Award-winning Works

Animation Division

THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA
© 1999 Productions Pascal Blais l,inc.IMAGICA Corp.,Panorama Animation Film Studio de Yaroslav
Grand Prize

THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA

Large Format Animation

Artist : ALEXANDER PETROV

(Russia)

Profile

ALEXANDER PETROV

ALEXANDER PETROV

Born in 1957. Studied at the Art School of Yaroslov (Russia) and Institute of Cimematography, VGIK (Moscow) and entered the film industry as an art director in 1981. Studied under Yuri Norstein and produced "The Cow" in 1989. "The Cow" gained international attention in 1990 when it was nominated for an Oscar. It also won awards at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival Grand Prix, Baruna (Bulgaria), the Ottawa Animation Festival and the Berlin Film Festival. He later established the Panorama Company in Yaroslav and produced his second work, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man, in 1992. In 1994 he won awards at animation festivals all over the world, including Annecy(France), Ottawa, Tanpere (Finland), Espio (Portugal), Biraconde (Portugal)and Hiroshima. He received a second Oscar nomination for his most recent work, "The Mermaid", which won many awards including the Cinenanima97 Grand Prix and the Hiroshima Animation Festival.

Comment

When I was creating this work, I hoped with all my heart that I would be able to communicate, through my images, my impressions of Ernest Hemingway's great work about passion for life and conflict and the trusting of human beings. I believe that the language of animation has the power to communicate everything from feelings of intimacy to tragic pathos with incredible subtlety. I feel very happy that the emotions of Hemingway's short story resonate in the movie I have drawn, "Old Man and the Sea".

Reason for Award

The exacting, hand labor of this work, glass paintings using oils, a technique that could only work in animation, is extremely chic. Plus, the courage to take on such a giant screen. Add the superb cooperation among a cosmopolitan staff drawn from different nationalities. No matter how you cut it, this is a thrilling and moving masterpiece.