This professional forum will be attended by leading European producers and television channels, who will be looking to arrange joint participation in future film and television projects; the forum is thus set to serve as a key marketplace for European animation producers.

Speaking to the press, the President of the Córdoba Provincial Council and President of ANIMACOR, stated: “The joint organisation of these forums by the Córdoba Provincial Council, AEPA and ANIMACOR dates back to a number of bilateral meetings first held in 2004; since then, the meetings have gradually expanded to take in more countries, becoming a multilateral coproducers’ forum. This year’s forum is the fourth in the series”.

Francisco Pulido added: “The aim of these forums is to create a marketplace running in tandem with the International Animation Festival, Animacor, in order to consolidate Spain’s position as a key European venue for sharing projects and offering coproductions; at the same time, the forum serves as a means of monitoring the current status of ongoing Spanish animation projects”.

Now in its fourth year, the Multilateral Coproducer’s forum has gradually become a key event in the European animation calendar, a well as a major showplace for contracted projects to be screened in the cinema and on television in the coming years. Enrique Uviedo, the President of AEPA, remarked: “One proof of the success of this event in recent years is that it has been attended by more than 75 producing companies and 25 television channels, from Spain and abroad, including leading companies such as BBC, ZDF, RAI, RTP, TVE, France TV, Canal Sur, TV3 and Cartoon Network. The major selection criteria for the projects submitted – both feature-length films and TV series produced using a range of techniques – are viability, international potential, and opportunities for coproduction or participation by one of the countries attending the forum”.

According to Antonio Zurera, the Director of the Animacor’09 Festival: “As in previous years, the Forum held during the Festival will offer a valuable meeting point for professional animation producers, as well as a marketplace for international coproductions. Those attending will also have a chance to take part in the other Festival activities, such as exhibitions, lectures, screenings and film cycles, where they will be able to meet invited artists, producers, and directors”.

Finally, the President of the Provincial Council drew attention to a new feature of this year’s Forum: Professional Recruitment Day, which seeks to offer a valuable new service to the animation industry. “At Recruitment Day, creators, draughtsmen, artists and other professionals who are intending to carve out a career in the animation industry will have a chance to present their CVs or finished projects to producing companies attending the Forum”.