‘No Dogs or Italians Allowed,’ ‘Oink,’ ‘I’m Still Alive’ Lead Cartoon Movie Prizes, KMBO Named Distributor of the Year
Ben Croll Capping a milestone Cartoon Movie showcase that saw Europe’s animation sector in rude and robust form, the sprawling team behind continental co-production “No Dogs or Italians Allowed” shared the Producer of the Year prize, “Oink” auteur Mascha Halberstad claimed the Director trophy and Paris-based KMBO took top honors in Distribution at this year’s 25th edition of Cartoon Movie, which ran over March 7 – 9 in Bordeaux. An audience and jury favorite at last year’s Annecy Animation Film Festival, and winner of the most recent European Film Award, the stop-motion feature “No Dogs or Italians Allowed” comes courtesy of director Alain Ughetto and a whopping five production countries. France’s Les Films du Tambour de Soie, Vivement Lundi, and Foliascope joined Italy’s Graffiti Film, Switzerland’s Nadasdy Film, Belgium’s Lux Fugit Film, and Portugal’s Ocidental Filmes to bring this claymation immigration saga to life. Most parties were on deck to collect a Producer of the Year prize split seven ways.