News

Brazilian studio Coala Films has boarded the Portuguese animated feature “Una” from Oscar-shortlisted “Percebes” producer Bap – Animation Studios. With the new backing, production is now ready to kick off in the new year.

“Una,” highlighted during a Portuguese Projects Pitch at Annecy last June, marks the feature film debut of David Doutel and Vasco Sá, producers at Bap – Animation Studios whose own shorts as directors, such as “Soot” (2014), “Augur” (2018) and “Garrano” (2022) have earned the duo plaudits around the world.

With “Una,” Doutel and Sá address increasingly urgent social issues, linking the rebellion of young Una against a smoke-belching lithium mine in her village mountain valley to other attempts to push back against the ravages of rampant eco-destructive capitalism around the world.

‘Una’

“Una” is being made with the financial support of Ica (Portugal), Ancine (Brazil), Pic Portugal – Cash Rebate and Media Creative Europe, and is produced by Bando à Parte...

As ever more Portuguese directors plan their first animated feature, Annecy is staging a timely Tribute to Portuguese Animation, its 2024 Country of Honor, with a seven section spread of key titles.

Variety has made its own selection of that selection, profiling modern milestones such as Abi Feijo’s “The Outlaws” and José Miguel Ribeiro’s “The Suspect” and taking in Regina Pessoa’s “Uncle Thomas, Accounting for the Days,” the dazzling 2D of Bap, Zagreb Animafest winner “The Garbage Man” and Oscar-nominated ‘Ice Merchants.”

There’s a larger narrative to the titles: the step-by-step and very often collaborative growth of a craft industry of social point and high artistic ambition prized at home and ever more abroad.

As multiple leading lights of the Portugal’s animation industry contemplate feature film creation, Annecy’s Tribute is a reminder of what Portugal has already achieved.

Some highlights:

“Ice Merchants,” (João Gonzalez, 2022)

Portugal’s first ever Oscar nominee,...

The sixth edition of the Quirino Awards, an annual event dedicated to the promotion of animation in Spain, Portugal and Latin America, saw a triumph for Portuguese cinema, with animations from the country taking home four of the nine awards.

The Quirino Awards also proved a veritable showcase of Portugal’s rich animation history– apt as the event also marked the centenary of animation in Portugal.

The feature film “Nayola,” helmed by Portuguese director José Miguel Ribeiro, walked off with the best feature film award.

The film, a Praça Filmes production, is a moving depiction of three generations of Angolan women grappling with the aftermath of the civil war that devastated their country in the late 20th century. Ribeiro’s first feature, “Nayola,” which premiered in main competition at the Annecy Animation Festival in 2022, is based on the play “A Caixa Preta” by Eduardo Agualusa and Mia Coutode. Its bold color palette,...