Growing Up with Animation: How It Shapes and Connects Generations

Panel discussion with 4 speakers: 1 director, 1 producer, 1 distributor & 1 festival programmer, led by Gert Hermans.

Join our panel discussion on animation for young audiences. Talking about young audience cinema, it is often assumed that animation might be the only type of films that easily transcend the domestic market – “animation travels easily and sells easily”. But is that really so? On every platform and every market? If children are so fond of animation, then why should we lose our grip on that audience when they grow up? When producing animation for teenagers, what could it look like? Does the family audience really exist? Or only if an extra layer for adults is added? All panelists have a background in young audience content, whether as filmmaker, producer or festival programmer. Together with the audience, they will search for an answer to one of the biggest clichés in the world of cinema: “Animation is only for children”. Don’t miss out on this lively and informative masterclass!

Gert Hermans (JEF, Belgium) is working for JEF, the Belgian contact point for young audience cinema, organising projects reaching out to the national youth film industry, involving production and formation. As content & communication manager for ECFA (European Children’s Film Association) Gert Hermans is an active promoter and publicist for Europe’s biggest networking platform for children’s film professionals. He is chief editor of the ECFA Journal. As an industry networker he is involved in some of Europe’s biggest children’s film festivals.

Maciej Jakubczyk (new horizons association, Poland), Board Member of New Horizons Association working in the field of film festival, distribution, film education and production. As a distributor New Horizons releases about 12 titles aimed at the family audience per year. Maciej is also Head of Kids Kino International Film Festival and Kids Kino Industry – set of initiatives aimed to support production of films and series with main focus on CEE countries. Maciej is also Member of Board of European Children Film Association and expert on films and series for young audiences for the Polish Film Institute.

Réka Temple (Cinemon Entertainment, Hungary) has over 25 years of experience in the film and television industry and has contributed to over 300 half-hour episodes, 8 feature films and numerous specials, shorts and commercials, earned all together over 100 awards and nominations wordwide. Prior to joining Cinemon Entertainment Reka worked at Loonland Media AG (Germany), she played a key role managing overseas cooperations, helping to produce satellite studios’ projects in New York, Los Angeles, London, Munich and Seoul. She has been the Secretary General of the Hungarian Producer’s Association (2005-2009), headed the Animation Department at the Instutute of Theatre and Film (2010-2014). Currently she is the President of the Hungarian Animation Producers’ Association and represents the country as the Ambassador at the European Animation Awards.

Zuzana Oharek Bahulova (Zlin Film Festival, Czech Republic) is a Czech animator and designer. She has a PhD in animation and during her studies she was on several prestigious academic stays abroad, one of them was at CalArts (USA), established by Walt Disney. She is working for the renowned Zlín Film Festival (CZE) as a programmer for short animations. Numerous of her animations were screened at several festivals around the world. Her projects „Hi-Tech Footwear Skin“ won prestigious design awards – Red Dot (2x), German Innovation Awards, European Product Design Award and Global Footwear Awards. The design of the volleyball „Handshake“ won German Innovation Awards. Clothes/uniform collections designed by Dr. Bahulova were worn by German and Jamaican national teams during past Olympic Games.

Linda Hambäck (LEE Film, Sweden) is a Swedish film director and founder of LEE Film. She has been working in the film and TV industry since 1998, mainly creating animated films for children. Her highly recognized feature, Gordon & Paddy, premiered at Berlinale in 2018. She is currently finishing her second feature, The Ape Star, which was set to release in early 2021. She has also produced highly acclaimed shorts and was the producer of the animated parts of the Academy Award-winning documentary “Searching for Sugar Man.” Linda attended the European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs program in 2002 and co-wrote the non-fiction book “Familjepack” with Anna Lagerblad, which was released in 2006.

This CEE Animation Experience Session is held in collaboration with ECFA – European Children’s Film Association and co-financed by Creative Europe MEDIA and the International Visegrad Fund.