Co Hoedeman, animateur © 1980, Nico Crama, ONF
It was with immense sadness that the Festival team learned of the death, Tuesday 27th May 2025, of Co Hoedeman, Canadian Director and a regular at the Annecy Festival.
As an undisputed master of puppet animation, he spent his entire career at the NFB and directed many animated masterpieces. He was a familiar face at Annecy and received a Distinction in the children's category in 1973 for Tchou-Tchou and presented The Sniffling Bear (1993) and The Garden of Ecos (1997) in the Official Selection. His best-known film, The Sand Castle, won the Grand Prix at the Annecy Festival (now called the Cristal) in 1977 and the Oscar for Best Animated Short the following year.
Co Hoedeman's signature was to make all of his films himself, including the sets, characters and even handling the camera.
The Annecy Festival joins his family and friends in their grief.
