The Emile Awards, first-ever ceremony of European Animation Awards (EEA) will take place this year on 8 December at Le Nouveau Siècle in Lille, France, to reward the skills of the European professionals. The categories have been determined- 16 Emile Awards will be handed out along with a special achievement award.
The awards will be voted by the EAA members, representing a large vision of European professionals. It aims to be considered as the highest animation film honour in Europe, similar to the famous Annie Awards in the US, which deeply inspired it.
Each year through forums and festivals, European artistic talents, authors, directors, producers and distributors have many opportunities to meet each other but there is no specific “family” celebration, one that would bring together all professionals that contribute to the excellence of European animation skills and expertise.
The EAA is backed by animation producers from many European countries, and the 15-person board for the organisation includes Marie Bro (War of the Birds, Hans Christian Andersen and the Long Shadow, Mini and the Mozzies), Didier Brunner (producer and founder of Les Armateurs, France), Ton Crone (producer and director of Association of the Netherlands Animation Producers), Odile Perrin (coordinator, Gobelins’ character animation program, France), Paul Young (producer/co-owner, Cartoon Saloon, Ireland), Stephan Roelants (producer and founder of Melusine Productions, Luxembourg), Doris Cleven (Anima festival director, Belgium), Juan Carlos Concha (filmmaker and director of NonStop Barcelona festival, Spain), and Michael Rose (producer and co-founder of Magic Light Pictures, U.K.). It also has three honorary members including Patrick Eveno, Jamie Kezlarian Bolio and Marc Vandeweyer.
A trailer for the awards ceremony, directed by Mickaël Royer and animated by Davy Durand, is below:
The following are the nomination categories for the EEA:
- Best Student Film
- Best Commissioned Film
- Best Animated Short Film
- Best Background and Character design in a short film production
- Best TV/Broadcast Production (Director)
- Best Background and character design in a TV/Broadcast Production
- Best Character Animation in a TV/Broadcast Production
- Best Writing in a TV/Broadcast Production
- Best Storyboard in a TV/Broadcast Production
- Best Soundtrack in a TV/Broadcast Production
- Best TV/Feature Film (Director)
- Best Background and Character design in a Feature Production
- Best Character Animation in a Feature Production
- Best Writing in a Feature Production
- Best Storyboard in a Feature Production
- Best Soundtrack in a Feature Production
