After the successful ‘Nordic Animation’ umbrella at the 2017 Annecy Animation Festival, that reunited for the first time more than 60 professionals from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, animation creators from the North are making further strides. This year Nordic Animation stands not only for a common umbrella in Annecy, but also for a network of professionals coming together under the same brand, a website and communication tool to promote Nordic animation and facilitate cooperation within and outside the Nordic region.

Nordic Animation is supported by the Danish Film Institute, The Swedish Film Institute, The Norwegian Film Institute, Icelandic Film Centre, Finnanimation, Nordic Council, Nordisk Film and TV Fond, Nordic Culture Point, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, and Ministry of Culture Denmark. 

The initiative is managed by a Board with one representative from each country: Copenhagen Bombay (Denmark), Finnanimation (Finland), GunHil (Iceland), Mikrofilm (Norway), and Goodbye Kansas (Sweden). Mikrofilm is steering the 2018-2019 initiative, but the management duties and companies on the Board will rotate each year. 


Mikrofilm producer Tonje Skar Reiersen whose company won an Oscar-Best Animated Short Film for The Danish Poet, told nordicfilmandtvnews.com: “The Nordic brand is hip and trendy today, thanks to the Nordic Noir in TV drama that has built international awareness. We’ve created a visual to communicate the concept of Nordic simplicity, craftsmanship, high quality, cost-efficiency and closeness to nature.In the Nordic region, we don’t have big budgets for animation but create well-crafted content with great storytelling, mostly for kids and youth, rooted in our culture and values", notes Reiersen.

The website www.nordicanimation.com is a user-friendly and informative tool about who does what in animation across the Nordics, with sections dedicated to Co-production, Studios & Producers, Festivals, Education and Annecy.

At this year’s 42nd Annecy Animation Festival (June 11-16) and adjoining MIFA market (June 12-15), 36 Nordic companies are attending under the Nordic Animation stand B:4.B05.

Eleven Nordic films are selected this year, including the French/Norwegian/Swedish film The Tower by Mats Grorud screening out of competition. The film for teen/adults created with 2D computer/puppet animation tells of an 11-year-old Palestinian girl, living in a refugee camp.

Among the 23 TV Films in competition are Denmark’s The Heroic Quest of the Valiant Prince Ivandoe “The Prince and the Pretty Poodle” by Christian Boving-Andersen and Eva lee Wallberg (Sun Creature Studio), as well as Finland’s Uku-Ukun taikaviidakko by Jaana Wahlforss (Epidem Zot).

The French/Danish co-production Egg is competing in the Short Film competition and the Danish titles Bacchus and Vermine are running in the Graduation Short Films programme.

For the full programme check: www.annecy.org