22/06/2015 - Stéphan Roelants is chairing the Federation of Animation Professions and the Virtual Image

Animation is a sparkling part of Luxembourg’s audiovisual industry. Last year, the animated short Mr Hublot by Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares received an Academy Award – the first one in Luxembourg’s history. This has thrust production outfit Zeilt into the limelight and has also drawn attention to other local companies that had already been involved in other successful animation titles, such as Mélusine Productions, which co-produced Ernest and Célestine [+see also:
film review
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interview: Benjamin Renner, Vincent Pa…
film profile], and more recently, Song of the Sea [+see also:
film review
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interview: Tomm Moore
film profile] and Extraordinary Tales [+see also:
film review
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film profile].

Now, the Grand Duchy has witnessed the creation of the Federation of Animation Professions and the Virtual Image (Fédération des metiers de l’animation et de l’image virtuelle), whose goal is to defend the interests of animation professionals on both the national and the international levels. Mélusine producer Stéphan Roelants is chairing the federation’s committee, which also includes director Laurent Witz, producer Pierre Urbain (Doghouse Films) and producer Régis Drujont (Onyx Lux 3D).

Speaking at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival last week, Film Fund Luxembourg’s CEO, Guy Daleiden, stated: “When I see the projects that are in stock for the upcoming months, I have got nothing to worry about for audiovisual in general and for the animation sector in particular.”

Among the Luxembourgish animated projects in the pipeline are Christoph Lauenstein’s Luis and His Friends from Outer Space (Fabrique d’Images), Roger Mainwood’s Ethel & Ernest (Mélusine), White Fang [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (to be co-directed by Oscar winner Alexandre Espigares) and Drôles de petites bêtes [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Antoon Krings and Arnaud Bouron (both produced by Bidibul Productions).