‘Klaus,’ ‘Tainá,’ ‘Thomas’ Nominated for 3rd Ibero-American Animation Quirino Awards

Emilio Mayorga
·4 min read

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BARCELONA — “Klaus,” “Tainá and the Amazon’s Guardians” and “Uncle Thomas Accounting for the Days” are among the finalists at the 3rd Ibero-American Animation Quirino Awards, to be held in the Spanish Canary Islands city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on April 18.

Produced by Spain’s SPA Studios and Atresmedia Cine for Netflix, “Klaus” delivers a singular Santa Claus origin story written by first-timer director Sergio Pablos, as well as Zach Lewis and Jim Mahoney. Carlos Martínez López co-directs this high-profile title, the first 2D movie by a major U.S. studio in many years, which snagged an Academy Award nomination and prizes at the Bafta and and Annie Awards.

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Brazilian CG-animated hit “Tainá and the Amazon’s Guardians” is lead-produced by Marcela Baptista at Sincrocine in co-production with Hype Animation and Nickelodeon and directed by Andrè Forni (“Dino Aventuras”). A spin-off from a feature film trilogy, the ecology-themed 52-part short format series turns on the adventures of Tainá, monkey Caru and vulture Pep.

Multi-prized short director Regina Pessoa drew large praise at last June’s Annecy Animation Festival before winning best animated short subject at this year Annie Awards for “Uncle Thomas Accounting for the Days.” A heartfelt and visually exquisite 2D homage by the director, drawn in sharp black-pencil, to the her uncle which depicts him teaching her to draw and inflaming her imagination. The short is produced by France’s Les Armateurs (“The Swallows of Kabul”).

In all, 22 works compete in nine categories, sourced from nine countries in Ibero-America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Spain, Mexico, Paraguay and Portugal.

“Production values are growing very quickly in the region. The productions we’ll see in upcoming years are going to be dazzling,” Quirino Awards promoter José Luis Farias told Variety, adding that, “There’s an increasing clear conception of what the Ibero-American market is and its international potential.”

Notably, Portugal is, for the first time, the country with the highest number of nominations – 10 – followed by Spain (7), Argentina (6), Brazil (4), Colombia and Bolivia with two a piece, and Chile with one.

“Nestor” leads nominations with four nods (student short film, visual development, animation design, sound design and original music). It is followed by “Klaus” (best feature, animation design, sound design, original music ) and “Uncle Thomas” (short film, visual development, animation design).

The nominations were presented by Alfredo Marun, director of development at Disney Television Animation, Anja Franczak, a creative producer at Poland’s Human Ark, Véronique Encrenaz, head of the Annecy Festival’s Mifa market; Vera Verba, manager at YouTube’s Sesame Workshop and production designer/layout artist Simón Vladimir Varela.

Prior to the ceremony, over April 16-17, the Quirino Awards will host a Co-Production and Business Forum. Confirmed attendees include Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Disney TV Animation, PGS, Discovery Kids, Sesame Workshop, Zodiak Kids, RTVE, Autour de Minuit, Human Ark, Playkids, Momakin, Barley Films and Indie Sales.

The Quirino Awards are supported, among major backers, by the Spanish Film Institute (ICAA), the Spanish Agency for Intl. Cooperation Development (AECID), Spain’s Institute for Foreign Commerce (ICEX), the Animation from Spain umbrella, pan-regional fund Ibermedia, the Brazilian Hispanic Cultural Foundation, Spanish public broadcaster RTVE and animation events Pixelatl (Mexico), WEIRD (Spain), Ventana Sur’s Animation! (Argentina) and the Annecy Animation Festival (France).

2020 IBERO-AMERICAN QUIRINO AWARD NOMINEES:

FEATURE

“Turu, the Wacky Hen,” (Víctor Monigote, Eduardo Gondell, Spain, Argentina)

“Klaus,” (Sergio Pablos, Spain)

“The Longleg,” (Mercedes Moreira, Argentina)

“Reconciliation stories,” (Carlos Santa, Rubén Monroy, Colombia)

TV SERIES

“Cubs – Crocodiles,” (Mélia Gilson, Camille Authouart, Portugal, France)

“Momonsters,” (Javier Martínez, Alberto Martínez, Spain)

“Space Chickens in Space,” (Tommy Vad Flaaten, Markus Vad Flaaten, Mexico, U.K., Ireland, Australia)

“Tainá and the Amazon’s Guardians,” (André Forni, Brazil)

SHORT FILM

“The Cubicbird,” (Jorge Alberto Vega, Colombia)

“Purpleboy,” (Alexandre Siqueira, Portugal, Belgium, France)

“Uncle Thomas Accounting for the Days,” (Regina Pessoa, Portugal, Canada, France)

STUDENT SHORT FILM

“Gravedad,” (Matisse Gonzalez, Bolivia, Germany)

“Nestor,” (João Gonzalez, Portugal, U.K.)

“I Guess It Went Something Like That,” (Giovanna Muzel Da Paixao, Brazil)

COMMISSIONED FILM

“In Your Hands,” (Ralph Karam, Argentina)

“Mate?,” (Dalmiro Buigues, Martin Dasnoy, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay)

“We Have Voice,” (Juan Manuel Costa, Argentina)

ANIMATION FOR VIDEOGAME

“Gris,” (Spain)

“Shadow Brawlers,” (Argentina)

“Very Little Nightmares,” (Spain)

VISUAL DEVELOPMENT

“Nestor,” Royal College of Art (Portugal, U.K.)

“The Peculiar Crime of Mr Jay,” (Portugal, France)

“Uncle Thomas Accounting for the Days,” (Portugal, Canada, France)

ANIMATION DESIGN

“Klaus,” (Spain)

“Nestor,” (Portugal, UK.)

“Uncle Thomas Accounting for the Days,” (Portugal, Canada, France)

SOUND DESIGN AND ORIGINAL MUSIC

“Drawing Life,” (Brazil)

“Klaus,” (Spain)

“Nestor,” (Portugal, U.K.)

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