Stick Man is the story of a happy-go-lucky father’s epic journey to make it home in time for Christmas. (Image: Triggerfish)
A South African animation company has won a top prize for a TV production at a premier animation festival.
Stick Man won a Le Cristal d’Annecy award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France. The short animation is a collaboration between South African animation studio Triggerfish’s and UK-based Magic Light Pictures
This is not the company’s first award. It recently received accolades at the BANFF World Media Festival, the Shanghai International Film and TV Festival, and two British Animation Awards.
Previous Le Cristalwinners include the films Room on the Broom, The Amazing World of Gumball, Shaun the Sheep and Peppa Pig.
Triggerfish CEO Stuart Forrest was delighted with the recognition, saying “this was Africa’s strongest showing at Annecy yet. In addition to Stick Man winning the TV category, our collaborator Clea Mallinson won the Animation du Monde pitching forum for her short film Fairy Wheels.”
Other African winners this year included South African Naomi van Niekerk’s stop-motion animation short, ‘n Gewone Blou Maandagoggend. It won the Jean-Luc Xiberras Award for a First Film in the short film category.
Adama, a film set in West Africa, won the André-Martin Award for a French-language feature film.
Forrest said: “We also had a great response to the four TV series we’re developing from last year’s pan-African Triggerfish Story Lab, so it is an exciting time for African animation.”
About Stick Man
Stick Man is based on Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved children’s picture book about a happy-go-lucky father’s epic journey to make it home in time for Christmas.
The 26-minute film was directed by London-based Jeroen Jaspaert and South African Daniel Snaddon.
“I’m so proud of the team who went beyond the call of duty to bring Stick Man to life, thanks to Jeroen for bringing out the best in us,” said Snaddon.
Watch the trailer:
The film features an all-star voice cast that includes Sherlock’s Martin Freeman, Hugh Bonneville from Downtown Abbey and comedienne Jennifer Saunders.
The film was shown on the BBC during Christmas 2015 and was watched by over 10-million viewers.
Co-producers, Magic Light Pictures is an Oscar-nominated, BAFTA and International Emmy winning production company.
Triggerfish’s next project is another collaboration with Magic Light Pictures, and will be Christmas special for the BBC based on Roald Dahl’s popular Revolting Rhymes books.
Nathi Mthethwa, South Africa’s minister of arts and culture, congratulated Triggerfish on Twitter:
Congratulations to Triggerfish Animation Cape Town, for winning the overall Cristal for best TV production at the Annecy/MIFA awards.
— Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) June 20, 2016
