Guests 2020
A very experienced professional with nearly twenty years of activities in culture and events. She has been involved with the International Animated Film Festival Annecy and its market where she worked for ten years as an Assistant to the Artistic Director Serge Bromberg and six years as a Head of Projects (MIFA). She has met and cooperated with big names in the animation field such as Ray Harryhausen, Peter Lord, Tim Burton, Henry Sellick or Richard Williams. At present she focuses on young talents, providing direction in early stages of their projects and fostering the production process. Mifa Pitches help them to introduce their work to profesional audience and to find suitable partners.
She began her professional career at Acteurs Auteurs Associés in Paris where she joined Président Films, an export company of French films, as Technical and Export Manager. She later continued in the same position in the Film department at France Télévisions Distribution in Paris. At the beginning of 2005, she joined the CITIA team. She spent her first four years working as Sales Assistant for MIFA before taking on the job of Sales Manager until 2011, then of MIFA's Head of Projects until 2018, in charge of developing and marketing the spaces and events for the film Market. Since July 2018, Véronique Encrenaz has been Head of MIFA, under the authority of Mickael Marin,CEO of Citia.
After a Master in Econometrics in Paris and a year at Columbia University in New York, Delphine Nicolini worked as a producer on documentaries, series, short and feature films in live action. In 2008, she joins the world of animation and becomes head of development and artistic producer at Les Armateurs (Ernest & Celestine; The Swallows of Kabul, Uncle Thomas…). End of 2019, she creates her own structure and works with different Cies as an independant artistic consultant.
Trilingual, Christophe Erbes has created and managed many children channels in Europe. He develops brands and writes books, bibles and screenplays for series and films, including OSCAR & HOO with Michael Dudok de Wit. He's a partner in Godo Films production company, curates and hosts several media conferences and the DellucJr Awards for the Best French Independant Films for Children as President of an art house cinema's association. ``I believe we become adult not by forgetting but understanding childhood.``
Heather is part of Citizen Skull Productions, an independent production company specializing in television and feature production. She coordinates Citizen Kids, a division of Citizen Skull, focused on children’s entertainment. She is also a creative consultant, some of her clients are Discovery Kids Latin America, Kid Glove Creative, Portfolio Entertainment and Cinema Fantasma. As Vice-President at Starz Animation Toronto, she produced ``9`` and ``Gnomeo and Juliet``. Previously, she had been Sr. Director of Development of Original Series at Cartoon Network.
Eleanor is a Paris-based American producer who has worked as head of in-house production across all platforms at TF1. Now, she works independently in animated feature film acquistions and development with Indie Sales. Her cartoon television work concentrates on international development and pre-sales for the award winning studio Blue Spirit (producer of Oscar nominated feature film “My Life as a Zucchini”) in France and Canada. Eleanor is very proud to be producing Iranian director Reza Riahi’s short film “Navozande”. She is also a founding member and co-vice president of the association Les Femmes S’animent, part of the global Women in Animation network.
At present, he is in charge of the management of Mercury Filmworks´ development teams and of spearheading the move into original programming. He has worked for DreamWorks, Disney, France Télévisions, Tf1, RAI, Teletoon Canada, and Netflix. He ran his own Paris-based company, You and Eye Creative, he served as Vice President of Creative and Executive Producer at Gaumont Animation, he worked as animation director on the Gorillaz music video ``Dirty Harry`` and served as Co-Director for the second season of Cartoon Network’s ``Robotboy``.
For 17 years, Eloa has worked in production and in post-production studios and gradually has become a Studio Manager. In the meantime, she performed as a dancer learning with the French Choreographer Mia Frye. Dance is a relevant toolbox for pitches to manage breath, rhythms, depth, presence, energy. 13 years ago, she decided to become a trainer and a coach. She has worked for severely disabled people, dancers, musicians, directors, producers, TD, etc. She has become a trainer for Airbus Group senior executives, ATR and the Toulouse Hospital.<br /> She also works for the MIFA as Pitch Coach Expert for all the project holders and she has coached some producers for the Cartoon Forum.
Originally from New Jersey, Pete Michels earned a BFA in Illustration from Jersey City State College and an MFA in Animation from UCLA. After landing a job on “The Simpsons”, Pete quickly moved up the ranks to become a director for 5 seasons of The Simpsons, as well as directing pilots at Disney and episodes of “Rugrats” and “Rocko’s Modern Life” for Nickelodeon. Pete then accepted a post as Supervising Director on “Family Guy”. He supervised and directed dozens of episodes of “Family Guy” until moving on to become Supervising Director for Adult Swim’s “Rick and Morty”. Pete was also Supervising Producer and Director on “Hot Streets” for Adult Swim and Stoopid Buddy Stoodios. He is currently Supervising Director on a new series at Netflix.
Henry is an Oscar nominated, Primetime Emmy Award winning Animation Director and Director with over 25 years experience in creating digital actors ranging from the original Coca-Cola Polar Bears to Stuart Little. He directed several animated feature films in development at DreamWorks, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. He was the Consulting Director on the feature FLUSHED AWAY, overseeing the work from the DreamWorks side to produce Aardman Animation’s first CG feature, and was the animation director on the Disney/Touchstone film GNOMEO & JULIET. In addition he has won several Clio Awards for his advertising work as well as an Annie Award. Henry is also a member of both the Motion Picture Academy of Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS).
Welaw Consulting is a firm specialized in entertainment law, specifically in Spanish and international audiovisual law. Francisco is advisor on international audiovisual law, international co-productions, and administrative requirements, whether it is in Latin American, English, European and/ or Asian areas, always minding the respective co-production agreements. He also advises on legal aspects of funding sources for audiovisual projects, including tax shelter and tax rebate structures. He has been academic coordinator for the Master’s Degree on Film Industry Management at Carlos III University of Madrid, and he is currently giving lectures at universities or film institutes such as ESCAC at Catalunya.
Paco Rodriguez founded PPM Multimedia in 1990 and worked there for 10 years in international distribution, financing co-productions and in the executive production of several animated series such as “Koki”, “Capelito”, and “Caracolimpicos”. He was executive producer of seven feature films which have been awarded 4 Goyas (“El Cid la Leyenda”, “Pinocho 3000”, “Nocturna”, “Pérez el ratoncito de los sueños” I and II), and he was director at Filmax Animation. He currently directs Media Training & Consulting, training and consulting company for the digital content sector. He collaborates as a consultant for ICEX and he is an expert of the EU’s Media program. He is a member of the Spanish Film Academy.
José Iñesta has a passion for art, technology and human beings. He believes that creative industries, animation especially, can be a driving force for development, dignity and reconciliation for Latin America. Founder of Pixelatl, an association looking to spark off and promote Mexican creative industries in the world by creating alliances with organisms interested in the audiovisual ecosystem. He has been member of the jury for several animation festivals and he is director of Animotora, a business incubator conceived and designed to identify, teach and support creative entrepreneurs willing to venture to the international industry.
Producer specialized in animation with experience in short films for TV, music videos and children's content. He is artistic director of the Pixelatl Mexican Association, where he handles content for the Festival, Ideatoon, Bootcamp, Secuenciarte and VMX Videogame showroom. Freelance animation journalist for publications in the US, Mexico and Spain. He is charge of contents for Sublime Jalisco by AJIC + CCD + Pixelatl.
After doing street theater with youth gangs, participating in various community insertion projects, and developing a career in marketing, in 2011 he makes a radical change in his career and founds Pixelatl together with José Iñesta, to promote the production and distribution of new animated content aimed at the international market, seeking to turn the creative industry into a lever for economic and social development for Mexico and Latin America.
Creator and director of Weird Market, International Market of Animation, Video Games and New Media (Segovia, Spain) which is already in its twelfth edition. He is also the creator and director of the Quirino Awards for Ibero-American Animation (2018-2020) and co-creator and co-director of Bridging the Gap - Animation Lab (2015-2019). He is also Ambassador in Spain for the EAA - European Animation Emile Awards. As an advisor and consultant he has collaborated with institutions such as the Chilean Council of Culture, Proimágenes Colombia, Pixelatl (Mexico), Ruta N Medellín (Colombia) and SPET Turismo de Tenerife, among others. In addition to international events such as Annecy - MIFA, Cartoon Forum and Cartoon Movie, among others.
Producer of the Quirino Awards for Ibero-American Animation, an initiative that emerged in 2017 to recognize the best of animation made in the region, and to generate connections and cooperation between all the countries that make up the region. She is also the coordinator of Weird Market, International Market of Animation, Video Games and New Media, which has been held for 12 years in Segovia, Spain. Before that, she worked as a producer and coordinator in several international film events such as Alcine - Alcalá de Henares Film Festival, LesGaiCineMad - LGTB International Film Festival in Madrid, UNIFEST - International University Film Festival, and German Film Festival in Madrid, among others.
She studied Superior Architecture and worked in CAD/CAM systems applied to design. She worked in construction, property development and the hotel business. She researched the area of development and personal relations. She returned to her design and image origins expressing herself through the audiovisual world, where she has developed different works in different areas. She is General Manager of B Water Animation Studios, a group that has positioned itself in Europe as an innovator thanks to its latest production ``Treasure Trekkers``, developing a hybrid pipeline that is unique in the world. Its philosophy is the search for better quality and higher productivity through technical innovation and process optimization.
In 2007, together with Sebastian Ruz, he created the audiovisual studio specialized in animation Carburadores, where he has developed a significant number of animated pieces, mainly for the advertising market, as well as videoclips and content for television. In 2020, he premieres his first feature “Nahuel y el libro mágico” (Annecy Official Selection) and he is working on his second feature “La veta del Diablo”.
Art director and producer, cofounder of Mighty Animation in 2012, a 2D and CGI studio based in Mexico. He has produced and directed projects with brands such as Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Riot Games, BBC among others.
Founder of Red Animation Studios and Representative of Los Amigos - Peru (www.redanimationstudio.pe). Specialized in Animation with 20 years of experience, he has produced several original and on request works, in different positions of direction and executive production, creating and producing content exhibited in cinema and tv windows like Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. Turner, Rovio, Warner, Sony, Lionsgate, Youtube, Disney. He is a cultural manager and organizer of activities aimed at promoting international animation. He co-founded the first association of Peruvian animation companies, which he presides over, as well as organizing the Peruvian Animation Festival Anima Peru. He has participated in the following projects: ``Rodencia y el diente de la princesa`` (2012), ``QuackerZ`` (2016), ``Siesta Z (2016)``, ``Ugo & Serena`` (2018), ``Boys in the Woods`` (2019), ``Guitar and Drum`` (2020), ``Taina y los guardianes de la Amazonia`` (2019), and ``Nahuel y el Libro Mágico`` (2020).
Audiovisual communicator, producer and founding partner of Punkrobot, an animation studio founded in 2010. He has produced the children's series ``Flipos`` (2010), ``Las aventuras de Muelin y Perlita`` (2013), ``La leyenda de Zeta y Ozz`` (2019), ``Guitar and Drum`` (2020) and the short films ``I am Little Red`` and ``Historia de un Oso``, the latter winner of more than 60 festivals worldwide and recognized with the Academy Award. In 2020, Punkrobot (Chile) together with Hype (Brazil) and Red (Peru), create the alliance ``Los Amigos``, an animation group focused on the development of high quality animated projects from Latin America to the world. He is the founder of the Chilean animation association and an academic of the digital animation career at UDLA-Chile.
Gabriel co-wrote, directed and produced the animated short film ``Ed.`` (2013), selected for more than 100 festivals and receiving 28 awards, including the 2014 Brazilian Channel Grand Prix. Gabriel is Executive Producer of “Guitar and Drum” series (in co-production with PunkRobot) and “Tainá and the Amazon’s Guardians”, co-production with Viacom CBS and Sincrocine. Gabriel has participated in several national and international animation pitchings, including Rio Content Market (RJ), Bridging the Gap (Valencia), OIAFF (Ottawa), MIFA (Annecy) and MIA, (Miami), the latter receiving first place. In 2020, Hype together with Punkrobot (Chile) and Red (Peru), create the alliance ``Los Amigos``, an animation group focused on the development of high quality animated projects from Latin America to the world.
Film producer graduated from INCAA’s film school ENERC. He has worked in the audiovisual industry for more than 15 years, he was part of the production team in many national features and foreign production services carried out in the country, and he worked as producer in TV shows. In 2014, he joined the project development team of the TV channel for children Pakapaka and he is currently responsible for the area.
Valeria Dotro has a degree on Communication Sciences and a specialization in childhood and media. She works as a consultant on childhood, culture and communication. She is a member of Latinlab and she was part of the founding team of Pakapaka channel, where she is currently Content Manager.
Media industry professional with 9 years of experience in animation and kids content distribution. Started her career as a Sales and festival manager at KinoAtis (producer of Space Dogs animation franchise), and in less than 3 years reached a position of Director of Content Sales. After 2,5 years of successful work in this new role, joined Animaccord’s media team. While initially managing only certain regions, in 2 years was appointed senior media manager, to overview media strategy globally.
Producer, animation talents' agent and coordinator of the Polish Quality project. In 2010, she joined Se-ma-for studio as events coordinator, production manager and line producer until 2015. Co-founder of Momakin, she is currently acting as executive producer and agency coordinator at Momakin and as representative of the Polish Quality project promoting Polish artists. The Polish Quality project aims at the worldwide presentation of Polish artists and service-providing companies working in the animation industry, contributing to international film production and especially to stop-motion animation. Coorganizer of Animarkt Stop Motion Forum. Member of Polish Filmmakers Association and Polish Animation Producers Association.
Co-founder and associate at MOMAKIN. She co-produces and programs ANIMARKT Stop Motion Forum. Her main tasks at MOMAKIN include also searching for movies and television programs for distribution. She has years of experience as a coordinator of projects promoting Polish animation throughout the world and as an organizer of numerous cultural events. Addicted to animation and her bikes. From 2012 to 2014 coordinator and Programme Director of Se-ma-for Film Festival. In 2015 co-created a major VOD platform for children in Poland.
As VP and Publisher of Kidscreen, Jocelyn Christie leverages her extensive knowledge of and relationships within the international kids entertainment business to help build the brand’s global leadership position and profitably expand its product offering. She has been in this role since June 2010, and with Kidscreen since 1998.
Executive Director of Chilemonos Foundation, a non-profit organization which promotes, fosters and develops Chilean animation for the world, implementing training activities and international encounters within the animation industry. Chilemonos works following five courses of action: Culture, Industry, Training, Research and Broadcasting. Creator and Executive Director of Chilemonos International Animation Festival, MAI! Animation Market, Animaccion, Monocycle Distribution, Solomonos Magazine, Solomonos TV, ReelDay, and Animadores del Mundo.
She is an experienced international consultant specialising in content & talent scouting as well as programming for markets, festivals, worldwide within the children's media industry. She provides broadcasters, world sales and creative producers with a bespoke service to find the right business partners. Viola works currently as programmer for Kids Kino Industry – an international co-production event for kids and youth content based in Warsaw, Poland and as the animation feature programme delegate for the Shanghai International Film Festival.
Romina Savary is a producer in audiovisual media, graduated in the department of cinema and TV in the National University of Córdoba. She performs as a general producer with wide experience in the development and production of audiovisual content in the genre of documentary, fiction and animation. She is part of the APA Lab coordination team and president of APA, the Association of Animation Producers of Córdoba.
Hebe Tabachnik has been a film curator, producer and festival consultant for twenty years, and participated as a juror, project evaluator and panelist in the US, Europe, Latin America, Israel and China. She is Senior Programmer for the Seattle, Palms Springs and Cartagena International Film Festivals, and the Artistic Director for Cine Latino Minneapolis Saint Paul. As a curator and producer; and through her workshops on festivals, film distribution and project pitching she seeks to empower and nurture visionary artists all over the world.
Film and television director graduated from the National University of Colombia. He was a producer and leader of delegate producers at Señal Colombia, where he was in charge of the creation of around 50 productions, some of which have had national and international recognition, such as ``Migrópolis``, ``Mr. Trance``, ``Don Quijote de la Láctea``, ``Asquerosamente Rico`` and ``Puerto Papel``. He is currently a content producer for Capital Sistema de Comunicación Pública.
Audiovisual producer with more than 20 years of experience, especially in programs for children and teenagers. He is an expert in transmedia narratives and content dissemination through multiple platforms. He was the transmedia manager of Canal Capital in Bogotá during the last 4 years. His latest children's animation production, ``Mi Mundo Interior``, has been nominated for several national and international awards during 2019 and 2020.
Belli Ramirez is a renowned production manager from Spain. She has over 25 years of experience managing animated films and TV series. Belli has had the opportunity to broaden his experience in several animation production houses, including the Oscar-winner Animal Logic and Ilion Animation Studios, where she worked as head of production in the film Planet 51, and as production manager in the first and fourth season of Pocoyo, one of the most famous TV series in the world. At present, Belli is founder and consultant in Mr. Cohl, where she collaborates with the development of animation projects.
Scriptwriter, content consultant and story editor specialized in animation and children’s content with 16 years of experience. Highlights among his work: “Paper Port”, “Pocoyó”, “Filly Funtasia” & “Horatio and the Plasticines”. He also has developed content for Disney xD, Cartoon Network LA, Discovery Kids & NatGeo Kids.
Media and Childhood Specialists. Photographer, format developer, scriptwriter, teacher and consultant. Former Content Director of Pakapaka. Partner of the international foundation Children in the Center, the Strong Stories for Strong Series Children project (Prix Jeunesse) and the WADADA News for Kids International network (Free Press Unlimited-Holland).
Nidia Santiago, CEO and producer at Ikki Films, has produced several films recognized around the world, such as: ``Oh Willy...`` (2012), ``Chulyen, A Crow's Story`` (2015), ``Negative Space`` (Oscar-nominated 2018), ``Riviera`` (2018), ``Sheep, wolf and cup of tea`` (2019), ``Sick Sick Sick`` (Directors' Fortnight Cannes, 2019), among others. Alongside her activity as a producer, she intervenes at Les Gobelins (Paris), ESEC (Paris). She is member of the Unifrance and PROCIREP-ANGOA committee.
Cesar Coelho is an awarded animation director, animator and scriptwriter at Campo 4 Produções Cinematográficas. Animation Coordinator for the Rio2016 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony. Scriptwriter at “Abá“, an animation feature in production and at “Alice Without Color”, a stop motion animation feature in development. He is one of the founders and directors of Anima Mundi –International Animation Festival of Brazil. Co-author of the book ``Animation Now`` published by the German publisher Taschen.
With Adult Swim since 2004, Ollie has supervised production on animated and live action series, specials and pilots. Her animated Adult Swim credits include: “Rick and Morty”, “Robot Chicken”, “The Shivering Truth”, “The Jellies”, “Brad Neely’s Harg Nallin’ Sclopio Peepio”, “Superjail”, “Tigtone”, “Mr. Pickles”, “The Venture Bros”, “Metalocalypse”, “Freaknik: The Musical”, “Lucy, Daughter of the Devil”, “Xavier: Renegade Angel” and “Morel Orel”. Awards include 6 Emmys (“Robot Chicken”, “Rick and Morty”, “Little Bill”) 2 Annies (“Robot Chicken”, “Rick and Morty”) and a Humanitas Prize (“Little Bill”).
He comes from the digital world, where he has over 14 years of experience working on web/TV integrated projects. He is in charge of managing children’s productions and co-productions and interactive developments for Radio Televisión Española Corporation. During his professional career, he has worked as editor for interactive and online areas of important audiovisual companies such as Fox Kids Europe and Jetix Entertainment Spain. He specialized in digital strategy and transmedia approach for children’s entertainment.