Cartoon Movie (March 4-6) once again brought together the European animation industry, summing up the results in Bordeaux at the largest event for pitching and conceptualizing animated films.
The Eurimages Co-Production Development Award (20,000 euros) was awarded to the Armenian-French project “Zako” by director Tigran Arakelyan and OnOff Studio. The co-producer of the Armenian animated feature-length project “Zako” is the French Sacrebleu Productions, which recently won an Oscar for the Latvian animated co-production “Flow”.
The full-length animated film “Zako” by OnOff Studio is based on the graphic novel of the same name by artist Tigran Mangasaryan, which is the life story of his father, artist Sargis Mangasaryan. The events that the Armenian artist went through are striking in their drama. During World War II, captured and sent to the Reich camps, he manages to survive thanks to his drawing talent and is forced to draw his executioners and their wives.
We are pleased to support a project that sheds light on a little-known chapter of European history by telling the true story of an Armenian war victim and artist. This powerful and emotional journey will be enhanced by the creative use of new technologies. Beyond celebrating emerging talent, the award also recognises the dedication of producers striving to develop the animation industry within their society,
the jury’s official statement says.
The Producer of the Year award was jointly awarded to Dream Well Studio (Latvia), Sacrebleu Productions (France) and Take Five (Belgium) for their collaboration on Gints Zilbalodis’ latest film, “Flow.” The team made history by winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards. The film, which premiered at Cartoon Movie in 2022, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and went on to win Annecy, the Golden Globe, the European Film Awards and other awards.
As reported by the ReAnimania animation festival, producers Susanna Khachatryan (OnOff Studio) and Ron Dyens (Sacrebleu Productions) signed the first memorandum of understanding in 2023 during the Annecy Film Festival.
In 2020, “Zako” received 2.5 million drams of state support from the Cinema Foundation of Armenia (formerly the “National Cinema Center of Armenia”) for the development of the project.
More than 830 industry professionals from 40 countries participated in the voting for the 27th edition of Cartoon Movie.
Here is the full list of this year’s award winners:
Producers of the Year
Dream Well Studio (Latvia), Sacrebleu Productions (France), Take Five (Belgium) – “Flow”
Sales Agent of the Year
Kinology (France)
Director of the Year
Mariah Trainor: ROCK BOTTOM (Spain)
Eurimages Co-Production Development Award
OnOff Studio (Armenia), Sacrebleu Productions (France): “Zako”
