Ten companies from seven countries are in the running for the Cartoon Forum Tributes, which celebrate the dedication and creativity of key players in the European animation industry over the previous year. The awards are broken down into three categories — Broadcaster, Investor/Distributor and Producer of the Year — whose winners will be voted by the professionals attending Cartoon Forum, the European co production forum for animated series to be held on September 15-18 in Toulouse, France.
Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) and Radio Televisión Española (RTVE) — Denmark’s and Spain’s public broadcasters, respectively — were nominated for Broadcaster of the Year together with France’s leading private free-to-air channel, TF1.
Animation features prominently in the catalogs of the three finalists in the Investor/Distributor of the Year category: Spain’s Liquid Rock Entertainment, France’s Mediatoon Distribution and the U.K.’s Meta Media Entertainment.
The Producer of the Year category will be contested between Belgium’s Creative Conspiracy, Poland’s Grupa Smacznego / GS Animation, France’s Silex Films and Germany’s Studio Film Bilder.
All nominees have a close relationship with Cartoon Forum, in which they have participated both to pitch their projects and to discover the next generation of European animated series.
Besides pitching sessions and networking activities, this year’s Cartoon Forum event will also feature Fill the Gap, a new initiative offering former Cartoon Forum pitching producers a chance to complete the financing for their projects, and Animated UK Meets Europe, aimed at building bridges and promoting collaboration between both territories.
Cartoon Forum’s lineup features 75 animated series from 20 European countries, for a total budget of €339.53 million, representing 396 hours of animation.
Cartoon Forum Tributes 2025 – Finalists
Broadcaster of the Year:
Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) (Denmark)
Denmark’s oldest and largest media enterprise Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) is an independent, license financed public institution comprising television, radio and online services. As of 2023, it has further strengthened its commitment to promoting Danish and Nordic animation with DR1’s prime time block program FredagsTamTam. Some series on their programming slate such as Ormhildur the Brave, BeddyByes, Team Nuggets and Goat Girl were presented at Cartoon Forum over the years.
Radio Televisión Española (RTVE) (Spain)
Spain’s largest multimedia group public company Radio Televisión Española (RTVE) channel offer includes Clan, the leading children’s channel in the country, whose programming combines entertainment with the promotion of values, respect, environmental protection, and healthy lifestyles. RTVE is also an active player in both national and international co-productions, including series such as Samuel, Alice’s Diary, The Wawies and I, Elvis Riboldi, all of which were pitched at Cartoon Forum.
TF1 (France)
Free-to-air channel TF1 is part of TF1 Group, the leading private-sector television broadcaster in France. TF1 animated content is featured on TFOU, a children’s slot that also operates as an SVOD service. Pfffirates, Ernest & Rebecca, Mironins and OPS – What a Hopsrible Pack are some of the series in the channel’s programming schedule that were presented at Cartoon Forum.
Investor/Distributor of the Year
Liquid Rock Entertainment (Spain)
Based in Barcelona and Miami (U.S.A.), Spain’s Liquid Rock Entertainment is a global distribution and brand management company specializing in premium kids and family programming. The company excels in distribution and co-production, providing market insight and dedication to the evolving entertainment landscape. The Secrets Explorers and Superthings. Rivals of Kaboom (both pitched at Cartoon Forum) feature in the company’s catalog.
Mediatoon Distribution (France)
Media Participations’ Mediatoon Distribution is one of the leading kids’ and family IP managers and animation distributors in Europe. Enhanced by its in-house studios (Belvision, Ellipse Animation, Studio Campedelli) and to third party producers, Mediatoon’s catalogue consists of over 10,000 half-hours of animated content, including series recently pitched at Cartoon Forum such as Cedric, SamSam, Trotro and The Fox Badger Family, among others.
Meta Media Entertainment (U.K.)
Founded by Sara Cooper in 2016, London-based Meta Media Entertainment is a specialist distributor of high-quality children’s animation. With a growing catalogue of over 30 series and specials from worldwide award-winning producers, they sell their programs both to traditional broadcasters and to digital platforms. Their series Lena’s Farm, Apple Hills, Schalotte – An Onion for All Cases, Rookie Robot, The Koala Brothers have been presented in Cartoon Forum.
Produce of the Year
Creative Conspiracy (Belgium)
Based in Ghent, Creative Conspiracy (CC) is an award-winning company that produces commercials, TV series, short films and feature films (both CGI and 2D). One of the company’s series, Ray & Ruby, was awarded with the EBU Co-Development Initiative at Cartoon Forum 2023. This year, CC is presenting the series Terry and Olivia in Toulouse, in addition to participating as co-producer in This Moose Belongs to Me.
Grupa Smacznego / GS Animation (Poland)
Founded in 2004 in Gdansk, Grupa Smacznego / GS Animation covers all stages of the animation process: from project development to post-production, including animated content for children with a valuable, educational message. After presenting Bubblebit & Miau and Basia in previous editions of Cartoon Forum, the company participates this year with two pre-school series: Mort and Millie and Under the Floor, in this latter as co-producer.
Silex Films (France)
Paris-based Silex Films is an independent film company featuring an eclectic line-up of films and series, dramas and creative documentaries. In 2014, Silex Films founded Silex Animation in Angoulême. Their relationship with Cartoon Forum goes a long way back, after presenting at the event The Miniwhats, Brazen and Iren the Siren, among other series. This year, they return to Toulouse with Beasties, a series aimed at young adults/adults.
Studio Film Bilder (Germany)
Founded in Stuttgart in 1989 by Thomas Meyer-Hermann, Studio Film Bilder is an independent animation production company focused on individual design and original storytelling. Their catalogue features from music videos, commercials to short films to feature films and series. Animanimals and Lena’s Farm were presented at previous editions of Cartoon Forum. This year they participate with children’s series 3 Captains.
