The Lupus Films team certainly got their steps in yesterday with four trips up to the stage to collect British Animation Awards for Kensuke’s Kingdom and Mog’s Christmas.
A 2D-animated hand-drawn feature film about a boy who gets stranded on a seemingly deserted island, Kensuke’s Kingdom (pictured) won in the Best Feature Film, Writers Award and Best Original Music categories. It’s based on British writer Michael Morpugo’s same-name kids book for eight to 12s (published in 1999 by Egmont UK).
“It’s obviously a huge honor to see the hard work of our director and crew recognized by the biggest animation awards in the UK,” says Camilla Deakin, joint managing director of Lupus Films. The studio has been busy lately building up profile for Kensuke‘s Kingdom, in particular, presenting it at Cartoon Movie this week and the New York International Children’s Film Festival on March 3. Deakin says the response has been excellent, and Lupus is looking to lock down distribution for the pic in North America and the UK. Kensuke‘s Kingdom premiered on February 7 in France, where it has sold 300,000-plus tickets and earned more than US$2 million.
In the Best Longform Animation Category, Lupus’s Mog’s Christmas special tied for top honors with A Bear Named Wojtek from The Illuminated Film Company and Filmograf. Mog’s Christmas revolves around a cat who feels ignored during Christmas until she climbs up on the roof, while Wojtek tells the true story of a bear who became a Polish soldier during WWII.
Lupus plans to take the momentum from these wins into the work it’s doing this year, including its 90-minute feature film Las Dos Fridas about Frida Kahlo, which is in production now with Paloma Baeza directing. The studio also is set to do another Christmas special this year, says Deakin.
Ireland’s Sixteen South took home Best Children’s Preschool Series for Odo, which also won Best Design. And Illuminated’s The Rubbish World of Dave Spud won the 2024 Best Children’s Series Award.
The Children’s Choice Award, which was adjudicated by students at a primary school in Bristol, went to Netflix’s Dead End – Paranormal Park.
This year’s BAA nominations were announced last month, and a full list of winners is available online .