Swiss animation films score in Eastern Europe

Michaela Müller’s internationally multi-award-winning animation film “Miramare” was honoured with the Jury Grand Prix at the 7th Animateka Film Festival in Ljubljana.

13.12.2010

Michaela Müller’s internationally multi-award-winning animation film “Miramare” was honoured with the Jury Grand Prix at the 7th Animateka Film Festival in Ljubljana (December 6-12, 2010). The award was endowed with EUR 2,000. The Swiss-Polish coproduction “Danny Boy” by Marek Skrobecki was presented the award of the Young People’s Jury at the 28th AleKino! Film Festival held in the city of Poznan, in the west of Poland also from December 6-12.

Filmmaker Michaela Müller from St. Gallen realised her animation film with its gouache-painted scenes at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. The eight-minute film, screened in Cannes and at forty further festivals, takes a closer look at life in and around a tourist zone in the Mediterranean. The five-member jury of the Animateka film festival in Ljubljana provided the following statement: "Its original approach to visual storytelling and sensitive use of sound. The film creates a rhythmic dance between figuration and abstraction, drawing the viewer into a mysterious world." In addition, the Swiss member of the jury, French-Swiss cartoonist Alex Baladi, presented the Swiss puppet animation film production "The Smaller Room" by Cristobal Leon and Nina Wehrle with an Honourable Mention.

The eleven-minute animation film "Danny Boy," coproduced by the Archangel Film Group (Ticino) and TSI, has already been screened at 22 festivals and garnered seven awards. Adding to its striking career is now the award of the Young People's Jury for Best Animated Film at the AleKino! International Young Audience Film Festival in Poznan. Just two weeks ago another Swiss animation film won an award in Poland: "Schlaf" by Claudius Gentinetta and Frank Braun won the Golden Jabberwocky Award 2010 at the Etiuda&Anima Festival in Cracow (November 19-25).

Zurich, December 13, 2010