The 2024 Biennial of Animation Bratislava’s Grand Prix winner, which also secured the Children’s Choice Award, was nominated for the 52nd Annie Awards, widely regarded as animation’s most prestigious honour after the Oscars.
This significant nomination was a global breakthrough for the Biennial, especially due to the influence of Frank Gladstone, the event’s jury member and now a close collaborator in planning future Biennials of Animation Bratislava. This nearly 50-year-old event is the world’s only biennial dedicated exclusively to animation for children.
Gladstone has been the Executive Director of the Annie Awards in L.A. for over 20 years and first discovered the winning film in Bratislava. He subsequently brought the film to Hollywood. Gladstone was previously with Warner Bros. Feature Animation, DreamWorks, and Walt Disney Feature Animation, working on classics including BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, ALADDIN, THE LION KING, POCAHONTAS, and MULAN.
THE SWINEHERD (photo), a Danish short, is a warm-hearted adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s famous fairy tale. “The nomination of SWINEHERD topped of list of categories as the best short subject nominee at the Annies. The win in Bratislava, and our close collaboration with Frank, opened a door to the world for two amazing directors, Magnus Igland Møller and Peter Smith with producer Søren Fleng. I wish them continued success. I hope we can do something like this for many others. We look for winners with worldwide potential and open doors for them,” says Michal Minich-Mlcousek, Executive Director of the Biennial of Animation Bratislava. Minich-Mlcousek is a Canada-trained producer with 30 years’ experience from a 4-generation filmmaking family. His team’s month-long 2024 Biennial, the largest to date, screened in 13 cities, impacted 50,000 children and schools nationwide, with award nominees seen by kids simultaneously in 11 cities.
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