then on he has specialised in 3D computer graphics.
    Since September 2009, he has worked within the École Émile Cohl as supervisor for the centre of multimedia and animation. He teaches classes on 3D graphics and on the production of animation films and multimedia projects/video gaming to final year students.
    Since 2009 he has also held the position of Assistant Director of Education at the school.
    Alongside his professional life, he devotes his creative talents to the mediums of photography and photo montage and to the establishment of websites.

    Interview

    Why did you accept to be part of the selection committee?

    It has been great to see Annecy outside of the Festival. I understand the selection of previous years much better.

    What governed your selection: script, technique, aesthetics and graphics, personal favourite?

    1: understanding of the story; 2: graphic risk taking; 3: soundtrack and music; 4: originality.

    How did the work go, given your different backgrounds and points of view?

    It went really well. Everyone debated freely and the discussions resulted in collective and unanimous decisions.

    How would you sum up the 2011 selection?

    Typical of the majority of films received: offbeat and slightly sinister.

    What is your background in or link to animation?

    That it keeps on moving in that direction.

     
  • Anne Jaffrenou
    Anne Jaffrenou

    Director, France

    Biography

    After five years at the École nationale d’Art in Cergy and one year spent in the United States, Anne Jaffrenou designed and produced a number of programmes on art and computer graphics: Cyberculture, Imagina (Canal+) and Archimède (Arte), which led her to working with scientific, technical and creative laboratories... to be a direct witness of the developments in networks and the cyber world.
    She loves telling stories, fantasy, humour and science and has a passion for drawing, animation and manga. She has even written the first TV programme targeted to aliens, CosmicConnexion (Arte).
    She is currently developing cross-media projects and large-format screenings for exhibitions all over the world, and has also written screenpalys for some animated short films:Qu’est-ce que le droit d’auteur ? Qu’est-ce qu’un trou noir ? Des petites histoires de…

    Interview

    Why did you accept to be part of the selection committee?

    The volume of films to be viewed requires a sharp eye to look over the fundamental creation in our line of work. As a film-maker I have been able to verify – if necessary – how essential screen writing is and how it should be given more emphasis in schools.
    A discovery? The surprising creativity of the Northern European countries.

    What governed your selection: script, technique, aesthetics and graphics, personal favourite?

    In this particular category, we really prioritised creativity, innovation and the risks that the students took. We weren't looking for “professional” films but rather attempts to push the boundaries of imagination and image.

    How did the work go, given your different backgrounds and points of view?

    The work within our committee was very fluid, enriching and overall resulted in a very constructive exchange.

    How would you sum up the 2011 selection?

    Very interesting, a lovely mixture of 2D and 3D films. I regret slightly that the students were not more adventurous in exploring more impertinent or personal territory. But all the same, altogether it was a good selection!

    What is your background in or link to animation?

    Right now it seems to me that the creative expression encouraged by animation is... absolutely imperative! It continues to open your eyes to new elements and explores narrative and visual structures which give you a renewed vision of the world.

     
  • An Vrombaut
    An Vrombaut

    Illustrator-director, Belgium

    Biography

    An Vrombaut was born in Belgium in 1967 and studied animation at KASK in her hometown of Ghent and at the Royal College of Art in London, where she graduated with Little Wolf (1992), a winner of numerous awards at different festivals.
    She created and directed the pre-school TV series 64 Zoo Lane, which was nominated for a Bafta and won the Best Pre-school Category at the British Animation Awards as well as a Pulcinella award at Cartoons on the Bay. An now divides her time between writing and illustrating picture books and working on animated films.
    Her latest animated TV series is Florrie’s Dragons, a co-production between the UK and South Africa, and a new short film, The Tie, is currently in development.

    Interview

    Why did you accept to be part of the selection committee? What discoveries did you make and what will you take away from this selection experience?

    I wanted to "refresh" my view of animation, particularly because I'm planning to make a short film myself. The selection process has given me a good insight into why certain things work well and others don't.

    Given your different backgrounds and points of view, was the work eventful? Did you argue or give in?

    We had interesting discussions, but we didn't argue and I don't feel that I gave in on any film I felt passionate about.

    What governed your selection: emotion, technical skill, personal favourite?

    The main question was always whether or not it was a coherent film, with a structure, which took the audience on a journey. Technical skills came second.

    How would you sum up the 2011 selection?

    We saw lots of films which were technically very competent. A few films really stood out because of the maturity of their approach to the subject matter. I was impressed overall, but let down by the music and soundtrack of some of the films.

    A few words to express your feeling about animation...

    It was great to see such a variety of films: some lyrical, some quirky, some bizarre... I just don't want to see a film with a chicken in it for a while !