The prizes at this year's Annecy Animation Film Festival were awarded digitally this weekend, and among the honoured films is Rémy Chayé's French-Danish 'Calamity, a Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary', recipient of the festival's top prize, the Cristal for best feature film.
'Calamity' is co-produced by Danish animation studio Nørlum. With the Annecy award, this is the first time a Danish producer receives the main prize.
Nørlum has its roots in the creative environment connected to the Animation Workshop in Viborg in the west of Denmark. The studio, headed by Claus Toksvig Kjær and Frederik Villumsen, is also co-producer on Chayé's 'Long Way North', which took home Annecy's audience award in 2015.
Nørlum's co-producing credits include Ireland's Oscar-nominated 'Song of the Sea' (2014) by Tomm Moore.
The Annecy Festival has gone digital as most other festivals these months due to the coronavirus. The festival itself continues until June 30. See more at annecy.org.
'Calamity' follows the childhood of gun slinger Martha Jane Cannary, best known as Calamity Jane. The year is 1863 in the American West. Martha Jane needs to learn how to take care of horses to drive the family wagon. Except she ends up wearing pants and cutting her hair. The scandal it provokes forces her to face all the dangers in a gigantic and wild world where everything is possible.
Henri Magalon and Claire La Combe are producing for France's Maybe Movies, and Claus Toksvig Kjær is co-producer for Nørlum.
'Calamity' is the first project produced under the latest French-Danish co-production agreement of 2018.
In addition to the Danish Film Institute, backers include the regional West Danish Film Fund.
