Lille to host Emile animated film awards ceremony

High honors for Hauts-de-France animation sector

On December 8, 2017 Lille will host the first Emile Awards ceremony, named in honor of Emile Cohl, the 19^th-century Frenchman who invented the animated cartoon. Created in partnership with European Animation Awards, with leadership from Wallace and Gromit producer Peter Lord, Pictanovo and the Hauts-de-France region, the first-ever ceremony will recognize the very best in European animated films. “In choosing Lille as the host city, the jury has offered its congratulations to the entire animation sector in Hauts-de-France,” said a Pictanovo spokesman. In the field of five candidate cities, Lille stood out for its many strengths: a location in the heart of Europe, the excellent animation curricula at Rubika, Esaat and Pôle 3D, and the dynamism of the region’s animation studios. “The jury’s choice of Hauts-de-France confirms our unique position in the French animation industry: thanks to Ankara, Tckak and other major studios, our region accounts for nearly 15% of national output,” said a regional spokesperson. This new distinction promises an even brighter future for animation and the digital arts in Hauts-de-France.