MARY AND MAX has won the ANIMOVIE feature film award at Stuttgart!

11th May 2009: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

MARY AND MAX has won the ANIMOVIE feature film award at Stuttgart!

Overnight MARY AND MAX has won the ANIMOVIE feature film award at the prestigious 16th Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film.

Other films in competition included mainstream US fair like Coraline and Igor as well as the indie favourites such as the new film from Animation Legend, Bill Plympton film Idiots & Angels.

The festival website is http://www.itfs.de/en/ but there press release isn’t up yet as they are still at the party right now!

ABOUT Stuttgart - Metropolis of the Animated Film:
The 16th Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film has not only stimulated eyes and ears, but all five senses over six exciting days and nights. During the open air screenings, visitors lifted their noses to breathe the sweet smell of popcorn floating in the air, whilst enjoing excellent animation entertainment. They used their hands to explore the wild brush lines of the charming live painter Kozue Kodama in the Festival Garden. Finally they needed their mouths to talk to the many filmmakers present.
From the 5th to the 10th over May over 650 films are to be screened in Baden-Wuerttemberg’s state capital. After six interesting days the festival ends with the award ceremony on Sunday evening.

http://www.itfs.de/en/competitions/animovie.html

THE ANIMOVIE COMPETITION

Coraline
by Henry Selick
USA 2008, 100 min.  3D
In the film, Coraline, a young girl walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life - only much better. But then this wondrously off-kilter, fantastical adventure turns dangerous, and her counterfeit other mother tries to keep her forever.
More informations: http://coraline.com

Idiots & Angels
by Bill Plympton
USA 2008, 78 min.
Angel is a selfish, abusive, morally bankrupt man who hangs out at his local bar, berating the other patrons. One day, Angel mysteriously wakes up with a pair of wings on his back. The wings make him do good deeds, contrary to his nature. He desperately tries to rid himself of the good wings, but eventually finds himself fighting those who view the wings as their ticket to fame and fortune.
More Informations: http://www.idiotsandangels.com

Igor
by Tony Leondis
USA 2008, 87 min.
We find ourselves in a world full of mad scientists. Every one of them has his own little hunchbacked Igor, who is only good for one thing: to serve his master. However, one Igor is different. He wants to be a great, eccentric scientist. But to do so, he has to win the annual “Evil Science Award”. And this means competing against ruthless opponents.
More informations: http://igor-movie.com

Kurt turns Evil
by Rasmus A. Sievertsen
Denmark/Norway 2008, 74 min.
Kurt is a good and contented lorry driver, until he discovers that his job is unrecognised by society. So he hands in his notice and begins to climb the career ladder. He does all he can to be famous and important. When his attempts fail, Kurt turns evil.

Lost in Tel Aviv
by Guy Dimet
Israel 2008, 50 min.
Sometimes life’s a cartoon. Lost in Tel-Aviv is an animated documentary about the life of Guy & Netta Dimet. After years working in the promo industry for the cable company they found themselves almost over night in the position of creditors and jobless. They decided to take a chance and try to fulfill an old dream, making an animation show for adults. Lost in Tel-Aviv tells that story.

Mary and Max
by Adam Elliot,
Australia 2008, 92 min.
Eight-year-old Mary from Melbourne has an intense pen-pal relationship with Max, a mentally disturbed New Yorker who is 44-years-old, much too obese and has no friends. But now he has Mary to tell him about all the things he never knew before. And likewise, Mary can ask him everything she wants to know. The two of them begin to explain the world to one another.
More informations: http://www.maryandmax.com

Mia et le Migou
by Jacques-Rémy Girard
France/Italy 2008, 91 min.
Pedro leaves his poor village and finds work drilling a tunnel through an area of exceptional natural beauty that is to become a luxurious hotel complex. But mysterious forces are working against the project. When a landslide blocks the entrance to the tunnel, Pedro is left trapped. Mia, his daughter, decides to go looking for him, but she has to cross the cursed forest. Mia enters the mysterious, almost fairytale world of the forest which will lead her to encounter the mysterious Migoo.
More informations: http://www.miaetlemigou.fr

The Missing Lynx
by Manuel Sicilia und Raul Garcia
Spain 2008, 95 min.
A bunch of animals tries to escape from cold-blooded hunter, Newmann. He has been hired by kind, old Noah, who wants to protect all endangered species by locking them up in a giant ark. During the hunt a lot of things happen to the fearless animals and their leader, Felix the jinxed lynx. The film was co-produced by Antonio Banderas.
More informations: http://www.themissinglynxmovie.com

Niko & the Way to the Stars
by Michael Hegner and Kari Juusonen
Finland/Germany/Denmark/Ireland 2008, 80 min
A young reindeer named Niko dreams about being able to fly just like the “Flying Forces” - Santa’s reindeer. He is sure that his father is a member of this cool squadron. When his attempts to fly fail and he accidently betrays his herd to the evil Black Wolf and his gang, he sets off in search of his father, accompanied by two friends.
Trailer download: http://www.nikomovie.com

The Piano Forest
by Masayuki Kojima
Japan/Germany 2007, 101 min.
Shuei’s greatest wish is to become a pianist. He is challenged to play on a mute piano. This leads to rivalry between himself and his friend Kai. While Kai, who has no idea how to play the piano, thrills the audience with his performance, Shuei is unable to play a sound.

Summerdays with Coo
by Keiichi Hara
Japan 2007, 136 min.
One day Koichi from Tokyo finds a “Kappa” baby, which he calls Coo, in a river bed. The cute late riser now has to discover the modern world. The boy and Coo quickly become friends and even the boy’s family become fond of the little creature. However, little Coo misses his family. One hot summer’s day, the two friends decide to embark on an adventurous journey to find Coo’s old home…

Sunshine Barry & The Disco Worms
by Thomas Borch Nielsen
Denmark/Germany 2008, 78 min.
It’s not easy to be Barry. An earthworm gets no respect. He lives at the bottom of the food chain. But one day an old disco record turns his live upside down: He shall make the world’s greatest disco band. Okay, he’s giot no arms and no band. But as Barry says: “We’ll do it anyway!”

Best

m~

Melanie Coombs
Producer
Melodrama Pictures
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MARY AND MAX The #1 Australian Film of the Year!