A reminder that UK independent animation continued to deliver in 2011 and that its brilliance was recognised around the world.

Back in September, at Ottawa International Animation Festival – the biggest of its kind in North America – animators from the UK did fantastically well – taking SEVEN of the fifteen international prizes, including the Festival’s three Grand Prizes:

Nelvana GRAND PRIZE for Best Independent Short Animation: Moxie by Stephen Irwin
GRAND PRIZE for Best Animated Feature: Dead but not Buried by Phil Mulloy
GRAND PRIZE for Best Commissioned Animation is: Intel ‘The Chase’ by Adam Foulkes & Alan Smith (Nexus)
Best Undergraduate Animation: The Goat and the Well by Ben Cady (Newport)
Best Graduation Animation: I’m Fine Thanks by Eamonn O’Neill (UK & Ireland)
Best Music Video: Joyz ‘Electropia’ by Noriko Okaku (UK & Japan)
National Film Board of Canada (NFB) PUBLIC PRIZE: The Goat and the Well by Ben Cady (UK)
Plus an Honourable Mention in the Best Short Animation Made for Children category for Marvin by Mark Nute.

More recognition of UK independent animation talent coming soon:

In January, the Arts Foundation announces its prestigious Award for Animation. Shortlisted animators are Phoebe Boswell, Robert Morgan, Victoria Mather, and Stephen Irwin.

And there will be a brilliantly strong showing of UK animation at the Sundance Film Festival, with five out of a total of seven films selected in the international Animated Short category, plus another two animations selected for the International Narrative Short category:

Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, This Is It Collective
Moxie, Stephen Irwin
Belly, Julia Pott
BOBBY YEAH, Robert Morgan
A Morning Stroll, Grant Orchard
Robots of Brixton, Kibwe Tavares
Slow Derek, Dan Ojari

In January and February, the British Animation Awards Public Choice programmes can be seen at cinemas across the UK, with the Awards themselves announced in March.