On Tuesday 2 February 2021, Lupus Films’ half-hour special The Tiger Who Came to Tea scored the Best 2D Children’s Animated Shorts – age six to 12 category at the 2020 Palm Springs International Animation Festival & Expo Awards. The award ceremony commenced virtually where the show won the award by PSIAF, a global competition in animation which is dedicated to showcasing the exemplary talent of artists from all over the world.
The show is based on the hit children’s picture book written and illustrated by revered author Judith Kerr OBE and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books. The Tiger Who Came to Tea was produced by Lupus Films and HarperCollins and directed by Robin Shaw for telecasting on Channel 4.
Lupus Films joint managing director Ruth Fielding and one of the producers of the film said: “The response to the film has been amazing and we are thrilled and proud to see it win another prestigious award against top quality global competition. It’s testament to the fabulous work of director Robin Shaw and all the talented team who worked so hard to capture the spirit of Judith Kerr’s much-loved story.”
In the high spirits of Christmas, The Tiger Who Came to Tea premiered on Channel 4 on Christmas Eve 2019 and attracted millions of viewers over the holiday period and became the network’s best-performing show of that year aside from The Great British Bake Off.
Breathing life into the delightful story of what happens when a monstrously hungry tiger turns up unannounced as Sophie and her Mummy are having tea in the kitchen, its illustrious cast included Benedict Cumberbatch, David Oyelowo, David Walliams, Tamsin Greig and Paul Whitehouse. It also featured an original song, Hey Tiger!, written by David Arnold and Don Black and performed by Robbie Williams.
The animated shorts have warmed the hearts of its audiences, pedestalising it to get awarded with notable awards. The PSIAF Award is yet another accolade for the enchanting film to sit alongside its growing list of prestigious honours, which include an International Emmy Kids Award for Best Animation; the Annecy Jury Award for a TV Special; the Jury Prize for Best 2D Animated Short Film at Animayo: The International Film Festival of Animation, Visual Effects and Video Games; and the Animated Encounters Grand Prix winner for Best Animated Short at the Encounters International Film Festival.
