07/06/2006

Finnanimation, the group representing the international activities of the Finnish animation industry, will for the second time in a row attend the MIFA market in Annecy, France (June 7-9), an industry meeting held at the same time as the Annecy International Animated Film Festival (June 6-10).

Supported by AVEK (the promotion centre for audiovisual culture), the Finnish Film Foundation and the Ministry of Education, Finnanimation is represented this year by 10 production companies: Anima Vitae, By Hand Production, Camera Cagliostro, Edith Film, Epidem Zot, Helsinki-Filmi, Lumifilm, Moomin Characters, Nick Dorra Production and Undo.

Among the key productions being developed by Finnanimation member Anima Vitae – a 3D animation studio founded in 2000 and based in Helsinki – is the €6m The Way to the Stars (working title). The 75-minute 3D-animated film will be produced with Hannu Tuomainen’s Cinemaker, in co-production with Denmark’s A-Film, Germany’s Ulysses Production and Ireland’s Magma Films . Anima Vitae’s first own animated feature film project will go into production at the end of the year.

In Annecy, Samppa Kukkonen’s short film For Whom the Bell Jingles, produced by Turku Arts Academy, will screen as part of the festival’s student programme.