The seventh edition of the CEE Animation Forum (formerly known as Visegrad Animation Forum) will showcase thirty-three animated projects in development in three categories: short films, series / TV specials and feature films. The majority of selected teams are coming from Central and Eastern Europe – the Czech Republic 6x, Hungary 3x, Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Romania 2x, Slovenia, Latvia or Ukraine 1x.

After the successful first edition of the feature films pitching competition, the organizers decided to open a regular call for this category. “Receiving many feature animated film entries to this year’s call is a confirmation to us that the animation industry in the region and in the EU has a bright future as the level of the quality of projects in development is quite high. We intend to support all of the projects in pitchings, including feature projects, with a boost towards building international coproductions, pre-sales and promotion to access international markets,” explains Matija Šturm, Executive Director of CEE Animation. The winning project of the CEE Animation Forum 2018 was Of Unwanted Things and People, which was recently presented at Cartoon Movie and received the Eurimages Development Coproduction Award.

This year, the CEE Animation Forum have selected several promising projects directed by experienced filmmakers such as Czech author Michaela Pavlátová (Tram, 2012) or Martin Kotík (Harvie and the Magic Museum, 2017). Several authors will return to the pitching competition: Hungarian director Iván Tamás after having received a special mention at VAF Třeboň 2015 for his animated series How the World Began or Slovenian director Timon Leder for the successful short film The Weasel (VAF Třeboň 2014 special mention).

CATEGORY FEATURE FILMS IN DEVELOPMENT:

Allah Is Not Obliged (d. Zaven Najjar, p. Sébastien Onomo; France)

Babu in the Night City (d. Petr Vodička, p. Radim Procházka; Czech Republic)

The Guardian of Legends (d. Tomek Niedzwiedz, Waldek Mordarski, p. Magdalena Rawa, Tomasz Paziewski; Poland)

My Sunny Maad (d. Michaela Pavlátová, p. Kateřina Černá, Petr Oukropec; Ron Dyens, Peter Badač; Czech Republic, France, Slovakia)

Pearl (d. & p. Martin Kotík; Czech Republic)

Piece (d. Alan Holly, p. Ciarán Deeney, Carla Vulipiani; Ireland)

Sidi Kaba and the Gateway Home (d. Rony Hotin, p. Sébastien Onomo; France)

Solo Lobo (d. Zoltán Miklósy, Attila Herkó, p. Éva Konrád; Hungary)

CATEGORY SERIES / TV SPECIALS FILMS IN DEVELOPMENT:

The Brownies (d. Jordan Brankovski Zoltán Miklósy, p. Lachezar Velinov, Alexandra Lopez-Koleva; Bulgaria)

The Cat Princess (d. Iván Tamás, p. Bálint Gelley; Hungary) *

Grandma's Pond (d. Friedrich Schäper, p. Ivan Zuber, Antoine Liétout, Friedrich Schäper; Germany) *

Kosmix (d. Klára Jůzová, Vojtěch Dudek, p. Martin Jůza; Czech Republic)

Move It or Lose It (d. Raffaele Compagnoni, p. Federico Riboldazzi; Italy)

Some of Us (d. Matan Rochlitz, Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo, p. Laurent Duret; France, Italy)

Street Pack (d. & p. Matěj Holub; Slovakia)

The Very Hairy Alphabet (d. Eliza Plocieniak-Alvarez, p. Laura Messner; Germany)

The Wind Over Aleppo (d. Agnieszka Sadurska, p. Maria Deskur; Poland) *

* TV Special

CATEGORY SHORT FILMS IN DEVELOPMENT:

Amok (d. Balázs Turai, p. Gábor Osváth, Péter Benjámin Lukács; Hungary)

Butterfly on the Hook (d. Valeria Cozzarini, p. Remigio Guadagnini; Italy)

Family Portrait (d. Lea Vidaković, p. Draško Ivezić; Croatia)

The Goose (d. & p. Jan Míka; Czech Republic)

Money and Happiness (d. Ana Nedeljkovic, Nikola Majdak Jr., p. Jelena Mitrovic; Serbia)

Mouse House (d. Timon Leder, p. Jure Vizjak, Polona Kumelj; Slovenia)

Paolo´s Happiness (d. Thorsten Droessler, p. Grit Wisskirchen; Germany)

Playing God (d. Matteo Burani, p. Giancarlo Grande; France)

Raft (d. Marko Meštrović, p. Mia Bučević; Croatia)

Where To (d. Asparuh Petrov, p. Vessela Dantcheva; Bulgaria)

Selected authors will have a unique opportunity to consult projects with invited experts and receive valuable feedback and advice on how to improve their presentation, script, or production strategy. Competition participants can secure a chance to find a co-production partner by presenting it in front of almost two hundred film professionals, including producers, TV programmers, festival directors, distributors, investors or representatives of national film funds.

The last session of the CEE Animation Workshop will take place from May 4th to 9th and will be organized alongside the CEE Animation Forum. For this reason, several wild cards have been issued for projects to be presented in front of an audience.

FEATURE FILMS:

Gentle Jaco (d. Anthony Ho Wong, David Toušek, s. Hana Lehečková p. Marek Toušek; Czech Republic)

Twice Upon a Time (d. Vojin Vasovic, p. Vojin Vasovic, Milorad Kocić; Serbia)

SERIES:

Summer Kingdom (d. Roman Kepkalo, p. Yana Palamarenko; Ukraine)

SHORT FILMS:

Grandpa Is Sleeping (d. Matei Branea, p. Helga Fodorean; Romania)
Letter to Milena (d. Zane Oborenko, p. Sabine Andersone; Latvia)
Viskovitz (d. Serghei Chiviriga, p. Ioana Lascar; Romania)

CEE Animation Forum (May 6th – 8th, 2019) takes place within the Anifilm International Festival of Animated Films (May 7th - 12th, 2019). CEE Animation is supported by the Creative Europe – MEDIA Programme of the European Union and co-funded by state funds and foundations and professional organisations from the Czech Republic (ASAF, Association of Czech Animation), Hungary (MOME ANIM, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Budapest), Poland (SPPA, Polish Animation Producers Association), Slovakia (APAF, Slovak Association of Animated Film Producers) and Slovenia (DSAF, Slovenian Animated Film Association).

ABOUT CEE ANIMATION

• previously known as VISEGRAD ANIMATION FORUM, or VAF

CEE Animation is an umbrella of regional activities for promotion and development of the animation and its talents in more than 20 countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The objective of CEE Animation is to raise the competencies of professionals and give them equal access to financing and the markets as their Western peers, by fostering co-production and sustainable business models.

CEE ANIMATION FORUM – access to markets, tutoring, pitching, networking

CEE ANIMATION WORKSHOP – dynamic tailor-made workshop for experienced animated film producers

CEE ANIMATION TALENTS – dissemination and promotion of short films by promising young talents

 

Slovak Audiovisual Fund's Production and Development Grants for 2018

Slovak Audiovisual Fund's Production and Development Grants for 2017

EU Copyright Directive

26/02: Copyright: MEPs back provisional agreement – European Parliament

The Legal Affairs Committee approved the reform of EU copyright rules provisionally agreed with EU Ministers.

Antitrust

07/03: Antitrust: Commission accepts commitments by Disney, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. and Sky on cross-border pay-TV services – European Commission

The European Commission has made commitments offered by Disney, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. and Sky legally binding under EU antitrust rules. These commitments address the Commission's concerns regarding certain clauses in these studios' film licensing contracts for pay-TV with Sky UK.

Circulation & Promotion of European Films

26/02: European movies on the move: ten actions for better circulation across Europe – European Commission

The Open Method of Coordination (OMC) group of experts on circulation of films has published a paper featuring good practices and recommendations to enhance the circulation of European films across the EU.

Gender Balance

08/03: Public Consultation – Gender equality in the EU – European Commission

The Commission is launching a public consultation to gather opinions from all interested groups about the current situation regarding gender equality in the EU and the priorities for the next 5 years.

07/03: Statement by the European Commission on the occasion of International Women's Day 2019 – European Commission

“Women remain underrepresented in politics. In the upcoming European elections, we would like to see more women across the EU not only voting, but standing and succeeding as candidates. The Commission also calls for more women to be represented in the highest level of all EU institutions, including as Commissioners”, states the European Commission Statement.

2019 European Elections

05/03: Party leaders to join ECR group after EU elections – The Parliament Magazine

Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, who leads French party Debout la France, and Thierry Baudet, who leads Dutch party Forum for Democracy, both signed declarations with ECR co-leader, Ryszard Legutko.

Moldova

/03: New Audiovisual Code – EAO Newsletter  

The new law replaces an earlier Audiovisual Code from 2006 (see IRIS 2006-9/27). It brings national legislation more into line with the AVMS Directive, especially in the fields of the protection of minors, the protection of consumers (commercial communications), incitement to hatred, events of major importance, the right of reply, material scope, jurisdictional issues, non-linear audiovisual media services, and the promotion of European works.

Studies & Data

/03: EFARN Film Research Library: Studies & data from the European film agencies – EFARN

Events

14 March: EAO Advisory Committee Meeting 
25-28 March: EU Single Use Plastics Directive - European Parliament plenary sitting
27 March: EU SatCab Directive - European Parliament plenary vote (TBC)
27 March: 28 Shades of AVMSD - A Changing and Challenging Digital Market 
27/28 March: EU Copyright Directive - European Parliament plenary vote (TBC)
8-12 April: EUIPO Working Group meetings
23-26 May: EU Elections

The Official Selection of the Annecy Festival 2019 was announced. There are 13 short films from Central and Eastern Europe in the competition.

Short Films in Competition

Acid Rain
d. Tomasz POPAKUL, p. ANIMOON SP. Z O.O., Zofia JAROSZUK, Poland, 2019, 26 min 16 s

A Demonstration of Brilliance in Four Acts
d. Lucija MRZLJAK, Morten TSINAKOV, p. EESTI JOONISFILM, Kalev TAMM, ADRIATIC ANIMATION, Drasko IVEZIC, Croatia, Estonia, 2018, 15 min 03 s 

Rain
d. Piotr MILCZAREK, p. Piotr FURMANKIEWICZ, FUMI, Mateusz MICHALAK, Poland, 2019, 5 min

Life24
d. Kristjan HOLM, p. KARABANA, Kristjan HOLM, Estonia, 2019, 9 min

Deep Love
d. Nykyta LYSKOV, p. TTM, Andriy GRANICA, Ukraine, 2019, 13 min 58 s

Story
d. Jolanta BANKOWSKA, p. POLISH FILMMAKERS ASSOCIATION MUNK STUDIO, Ewa JASTRZEBSKA, Poland, 2019, 5 min 08 s

Symbiosis
d. Nadja ANDRASEV, p. Pierre BAUSSARON, MIYU PRODUCTIONS, Pierre REYNAL, József FÜLÖP, SALTO, Orsolya SIPOS, France, Hungary, 2019, 12 min 41 s

> The project was pitched at VAF Třeboň 2017.

The Juggler
d. Skirmanta JAKAITE, p. ART SHOT, Agne ADOMENE, TRIPODE PRODUCTIONS AND PERSPECTIVE FILMS, Delphine SCHMIT, Lithuania, France, 2018, 11 min 05 s

Toomas Beneath the Valley of the Wild WolvesToomas Beneath the Valley of the Wild Wolves

d. Chintis LUNDGREN, p. CHINTIS LUNDGRENI ANIMATSIOONISTUUDIO, Chintis LUNDGREN, ADRIATIC ANIMATION, Drasko IVEZIC, MIYU PRODUCTIONS, Emmanuel-Alain RAYNAL, Croatia, Estonia, France, 2019, 18 min
> The project was pitched at VAF Třeboň 2018.

Perspectives Short Films in Competition

From Under Which Rock Did They Crawl Out
d. Daniel SULJIC, p. ZAGREB FILM, Sanja BORCIC, Croatia, 2018, 5 min 27 s

Winter in the Rainforest

d. Anu-Laura TUTTELBERG, p. OÜ NUKUFILM, Andres MAND, MOON BIRDS STUDIOS, Anu-Laura TUTTELBERG, ESTUDIO CARABÁS, Daniel IRABIÉN PENICHE, ART SHOT, Agne ADOMENE, Estonia, Lithuania, 2019, 8 min 36 s

Imbued Life 

d. Ivana BOSNJAK, Thomas JOHNSON, p. BONOBOSTUDIO, Vanja ANDRIJEVIC, Croatia, 2019, 12 min 15 s

Young Audiences Short Films in Competition

The Kite
d. Martin SMATANA, p. BFILM, LTD., Peter BADAC, Czech Republic, 2019, 13 min 10 s
> The project was pitched at VAF Třeboň 2017

Discover the complete list of selected short films here.

The nominee of other categories will be announced shortly: Short films, TV and commissioned films, graduation films: end of March, Feature films: end of April and VR Works: end of April.

It is with great pleasure that the animation film professionals from Central and Eastern European countries – united under the CEE Animation brand – have again accepted the generous offer of Creative Europe MEDIA to be part of their Umbrella Stand at MIFA in Annecy and present the industry, studios, institutions, authors and festivals of the Central and Eastern European animation.

Yes, it's true - we have opened the film submission for the 23rd edition of Black Nights and both of our sub-festivals - youth and children's festival Just Film and animation and short film festival PÖFF Shorts!

We had over 2400 feature-length and over 4000 short and animation submissions last year. Let's see if we can top this!

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival will run from the 15th of November until the 1st of December.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR FILM

NEWS FROM THE FEST CIRCUIT

Wondering what happened next to the films that were screened at the last edition of Black Nights? We'd like to share some updates from the international festival circuit regarding the alumni of our last year's competition programmes. The Grand Prix and Best Music award winner Wandering Girl (Colombia-France) by director Ruben Mendoza has just opened Colombia's Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias, having also played at Miami and Havana, screening next at Malaga film festival. The film was praised in Tallinn by the jury led by Andrea Pallaoro and critics writing for magazines such as Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Screen Daily and Cineuropa. Another favourite of the jury and critics, Cronofobia (Switzerland) by Francesco Rizzi that played in the First Feature Competition where it won the Special Jury Prize, went on to win the best director and script awards at Max Ophüls festival and has been selected to several well-known festivals, including Hongkong IFF. Read the reviews in Screen Daily and Variety. ESTONIAN FILM AND TELEVISION AWARDS

Film still: The Little Comrade

We are extremely glad to have screened so many nominees of the Estonian Film and Theatre awards of 2019, including all the Best Film nominees Take it or Leave it, The Little Comrade and Eia's Christmas Mission that had its world premiere as the opening film of the children's and youth film festival Just Film. We are also rooting for the Best Documentary entry Ahto. Chasing Dreams that was awarded the Best Estonian Film award at the last edition of Black Nights.

CHECK OUT THE FULL LIST OF NOMINEES HERE