Cartoon Saloon named Producer of the Year at Cartoon Forum
The Irish animation company Cartoon Saloon picked up the Europe Cartoon Tributes, Best Production Company Award at Cartoon Forum in Ludwigsburg, Germany this weekend.The European Association of Animation Film selected Cartoon Saloon as their Producer of the Year over stiff competition from production companies from the UK, Germany and France. The Cartoon Tributes recognizes companies that have had a positive influence on the European animation industry over the last year.
Cartoon Saloon is a multi-award winning animation company based in Kilkenny. Their television series Skunk Fu!, directed by Aidan Harte has been sold to television stations all over the world, while their next project, a feature film called The Secret of Kells, will be released in Irish cinemas by Walt Disney Studios Ireland early next year.
The Cartoon Forum is neither a fair nor a festival, but rather a co-production forum, where European producers can negotiate financing for new animation projects. The purpose of the Cartoon Forum is to foster co-productions and accelerate financial arrangements.
This year, over 765 broadcasters, investors, producers and distributors caught a sneak preview of the latest European animation projects for television and new media platforms. A total of 63 projects were presented from 14 countries, summing up about 370 hours of content and a budget of around 200 million euros.
In 2009, Cartoon Forum will celebrate its 20th anniversary in Norway from September 22-25.