The 2024 Biennial of Animation Bratislava’s winner of the Grand Prix - The Viktor Kubal Prize for Best Film - which equally won the Children’s Choice Award has been nominated for one of the world’s most prestigious awards in animation, arguably second only to the Academy Awards, the 52nd Annie Awards.
“The Swineherd (Svinedrengen) from Denmark represents a global discovery, a first, on a track to be continued, beginning a new era for the Biennial,” says Michal Minich-Mlcousek, the Biennial’s executive director. Frank Gladstone, the Bratislava event’s international jury member and now a close collaborator of the Biennial, was the Annie Award’s executive director for over 20 years in Los Angeles and first discovered the film alongside other jury members in Bratislava and brought the film to Hollywood.
Mr. Gladstone was a producer at Warner Bros. Feature Animation and for Walt Disney Feature Animation he worked with production crews on Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, and Mulan. His feature film credits with DreamWorks include The Road to Eldorado, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, and Shark Tale.
This L.A. nomination immediately puts the Biennial of Animation’s winner on the map of industry leaders, animators and media executives worldwide, building the event’s focus and international reach further than ever before in its nearly 50-year history.
Magnus Igland Møller, Peter Smith
“The nomination of Swineherd tops of list of categories as the Best Short Subject. The win in Bratislava opened a door to the world for two amazing directors, Magnus Igland Møller and Peter Smith. I wish them continued success and can’t wait for the lineup of their future awards. An Oscar is just a question of time in their case. I hope we can do something like this for many others. We look for winners with worldwide potential and open doors for them,” says Minich-Mlcousek.
On his first visit to Slovakia Frank Gladstone appreciated the professional quality of the the Biennial of Animation Bratislava. Expressing enthusiasm for excellence within the organization and the level of quality the Biennial has reached, he warmly embraced long-term collaboration and the Biennial’s promotion worldwide. “I was surprised to see what a great event BIBIANA organizes in Slovakia,” said Frank Gladstone.
Frank Gladstone
The Swineherd is a warm-hearted adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's famous fairy tale. A little shepherd boy, actually a prince, attempts to win the heart of a princess with the help of a magic pot, which endearingly calls out every time. When the princess begins to desire this magical object, the shepherd asks her for a kiss in return. This story, full of humor and fantasy, so impressed not just the international jury at the Biennial of Animation Bratislava, but all the kids who gave it their Children's Choice Award at the 2024 event.
This year's Biennial of Animation Bratislava, the 17th with current awards list, received over 1,764 films from 90+ countries, showcasing the world’s most beautiful animations for children. This success demonstrates the impact of Slovakia’s oldest animation event by opening important doors to talent while reinforcing its status in animation worldwide. The Biennial of Animation Bratislava is the only biennial in the world focusing exclusively on children’s animation.
More information on the official website: www.bienaleanimaciebratislava.sk
