Netflix and Disney alum Alexandra Rosenberg has joined Digitoonz as Vice President of Production, in charge of the company’s recently opened Glendale, California office. She officially assumed the post this week, reporting to Digitoonz CEO Vikas Kumar.
In this role, Rosenberg is responsible for building a slate of animated and live-action projects targeting kids and families. She will also be engaging in international co-production partnerships and will be working more closely with North American partners.
Kumar notes that this appointment is the latest step in Digitoonz ongoing growth strategy to develop more of its own projects. “Most importantly, the hire reflects our studio’s objective to grow original content,” he adds. Rosenberg is actively seeking many types of projects for development — including preschool series with clear play patterns, character-driven comedies for six to 11s, four-quadrant films/specials and adult-skewing series.
Rosenberg will be applying years of experience behind the scenes at top kids and animation producers. She began her career assisting the VP of Creative at Disney Television Animation, overseeing key components of various series. Rosenberg then moved into production at Walt Disney Animation Studio in Burbank, Where she worked on feature films including Zootopia, Moana, Ralph Breaks the Internet and Raya and the Last Dragon. After working at Illumination Entertainment on projects such as Mario, Minions: The Rise of Gru and the upcoming Migration, Rosenberg spent two years working as a Production Manager at Netflix Feature Animation, where she was until mid 2023.
Digitoonz was founded in 2009 by Kumar and Nadim Akhtar. Starting out in education and publishing projects, Digitoonz soon began working on international TV productions such as Bondi Band, Misha the Purple Cat and Mirette Investigates. 2014 saw the release of its first 2D animated feature collaboration, Raven the Little Rascal: The Big Race. In recent years, Digitoonz has worked on Glitch Techs (Nickelodeon/Netflix), Solar Opposites (Hulu), Rick and Morty and Nickelodeon’s Annie and Daytime Emmy Award winner Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The company is one of the largest animation studios in India, currently employing 600 artists across its studios in Delhi and Kolkata.
Corus Entertainment’s animation and kids’ content studio Nelvana and London-based entertainment company Toikido have teamed up to crack into the world of Piñata Smashlings in a colorful batch of six new animated shorts on Nelvana’s ‘Keep It Weird’ YouTube channel. Based on the popular Roblox game, the shorts are also being featured on the YouTube Kids homepage and presage the new series in development announced earlier this year.
“Our team has loved the challenge of giving these adorable and iconic characters their own distinct personalities,” said Mellany Welsh, VP of Nelvana Enterprises & Kids Can Press. “With their eclectic and hilarious escapades, the Smashlings are sure to captivate kids worldwide with their shenanigans. As the game continues to soar in popularity on Roblox, YouTube is the ideal stage to bring everyone’s favorite Smashlings to life and connect with the younger digital generation.”
In the Piñata Smashlings shorts, fans will meet five friends who have been thrown together by fate to form a team of very, very unlikely heroes. Whether questing across the land, pranking the Piñatas in Piñata Village, or rescuing Smashlings from the no-good Bitter Bashlings, the Smashlings make the most out of every day as they learn to be heroes while celebrating being exactly who they are.
Some of these shorts are enhanced by music and an opening theme song performed by Grammy-winning producer Jason Perry, along with Adam Nagy and Rich Savage. Just in time for the spooky season, viewers can also enjoy a Halloween-themed song, performed by Perry, Nagy and Lana Carillo.
“Piñata Smashlings is an ever-expanding, multi-platform franchise that encompasses gaming, animation, music, toys, publishing, collaborations, and more,” said Darran Garnham, CEO of Toikido. “Nelvana is the perfect partner for the brand as they breathe vibrant life into our cherished characters, promising a vivid and engaging entertainment experience for kids as we launch the new shorts on YouTube.”
The gaming IP has been played 2 million times since its debut in the summer. Fans in Canada and the U.S. can build on their experiences with this playful world through an extensive Piñata Smashlings toy collection, featuring plush toys, figurines and playsets, available both online and at Walmart retail locations.
The next installment of Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s South Park exclusive event animation series arrives on Paramount+ today (Friday, October 27): South Park: Joining the Panderverse. In the new first-look clip just released, fans are introduced to the hot new looks given to Cartman, Stan, Kyle and Kenny.
Joining the Panderverse synopsis:
Cartman’s deeply disturbing dreams portend the end of the life he knows and loves. The adults in South Park are also wrestling with their own life decisions as the advent of AI is turning their world upside down.
The new special tale from the messed up Colorado mountain town joined the first four exclusive events — South Park: Post COVID, South Park: Post COVID: The Return of COVID, South Park: The Streaming Wars and South Park: The Streaming Wars Part 2 on the streaming platform.
In 2022, South Park the series celebrated the 25th anniversary of its August 13, 1997 debut on Comedy Central. Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny were first seen in the animated short “The Spirit of Christmas,” and from there were launched into television history.
Co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are executive producers, along with Anne Garefino and Frank C. Agnone II. Eric Stough, Adrien Beard, Bruce Howell and Vernon Chatman are producers. Christopher Brion is the Creative Director of South Park Digital Studios. South Park’s website isSouthPark.cc.com.
Netflix this morning unveiled the official trailer for Blue Eye Samurai, the new adult animated epic that explores themes of identity, social stigma and vengeance against an animated backdrop of Edo-period Japan. The show’s soundtrack is now available to stream, offering viewers a taste of the streamer’s latest cinematic animation feat.
Created by executive producers/writers Michael Green (Logan, Blade Runner 2049) and Amber Noizumi, Blue Eye Samurai premieres on Netflix on November 3.
The historical drama follows Mizu (voiced by PEN15 co-creator Maya Erskine), a mixed-race master of the sword who lives a life in disguise seeking the deliverance of revenge. The series voice cast also features George Takei, Masi Oka, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Brenda Song, Darren Barnet, Randall Park, Kenneth Branagh, Stephanie Hsu, Ming-Na Wen, Harry Shum Jr. and Mark Dacascos.
Erwin Stoff is executive producer alongside Noizumi and Green. Jane Wu is supervising director and producer. The animation is produced by France’s Blue Spirit (The Painting, The Prince’s Voyage, My Life as a Zucchini).
The official soundtrack composed by Amie Doherty features 25 tracks, and is available to listen now via download or streaming on Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music and more. (Find it here.)
Read all about the creation of the show in the December ’23 issue of Animation Magazine, available now.
One of Adult Swim’s first original series, Aqua Teen Hunger Force will make its long-awaited return for a 12th season on Sunday, November 26 at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT. The official trailer dropped today, and it looks like fans are in for another serving of sentient fast food insanity.
From creators Dave Willis (Squidbillies, Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell) and Matt Maiellaro (12 oz. Mouse), new episodes of the quarter-hour comedy that follows the fast-food trio of Master Shake, Frylock and Meatwad will feature guest appearances from Emmy winner Eric Bauza, Emmy winner Brian Cox, Dan Fogler, Emmy winner Maurice LaMarche and Gary Anthony Williams.
Coming off last year’s original film Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm, the new season marks the return of stars Carey Means (The Brak Show) as Frylock, Dana Snyder (Squidbillies) as Master Shake and co-creator Willis as Meatwad and Carl. Aqua Teen Hunger Force Season 12 is written, produced, and directed by Maiellaro and Willis.
Synopsis:Aqua Teen Hunger Force is back to make television watchable again, and to fill your empty, content-starved lives with a magical season 12! Don’t call it a comeback! Even though by all accounts it seems to be just that. It’s a micro-itty-bitty-mini season, five brand new episodes of attention-whittling stupidity — but don’t worry, the laugh-per-episode density is far higher than anything else you willingly agree to place before your swollen, encrusted eyes.
The new season picks up where we left off in 2015, as Master Shake, Frylock, and Meatwad have returned to solve all of life’s modern issues, and Carl returns because he can’t sell his crappy house because he lives next door to food. Look for your favorite trio of “detectives” to go head-to-head with A.I. appliances, join an apocalyptic fitness cult, and search for friendship through ancient Egyptian pyramid schemes. In the end, all problems shall be solved, and all brains shall be melted. Did Adult Swim mess with a winning formula? You better believe it! Master Shake now has two all-new facial expressions…“Bemused” and “Lips Pursed in Thought”! And Shake can close his hands now, as if to hold things! Also, Frylock is 60 stories high and Meatwad bounces to get around. Tune in to see if we’re telling the truth!
New episodes of Aqua Teen Hunger Force will also be available the next day on Max.
Netflix announced today that a new adult animated limited series, Carol & the End of the World, from creator Dan Guterman (The Colbert Report, Community, Rick and Morty). Animated by Bardel Entertainment, the 10 x 30-minute series will premiere December 15.
With a mysterious planet hurtling towards Earth, extinction is imminent for the people of the world. While most feel liberated to pursue their wildest dreams, one quiet and always uncomfortable woman stands alone — lost among the hedonistic masses.
“Carol & the End of the World is a love letter to routine,” says Guterman. “A show about the comforts of monotony. An animated and existential comedy about the daily rituals that make up the gaps that make up a life.”
Martha Kelly (Euphoria, Baskets) will star as the titular character, Carol, alongside Beth Grant (No Country For Old Men, The Mindy Project), Lawrence Pressman (ReBoot, Magnum PI, Modern Family), Kimberly HébertGregory (Craig of the Greek, Vice Principals), Mel Rodriguez (Onward, Last Man On Earth, Getting On), Bridget Everett (Somebody Somewhere, Patti Cake$), Michael Chernus (Severance, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Dead Ringers) and Delbert Hunt (Monster High, Super Giant Robot Brothers, Justice League: Cosmic Chaos).
Guterman executive produces with Donick Cary (The Simpsons, Parks and Recreation, Silicon Valley), Kevin Arrieta (Wilfred, The Last O.G.) is co-executive producer.
L-R (top) Martha Kelly, Beth Grant, Lawrence Pressman, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, (bottom) Delbert Hunt, Mel Rodriguez, Bridget Everett, Michael Chernus
Netflix is inviting families to free screenings of its upcoming animated musical-comedy Leo, starring Adam Sandler, as part of a one-weekend-only event on November 11 & 12. The studio-platform will offer 300 showings at 150 locations across the U.S. The pic will be available to stream on November 21.
To choose from the full list of theaters and showtimes in your area, and to download tickets, visit LeoSneakPeek.com powered by Atom Tickets. Fans can reserve up to five free tickets on this site, or can download the free Atom Tickets app to search for showtimes in their area.
Synopsis: Actor and comedian Adam Sandler (Hotel Transylvania, The Wedding Singer) delivers signature laughs in this coming-of-age animated musical comedy about the last year of elementary school — as seen through the eyes of a class pet. Jaded 74-year-old lizard Leo (Sandler) has been stuck in the same Florida classroom for decades with his terrarium-mate turtle (Bill Burr). When he learns he only has one year left to live, he plans to escape to experience life on the outside but instead gets caught up in the problems of his anxious students — including an impossibly mean substitute teacher. It ends up being the strangest but most rewarding bucket list ever…
Leo is directed by Robert Marianetti, Robert Smigel and David Wachtenheim, written by Smigel, Sandler and Paul Sado. The cast also features Cecily Strong, Jason Alexander, Sadie Sandler, Sunny Sandler, Rob Schneider, Jo Koy, Jackie Sandler, Heidi Gardner, Nick Swardson, Stephanie Hsu and Nicholas Turturro.
Gaumont is launching presales for High in the Clouds at the upcoming American Film Market (AFM), where a sizzle reel including some music demos from Paul McCartney will be revealed. The 3D animated film is set in a world of animals, and tells a timeless story about family, freedom and musical expression.
The movie is a loose adaptation of the children’s adventure book by McCartney, Geoff Dunbar and Phlip Ardagh. Former Beatles member McCartney is the writer and composer of the Film’s original soundtrack and also serves as a producer on the project.
“I am very excited to fly High in the Clouds with Gaumont and to team up with our stupendous creative team,” said writer/producer/composer McCartney.
Synopsis: After he accidentally sparked a revolution against Gretsch, the bossy diva-owl who has banned all music from his town, a teenage squirrel named Wirral embarks on an extraordinary journey to set music free.
The animated adaptation is directed by Toby Genkel (The Amazing Maurice) from a screenplay by Jon Croker (Paddington 2; Oscar-winning short The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse) with designs by Patrick Hanenberger (The LEGO Movie Part 2, Rise of the Guardians). McCartney crafted the film’s soundtrack in collaboration with Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning composer Michael Giacchino (Ratatouille, Up, Inside Out, Coco).
High in the Clouds is produced by McCartney (MPL Communications), Robert Shaye (Unique Features) and by Sidonie Dumas, Christophe Riandee, Nicolas Atlan and Terry Kalagian for Gaumont.
“We are thrilled to bring the vision of Paul McCartney to the big screen,” said Dumas, Gaumont’s CEO. “This is a great opportunity for Gaumont, our animation team and independent distributors to work on a timeless animated movie for the whole family.”
GKIDS announced today it has acquired the North American distribution rights for the French animated feature Mars Express. The debut film from Jérémie Périn was an official selection at this year’s Cannes and Annecy film festivals, and had its U.S. premiere at the recent Animation Is Film festival in Los Angeles.
“Mars Express is a film we have been excited about for years, since we saw the very first footage,” said GKIDS President David Jesteadt. “This is a timely and provocative story set in one of the greatest animated sci-fi worlds I’ve seen, and we are thrilled to help bring it to North American audiences.”
Prior to crafting this 2D/3D futurist-noir adventure, Périn served as producer and director on various series, such as CO2, Nini Patalo and Socks, and most recently wrote and directed the Lastman series, based on the French comic of the same name. Périn was also involved in the development of The Rabbi’s Cat, which was distributed Stateside by GKIDS.
GKIDS will release Mars Express theatrically in its original French language and a new English dub in 2024, following a domestic release in France this November. The deal was negotiated between Rodney Uhler of GKIDS and Olivier Barbier of MK2 Films.
“MK2 Films is thrilled to initiate this collaboration with GKIDS, one of the best independent distributors for animation in North America. Mars Express couldn’t dream of finding a better home and support from a team fully dedicated to art,” said Barbier, MK2 Films Head of Acquisition.
Synopsis: In 2200, private detective Aline Ruby and her android partner Carlos Rivera are hired by a wealthy businessman to track down a notorious hacker. On Mars, they descend deep into the underbelly of the planet’s capital city where they uncover a darker story of brain farms, corruption, and a missing girl who holds a secret about the robots that threatens to change the face of the universe.
Walt Disney Animation Studios is granting wishes for fans of its musical brand of animated magic by offering an early chance to see Wish. Ahead of the film’s wide U.S. theatrical opening (November 22), those who dream big can score a seat at a preview screening on November 18. Tickets are now available to the special early access screenings at Fandango.com/DisneyWishEarlyAccess.
“Getting to make this movie has meant the world to all of us at Disney Animation, as it celebrates 100 years of storytelling,” said Disney Animation’s Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee (Frozen, Frozen 2), who is a writer and executive producer of the film. “We are so grateful to the fans who’ve shown up to the theaters time and again — to be able to give moviegoers a chance to experience it early is a wish come true for every person in our studio who helped bring Wish to life.”
Wish early access screenings will enchant screens across approximately 750 theaters at 4 p.m. local time on November 18.
The announcement comes on the heels of the second song-reveal as part of ‘Wish Wednesdays’ — Disney Animation and Disney Music Group’s music roll-out that shares a new song each week from the seven original songs penned by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/musician Benjamin Rice. So far, “This Wish,” performed by Ariana DeBose as Asha, and “This Is the Thanks I Get?!” performed by Chris Pine as the villainous King Magnifico, have been unveiled — check them out on SiriusXM’s Disney Hits Channel 302, YouTube, Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music and all digital service providers.
The Wish Original Motion Picture Soundtrack from Walt Disney Records will be available November 17 on all streaming platforms. Fans can pre-order the CD here and the vinyl here.
LAIKA has bolstered its Animation Division’s creative roster with key hires: Animation director Pete Candeland, known for his Gorillaz music videos, and the Annie Award-winning duo known as Headless, Victor Maldonado & Alfredo Torres, have joined the studio to develop animated feature projects. The appointments, effective immediately, were announced today by LAIKA CEO & President Travis Knight.
Victor Maldonado [c/o LAIKA]
Alfredo Torres [c/o LAIKA]
Maldonado and Torres won Best Animated Feature at the 2007 Goya Awards, Spain’s equivalent of the Oscars, for Nocturna, about an orphan boy who is afraid of the dark. The Los Angeles-based filmmakers have directed three episodes each of Love, Death + Robots, a Primetime Emmy Award-winning animated series for Netflix, which David Fincher executive produced.
They also worked on the Guillermo del Toro-created 2016 series Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, produced by DreamWorks Animation and Double Dare You Productions. This episode “Win, Lose or Draal” won the animation duo an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Character Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production.
Additionally, Maldonado and Torres worked as animation segment directors on the drama A Monster Calls by Spanish director J.A. Bayona, starring Sigourney Weaver and Liam Neeson, which won nine Goya Awards. Most recently, they were developing features and series at Skydance Animation.
Pete Candeland
Pete Candeland is a multi-faceted director adept at 2D, 3D and live-action mixed animation. His high-concept style with strong narrative sensibilities is fully on display in his hugely popular music videos for Gorillaz, his Rock Band game franchise spots and his emotive BBC trailers. All his work is marked by striking use of the state-of-the-art technology married to his distinctive visual style.
LAIKA was founded in 2005 in Oregon by President & CEO Travis Knight. The studio’s five films: Coraline (2009), ParaNorman (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) and Missing Link (2019) have all been nominated for the Academy Award for Outstanding Animated Feature. Kubo and the Two Strings won the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film and received an additional Oscar nomination for Visual Effects. Missing Link was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Animated Film. LAIKA was awarded a Scientific and Technology Oscar in 2016 for its innovation in 3D printing.
The studio is currently in production on its sixth animated film Wildwood, based on the book series by Colin Meloy and illustrator Carson Ellis, and in development on The Night Gardener, an animated film from an original idea by Bill Dubuque, creator of the hit series Ozark. As part of its move into live-action features, LAIKA is developing the action thriller novel Seventeen by screenwriter John Brownlow.
On November 5, the time-honored Halloween tradition of The Simpsons annual “Treehouse of Horror” special returns to chill and thrill toon fans on FOX! To promote the 34th installment, Springfield’s greatest criminal mastermind and okay-est comedy foil Sideshow Bob has sent out a threattune in alert to the local television cognoscente:
“Dear Venerated Television Critics,
I wish to begin by pleading for your forgiveness. It’s that time of year again, when another installment of Treehouse of Horror is foisted upon you by the uncultured ignorami behind ‘The Simpsons.’ The XXXIVth time, to be precise.
And so, if you would deign to briefly lower yourself, you will bear witness to three tales of alleged terror and purported suspense, about the perils of a dangerous new technology, a catastrophic global pandemic, and a grisly murder-mystery that marks the return of my oversized shoes to the Simpsons stage. But be kind, fair scribes, when appraising my board-treadery. Understand I did the best I could with the material I was given.
Enjoy, and you’re welcome.
Robert Underdunk Terwilliger Jr., PhD – SIDESHOW BOB
P.S. DIE BART DIE”
“Treehouse of Horror XXXIV” will premiere on Sun day, November 5 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FOX. In this sinister installment, after Bart (Nancy Cartwright) is turned into an NFT, Marge (Julie Kavner) fights though the blockchain to rescue her son. To track down a gruesome serial killer, Lisa (Yeardley Smith) turns to a murderer from her past. An outbreak transforms Springfielders into a plague of lazy, beer-loving oafs.
The longest-running primetime scripted show in television history, The Simpsons launched in 1989, created by Matt Groening. The Emmy Award-, Annie Award- and Peabody Award-winning animated comedy also features the voices of Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson, Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer. Kelsey Grammer (Frasier) voices Sideshow Bob. This year’s 34th season features a double helping of “Treehouse of Horror” episodes — “XXXIV” will be joined by a full-episode-length parody of the Stephen King-inspired movie IT, featuring with Krusty the Clown (Castellaneta) playing Pennywise.
The Simpsons is a Gracie Films Production in association with 20th Television. James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Al Jean and Matt Selman are the executive producers. The Gracie Films Worldwide Brand Division develops and produces the licensed content for the series.
Winners of the 2023 Spark Animation film festival have been announced, ahead of the event’s official screening run November 9-12. The festival will also offer an online version from November 13 to December 31. (See more program details here.)
Teacups
The Spark Computer Graphics Society (Spark CG) revealed that Alec Green and Finbar Watson’s powerful animated short film Teacupshas been selected as Best in Show, SPARK ANIMATION’s Oscar-qualifying top prize. The film, which tells the incredible true story of Don Ritchie’s heroic interactions with hundreds of suicidal individuals at the cliff near his Australian home, was selected by the Jury “for its bold and artistic cinematic achievement which skillfully weaves a heartfelt narrative that captivates audiences with its non-sentimental approach.”
Bill Plympton’s latest project is the feature film ‘Slide’
Bill Plympton, the Oscar-winning director and champion of independent animation, will be awarded this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his significant contributions to the art form. The festival will also host the Canadian Premiere of the director’s latest film Slide.
The Spark Animation Diversity Award celebrates films and filmmakers who champion the rich tapestry of human experiences through their work. The prize was awarded to two projects: Thao Lam and Kjell Boersma’s Boat People, a powerful story of survival produced by the National Film Board of Canada, as well as Our Uniform, Iranian filmmaker Yegane Moghaddam’s exploration of hijab.
This year’s Director’s Prize was awarded to Vancouverite Ben Meinhardt’s Living the Dream, a 60-second musical encapsulation of a number of socio-economic issues faced by millions of individuals worldwide.
In addition to being a leg up in the Academy Awards race, Spark Animation is also a 2024 Canadian Screen Awards qualifying festival. A Crab in the Pool by French-Canadian directing team Alexandra Myotte and Jean-Sébastien Hamel was awarded the Best Canadian Film prize.
Our Uniform
Boat People
Pedro Nel Cabrera Vanegas’ touching story of survival, Tapir Memories, was selected as Winner, Student Film category, while two student projects from Pôle 3D were awarded top prizes: Stabat Materfrom Hadrien Maton, Quentin Wittevrongel, Arnaud Mege, Coline Thelliez and William Defrance (Special Mention, Artistic Achievement), and On the 8th Day from Agathe Sénéchal, Alicia Massez, Elise Debruyne, Flavie Carin and Théo Duhautois (Special Mention, Technical Achievement).
The winning films were selected by the Spark Animation Festival Jury during a weekend of deliberations (September 23-24), which took place in Vancouver, Canada.
Awards will be presented in person at the Spark Animation Celebration screening on November 12. Most of the award-winning films will also be available on demand as part of Spark Animation Online (Nov. 13-Dec. 31).
A Calling. From the Desert. To the Sea
Additional prizewinners include:
Runner Up, Best in Show —The Waiting by Volker Schlecht (Germany)
Runner Up, Student Film — Slouchby Michael Bohnenstingl (U.S.)
Special Mention, Comedy — The Bubby Bear Show by Thavin Vongpatanasin (U.S.)
Special Mention, Comedy — My Name Is Edgar and I Have a Cow by Filip Diviak (Czechia)
Winner, Commercial — Potato Falls by Janina Putzker (Germany)
Winner, VFX — A Calling. From the Desert to the Sea by Murad Abu Eisheh (Germany)
Winner, Music Video — Still Alive by Etienne Guignard (France)
Honorable Mention, Cinematic — Astrolander by Maximus Trest (Canada)
GameVerse Prize — Overwatch 2 “Calling” feat. Sojourn by Ben Dai (U.S.)
Arab region family content producer-streamer Spacetoon and Canadian TV & film prodco Sphere Media have announced the premiere of their new animated series, Moka. The show, aimed at children ages 3 to 5, follows the mini adventures of Moka, a baby bear who loves to drift off and be carried away in a dreamlike world of captivating shapes and colors. The show is designed to build literacy, numeracy and color recognition skills in young viewers in an enjoyable, entertainment way.
Moka is the result of a collaborative effort between Spacetoon and Sphere Media’s Kids & Family division. This original idea is the brainchild of Ghislain Cyr (Creative Director, Sphere Media Kids & Family), bringing to animated life the musical plush toy named Moka created by Isabelle Sciotto, founder of the company Moka Toutou Musical.
“We are excited to introduce Moka to our young audience,” said Fayez Al-Sabbagh, President of Spacetoon. “With its captivating visuals and well-structured content, Moka promises to be a cherished addition to our lineup of high-quality children’s
programming.”
Cyr added, “We are thrilled to be collaborating with Spacetoon on this project. With such an amazing reach in the MENA region, we hope the Arabic to English version of the series will entertain preschoolers while learning new words, which is the very essence of this series!’’
Moka airs on Sundays and Tuesdays at 10 a.m. KSA on Spacetoon TV, with new episodes available on Spacetoon Go.
Apple TV+ celebrates the holidays this year with an expansive line-up of programming for the whole family. From the debut of the Apple Original special The Velveteen Rabbit, based on the beloved children’s classic written by Margery Williams, to the brand new holiday-themed film Hannah Waddingham: Home For Christmas, which features the Emmy Award-winning Ted Lasso actor; along with all-new holiday special episodes from The Snoopy Show, Frog and Toad, Sago Mini Friends and Shape Island, Apple TV+ is your home to celebrate the season.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Holiday Special
The streamer will also provide special free windows to stream holiday specials from Mendelson/Melendez Productions and Peanuts Worldwide: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, will be available for all to see Saturday, November 18 through Sunday, November 19 and A Charlie Brown Christmas will be available Saturday, December 16 through Sunday, December 17. This programming is available to subscribers now and every day.
Viewers are invited to rediscover previously released holiday content including the hit musical comedy Spirited, starring Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds and Octavia Spencer; Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special;I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown; The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse; Interrupting Chicken: A Chicken Carol Holiday Special; Pretzel and the Puppies: Merry Muttgomery!; The Snoopy Show: Happiness is the Gift of Giving Holiday Collection and Fraggle Rock: Night of the Lights, all streaming now.
Animation and hybrid highlights, in premiere order, include:
The Velveteen Rabbit
Stream for Free Sat., Nov. 19 – Sun., Nov. 19
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving – 50th Anniversary — Celebrating 50 years of this Peanuts classic, Peppermint Patty invites everyone to Charlie Brown’s for Thanksgiving, even though he’s going to see his grandmother. Snoopy decides to cook his own version of a Thanksgiving meal with help from his friends.
Wednesday, November 22
The Velveteen Rabbit — Based on the treasured, classic children’s book by Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit celebrates the magic of unconditional love. When seven-year-old William receives a new favorite toy for Christmas, he discovers a lifelong friend and unlocks a world of magic.
The 40-minute special from Apple TV+ and produced by Magic Light Pictures introduces Phoenix Laroche (The Royal Nanny) starring as William alongside an all-star cast including the voices of Alex Lawther (Andor) as the Velveteen Rabbit, Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown) as Wise Horse, Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) as Playroom Fairy, Bethany Antonia (House of Dragon) as Female Rabbit, Lois Chimimba (Still Up) as Car, Paterson Joseph (Vigil) as King, Clive Rowe (So Awkward) as Lion, Nathaniel Parker (The Inspector Lynley Mysteries) as Male Rabbit, Tilly Vosburgh (Inside Man) as Momo and Samantha Colley (Genius) as Mother.
Magic Light Pictures co-founder Martin Pope produces (Academy Award nominee The Gruffalo and BAFTA & International Emmy winning Revolting Rhymes) with a screenplay by Tom Bidwell, creator of the BAFTA- and International Emmy-nominated My Mad Fat Diary and the Oscar-nominated short Wish 143.
Frog And Toad – Christmas Eve
Friday, December 1
Frog and Toad– Christmas Eve — In “Christmas Eve”, Frog and Toad are looking forward to spending the winter holiday together, but a last-minute errand into town sidetracks Frog, causing Toad to wonder if his best friend will make it home in time. In the Apple TV+ original series based on the beloved book series by Arnold Lobel, Frog and Toad are not at all alike. Frog likes new adventures. Toad likes the comforts of home. Yet despite their differences, Frog and Toad are always there for each other — as best friends should be.
The voice cast includes Academy Award winner Nat Faxon (Our Flag Means Death) and Emmy Award nominee Kevin Michael Richardson (The Simpsons) as Frog and Toad, as well as appearances by Ron Funches (Trolls), Fortune Feimster (Good Fortune), Cole Escola (At Home with Amy Sedaris), Aparna Nancherla (The Great North), John Hodgman (Up Here), Yvette Nicole Brown (Disenchanted), Stephen Tobolowsky (The Goldbergs), Emmy Award nominee Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants), Selene Luna (Coco), Emmy Award nominee Margaret Cho (Fire Island) and Betsy Sodaro (Duncanville).
Shape Island – The Winter Blues
Shape Island – The Winter Blues — Shape Island, the acclaimed stop-motion series for kids and families based on the internationally bestselling trilogy of Shapes picture books written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen, is back on December 1 with an all-new holiday special titled, “The Winter Blues.” The chilly season leaves Square feeling sad, so Circle and Triangle try to cheer him up by creating a new holiday: Yeti Night.
The series takes place on a charming island and invites viewers to join serious Square, intrepid Circle and tricky Triangle on their silly adventures as they dig up some fun, search for answers and build on their friendship — all while learning how to navigate each other’s differences. Shape Island shows kids that friendship can take many shapes.
Featuring the voices of Gideon Adlon (Blockers), Scott Adsit (30 Rock), Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows) and Yvette Nicole Brown (Disenchanted). Shape Island was co-created by Barnett and Klassen, who serve as executive producers alongside Bix Pix Entertainment’s Emmy Award-winners Kelli Bixler and Drew Hodges. Ryan Pequin serves as co-executive producer and head writer.
The Snoopy Show – Happiness Is Holiday Traditions
The Snoopy Show – Happiness Is Holiday Traditions — In “Happiness is Holiday Traditions,” Snoopy searches for the perfect tree topper; Woodstock gets trapped in a window display; and Snoopy and Woodstock visit Spike for Christmas.
An Apple TV+ original series from Peanuts and WildBrain, The Snoopy Show gives the world’s most iconic dog his close-up and dives into new adventures with the happy-dancing, high-flying, big-dreaming beagle, who’s joined by best friend Woodstock and the rest of the Peanuts gang. Josh Scherba, Anne Loi, Stephanie Betts, Paige Braddock, Craig Schulz and Mark Evestaff serve as executive producers. Alex Galatis serves as executive story editor.
Stream for Free Sat., Dec. 16 – Sun., Dec. 17
A Charlie Brown Christmas— In this beloved Peanuts special, feeling down about the commercialism of Christmas, Charlie Brown becomes the director of the gang’s holiday play. Can he overcome his friends’ preference for dancing over acting, find the “perfect” tree and discover the true meaning of Christmas?
Sago Mini Friends – New Year’s Steve
Friday, December 22
Sago Mini Friends – New Year’s Steve — In an all-new holiday special titled “New Year’s Steve,” Harvey makes a wish to stay awake until midnight when a firefly swoops in to help — and kickstarts a scavenger hunt for the whole crew. The series is an adorable nod to gratitude, featuring Harvey the floppy-eared dog and his best friends, Jinja the cat, Jack the rabbit and Robin the bird. Along with a unique cast of residents as colorful as their own whimsical world, the four friends play, explore, imagine and celebrate daily in their joyful town of Sagoville. In each episode, Harvey and all his friends express their true thankfulness for all things, big and small, through optimism, kindness, preschool-friendly humor and unforgettable original songs!
Sago Mini Friends is executive produced by Daytime Emmy Award nominees Jennifer Dodge (PAW Patrol), Ronnen Harary (PAW Patrol), Tone Thyne (Wonder Pets!) and Dustin Ferrer (Esme & Roy). Daytime Emmy Award nominees Laura Clunie (PAW Patrol), and Toni Stevens (PAW Patrol) serve as co-executive producers, with Chad Hicks (Kingdom Force) as series director. The series is produced by Daytime Emmy Award-nominated Spin Master Entertainment (PAW Patrol) and animated by 9 Story Media Group’s Emmy Award-winning studio Brown Bag Films. Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, distinguished professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside and expert in the science of happiness, serves as the gratitude expert on the series through Apple TV+’s changemakers initiative.
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse
Now Streaming:
Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tales
Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock – Night of the Lights
Animation Is Film (AIF) announced the winners of its sixth annual film festival today, with the feature film Chicken for Linda!, directed by Chiara Malta and Sébastien Laudenbach, winning both the top-level feature film Grand Prize as well as the Audience Award. Neon’s Robot Dreams took home the Special Jury Prize. For the Shorts section, Letter to a Pig won the Grand Prize and Wild Summon earned the Special Jury Prize.
For the 2023 edition, the feature competition titles also included Art College 1994, The Concierge, Mars Express, Phoenix: Reminiscence of Flower, Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds and The Summer.
The AIF opening night film The Boy and the Heron and closing night film Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget were not eligible for juried or audience prizes.
From U.S. distributor GKIDS, Chicken for Linda! tells the story of Paulette, who feels guilty after unjustly punishing her daughter Linda and would do anything to make it up to her. Linda immediately asks for a meal of chicken with peppers, which reminds her of the dish her father used to make. But with a general strike closing stores all across town and pushing people into the streets, this innocent request quickly leads to an outrageous series of events that spirals out of control, as Paulette does everything she can to keep her promise and find a chicken for Linda.
“With Chicken for Linda!, Sébastien Laudenbach and Chiara Malta honor the challenges and rewards of being a single parent in a hectic world, employing a visually original artistic style through which lively brush strokes and daubs of color bring relatable human characters (and one very flustered chicken) to vibrant life,” said the Jury.
The Special Jury Prize winner, Robot Dreams, directed by Pablo Berger, is based on the popular graphic novel by the North American writer Sara Varon and tells the adventures and misfortunes of Dog and Robot in N.Y.C. during the ’80s. NEON will release the film theatrically in the U.S.
“In a poignant mix of humor and pathos, director Pablo Berger adapts Sara Varon’s graphic novel, showing how people and places shape our lives, while paying homage to New York City in the 1980s,” the Jury said. “That he conveys this through pantomime and animation, without using dialogue, is all the more remarkable.”
The feature films jury was made up of Peter Debruge (Chief Film Critic, Variety / Jury Chair), Andrew Ruhemann (Oscar-winning director of The Lost Thing), Bill Desowitz (Awards Editor, Craft & Animation at IndieWire), Charles Solomon (Critic and Historian), Marge Dean (Emmy-winning producer and Head of Animation Studio at Skybound Entertainment, President of Women in Animation), Nora Twomey (Oscar-nominated director of The Breadwinner and My Father’s Dragon) and Ramin Zahed (Editor-in-Chief for Animation Magazine).
For Shorts, Letter to a Pig, directed by Tal Kantor, took home the Grand Prize. In this short, a Holocaust survivor writes, after the war, writes a thank-you letter to a pig that saved his life. After his testimony in a classroom, a young student dreams a tragic version of his story.
“Utilizing a unique blend of hand drawn animation, paint on paper and footage segments, Tal Kantor has crafted an extraordinary portrait of trauma and how its aftermath can span generations,” said the Shorts Jury. “It is, in a word: genius.”
The Special Jury Prize for Shorts went to Wild Summon directed by Karni Arieli and Saul Freed. A natural history fantasy film, Wild Summon follows the dramatic life cycle of the wild salmon in human form.
“Karni Arieli and Saul Freed’s Wild Summon is a provocative and creative reimagining of a nature documentary that left us speechless,” said the Shorts Jury.
The short film jury comprised Monica Lago-Kaytis (producer of Wreck-It Ralph and Zootopia, co-founder of Rise Up Animation), Aubry Mintz (Director at the School of Art at CSULB and VP ASIFA-Hollywood) and Pamela Ribon (Oscar-nominated writer of My Year of Dicks and Moana).
ph: John Salangsang for AIF
AIF hosted several sold-out events throughout the weekend. For opening night, GKIDS presented Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron, the latest film from legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, in the festival’s first IMAX premiere at the landmark TCL Chinese Theatre.
In addition, AIF hosted multiple special events and Q&As with influential filmmakers over the course of the weekend, including a “Work-In-Progress” sneak peek at the upcoming studio release of Walt Disney Animation’s Wish alongside a celebration of 100 years of Walt Disney Animation and a special theatrical presentation of its newest short film, Once Upon a Studio with writer/director Chris Buck, director Fawn Veerasunthorn, writer/director Trent Correy, and writer/director Dan Abraham.
“The only metrics we can rely on for determining ‘success’ are audience size and growth, and by both of those standards, the sixth Animation Is Film was a triumph,” stated AIF director Matt Kaszanek. “We are so humbled and gratified at how AIF has been embraced by L.A.’s community of cinephiles. Thank you to our sponsors, our filmmakers, and our audience. We truly could not do this without you.”
Disney’s ‘Wish’ WIP presentation
The festival also included DreamWorks Animation’s special presentation of its latest film, Trolls Band Together, ahead of its U.S. theatrical release on November 17, the North American Premiere of Sony Pictures Animation/Sony Pictures Imageworks’ short The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story and the West Coast and U.S. debuts, respectively, of Neon’s film Robot Dreams (Spain, France) and GKIDS’ Chicken for Linda! (France/Italy).
The festival also presented award-winning shorts films, with directors of The Day I Became a Bird, Starling and Rosemary A.D. (After Dad) participating in a lively Q&A event.
‘Trolls Band Together’ panel
Other special sections included the popular Best of Annecy: Spotlight on Women Directors, presented in partnership with Annecy and Women In Animation; and a centennial celebration of Warner Bros. Animation featuring a special Q&A and screening featuring never-before-seen Looney Tunes Cartoons shorts.
The festival closed with the sold-out Los Angeles premiere of the eagerly-anticipated sequel to the beloved and highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all time, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. Director Sam Fell and executive producer Peter Lord participated in a Q&A following the film.
‘Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget’ director Sam Fell and exec producer Peter Lord.
DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls are taking over L.A.’s Westfield Century City with TrollsFest, an immersive fan event and musical extravaganza to celebrate the release of the new chapter in the blockbuster franchise, Trolls Band Together (sneak previews November 4, in theaters November 17).
TrollsFest is set to take over the Westfield Century City Atrium from Friday, November 3 to Sunday, November 5. The three-day event promises to transport visitors into the vibrant and enchanting world of the Trolls as they celebrate the film’s all-star boy band BroZone, voiced by Justin Timberlake, Troye Sivan, Kid Cudi, Eric André and Daveed Diggs.
As the centerpiece attraction of TrollsFest, fans will be treated to the ultimate VIP experience as they are invited to go on stage and perform with BroZone. This exclusive package includes a makeover, expert dance choreography lessons, a performance on stage with BroZone and a memorable personalized video. Following the performance, VIPs will feel like true Trolls superstars during their big press reveal with the paparazzi.
Around TrollsFest, guests will step into the world of music, dance and adventure as the Trolls come together for a colorful music festival. The celebration will offer an array of activities and experiences that will transport attendees into the Trolls universe, including mini-golf, various photo opportunities with the Trolls costume characters, and much more.
TrollsFest has partnered with an A-list lineup of brands offering exclusive items and surprises for guests. The event will feature a Trolls merchandise tent with exclusive film-themed items from Mattel, Moose and more, a brand-new Trolls-themed shake from Shake Shack and new Trolls flavors from Icee. Southwest Airlines will immerse fans in a Trolls Party Plane, while Poppy & Pout will give guests a chance to spin the wheel of fun for Trolls lip balm. Hally Hair and Sally Hansen offer hair and nail glow-ups. Attendees will be among the first to taste the Trolls-themed Shine Water and will have the chance to win free tickets to see Trolls Band Together from Fandango.
DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls Band Together, starring Anna Kedrick, Justin Timberlake, Camila Cabello, Amy Schumer, Andrew Rannells and an all-star cast features the single “Better Place” by *NSYNC, the first new song by the band in more than 20 years.
Read all about the making of Trolls Band Together in Animation Magazine‘s feature story here!
Decentralized filmmaking ecosystem Film.io recently announced the winner of its Creator Contest, awarding film funds totaling $10,000 to ChickenShip — an original concept created by Emmy Award-winning comedian/actor/writer/producer Craig Shoemaker and celebrated animator David Feiss, creator of Cow and Chicken, I Am Weasel and YooHoo and Friends. The winner was selected from thousands of entries in a vote by fans in the Film.io DAO.
The project is an animated comedy series about a fearless chicken crew aboard the SS Coop who must uncover the truth behind genetically modified Bitcorn that threatens their planet. The project creators provided concept artwork and an early teaser trailer, which you can watch below.
“Dave and I are absolutely thrilled with the positive responses we have received for our project. Both of us have had a great deal of success in Hollywood, but the traditional pathways of show business have become antiquated,” said Shoemaker. “The decision makers are often unoriginal, fear-based and lack the nerve to create something bold and fresh. That’s why we are so thrilled to be a part of Film.io, an innovative approach to the creative process where our team gets to work with the authentic devotees of the animation art form. All hail ChickenShip!”
The winner was chosen based on fan engagement and support for the project using ‘FAN Tokens.’ These were airdropped to members who joined Film.io’s Early Access, used by fans to and increase the Go Score™ of their favorite project, moving it along Film.io’s ecosystem twoard opportunities like production, funding, distribution, and other filmmaking tools. The Go Score™ is a project’s success fingerprint and represents aggregate totals from fan collaboration with token stakes, project reviews, project shares and a host of other in-platform gamified engagements that are engineered to better predict a project’s success long before production costs are incurred.
Film.io notes that the Creator Contest was an extremely close race for the most fan engagement, and runner-up mentions go to Absolute Zero, created by Bryce Hatch; and Saurus City, written and directed by Nate Smith, starring Dennis Quaid, Ron Perlman, Emma Roberts, Julia Ormond and Tim Meadows.
Participants who submitted projects but did not win the grand prize received 10,000 free FAN Tokens to continue participating in the DAO and shaping a future where entertainment is fair, transparent and inclusive. Filmmakers also become eligible for grants from the Global Creativity Foundation, an ownerless non-profit organization that supports the democratization of the filmmaking industry.
“With the strikes in Hollywood, and personal experience of working as a female in film, it is extremely evident that the industry is broken,” said Lauren Magura, Co-Creator of Film.io and the VP of Entertainment at Ingredient X. “At Film.io we have made it our mission to create an ecosystem where decisions are made, and content is greenlit by the creatives and fans actually behind making the machine run. Our creator contest is a tiny example of how powerful Film.io is at garnering fan support and collaboration to greenlight diverse entertainment the world is authentically interested in viewing.”
To receive Film.io updates on new launches, airdrops and exclusive filmmaking perks, and to be notified when new users are being admitted, sign up for the reservation list here.
A collective of visual effects studios, organizations and professionals have established a new annual event: World VFX Day. Scheduled to make its debut on December 8, the global observance aims to shine spotlight on the visual effects industry, which enables filmmakers to visualize stories beyond the realms of imagination.
Long seen as an “unsung hero” of movie magic, VFX boasts a market size valued at around USD $9.884 billion in 2022, generated by an estimated 600 studios and a workforce exceeding 100,000 professionals worldwide.
L-R: Alwyn Hunt (The Rookies), Simon Deveraux (AccessVFX & Framestore), Hayley Miller (Founder), Ian Failles (Befores & Afters), Saint Walker (Escape Studios)
“I’ve worked in visual effects marketing for around five years and I’m constantly in awe of what is created. But not enough people outside of our industry realize how much work and passion drives what we see on screen,” said Hayley Miller, VFX Marketing Consultant and initiator of World VFX Day. “The World VFX Day initiative endeavors to provide a platform for the positive recognition visual effects deserves.”
Supporters of World VFX Day (so far) include: Framestore, DNEG, Ghost VFX, MPC, Pixomondo, ILM, Mavericks, Moonraker, Weta FX, Untold Studios, Cinesite, belo FX, Milk FX, Blue Bolt, Afro VFX, Territory Studio, Important Looking Pirates, Jellyfish Pictures, Firebrand VFX, Access VFX, View Conference, FMX – Film & Media Exchange, Escape Studios, The Rookies, NextGen Skills Academy, Foundry, Corridor Digital, Befores and Afters, Humans of VFX and others.
Those within and without the industry are invited to take part and support the mission of World VFX Day and attend events, as well join the conversation online and share their work using #worldvfxday. (Sign up to the official newsletter to be notified of events and updates.)
The 2023 Bucheon International Animation Festival has come to a close, marking the event’s 25th year of celebrating the best in international animated features, shorts and commissioned films in South Korea.
The feature film competition was juried by Alain Ughetto, Kim Nayoung and Michael Arias.
Chicken for Linda!
Chicken for Linda! by Chiara Malta and Sébastien Laudenbach won the feature film Grand Prize as well as the Kinolights Prize for Feature. Mixing comedy, music, action and emotion, the illustrative 2D film tells a bittersweet story about loss and memory.
The Jury noted Chicken for Linda! is “An animation that arouses interest and curiosity with fast-paced development, strong colors and simple graphics.”
The Jury Prize for feature film went to The Siren by Sepideh Farsi, which explores the tragic history of the Iran-Iraq war through the life of 14-year-old Omid in Abadan.
Jury Statement: “A real-life conflict is properly explained through animation. A beautiful film that clearly shows the horrors of the ongoing war.”
Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds by Benoît Chieux and Mars Express by Jérémie Périn shared the Special Distinction Prize. Robot Dreams by Pablo Berger took the Audience Prize. Sirocco and Kingdom of the Winds also won the COCOMICS Music Prize.
Jury statement (Sirocco):”A well-made animation both cinematically and musically. The music was composed to bring out the scene well. Just by using her voice, opera singer Selma captivates people’s souls.”
The Concierge by Itazu Yoshimi won the Korean Animation Studies President’s Prize, an award given to a film that is deemed likely to have the greatest audience appeal. The new SK telecom AI creative award was given to White Plastic Sky by Tibor Bánóczki and Sarolta Szabó.
Compound Eyes of Tropical
The Grand Prize for short film was given to Compound Eyes of Tropical by Xuzhan Zhang. The film retells the Southeast Asian folktale ‘The Mousedeer Crossing the River’ through multiple perspectives, reinterpreting the story’s multiple facets across cultures.
Jury Statement: “A work that stands out for its technique, including excellent visuals and delicate sound designs for each material. The silence after the breaking sound in the last scene is exquisite.”
The Jury Prize went to The Miracle by Nienke Deutz. The short transports audiences to a sun-filled resort, where one woman’s attempt to enjoy paradise is foiled by constant reminders of the one thing she does not have.
Jury Statement: “A good story, a compelling piece that explores feelings of loneliness and longing with a unique perspective and style.”
Special Distinction Prizes were given to Garden of Remembrance by Yamada Naoko, 27 by Flóra Anna Buda and World to Roam by Stephen Irwin. Garden of Remembrance also won the Audience Prize.
The DHL Diversity Prize and the EBS Prize each went to I’m Hip by John Musker and Flutter by Adam Levy. The Kinolights Prize for a short film went to The Brave Locomotive by Andrew Chesworth.
The Jury for the Short Film Competition was Tom CJ Brown, Gu Byeongmo and Shad Bradbury.
Garden of Remembrance
Sewing Love by Xu Yuan won the Jury Prize for a Graduation Film. The piece exaggerates the toxic aspects of being in love, as two individuals with strong personalities are ultimately driven to ruin by selfish possessiveness.
The Jury Prize for TV & Commissioned Film went to All the Best by Pablo Roldan, ‘dedicated to all those who were told they were weird or were made to feel that way.’
Pado (The Waves) by Joung Yumi won the Jury Prize for a Korean Short Film, and Battery Mommy by Jeon Seungbae took the Special Distinction Prize.
The jury for Graduation, TV & Commissioned and Korean Short Film competitions comprised Moon Sujin, Yu Yu and Antoine Coppola.
