Cartoon Forum will only showcase two British projects this year in an ongoing Animated UK Meets Europe initiative that it runs in partnership with BBC Children’s and Education and Animation UK. This is a noticeable drop since the last edition of the program, which featured five entries in 2023. 

Kate O’Connor, executive chair of Animation UK, says the reason for this less robust lineup is that the BBC was the region’s only broadcaster with projects ready in time. Both entries backed by Britain’s pubcaster will be announced in June and then presented at a special Cartoon Forum session on September 17 that will also feature a panel discussion about co-productions, with head of commissioning and acquisitions (7-12) Sarah Muller confirmed to participate as a speaker. And Cartoon Forum is planning to run a networking event on September 18 to connect European attendees with the UK delegation. 

Cartoon Forum revoked the eligibility of UK-led projects to participate in its core program in 2021, following the British government’s withdrawal from the Creative Europe MEDIA funding program as part of Brexit. In 2023, Cartoon Forum introduced the Animated UK Meets Europe program to bring UK projects back to the event, albeit in a more limited and separate way. 

The UK Screen Alliance has been lobbying the government to rejoin Creative Europe MEDIA, says O’Connor. But for now, being part of Cartoon Forum in any way is still a win for UK producers. “We are delighted to be going back to Cartoon Forum this year, and to be maintaining our strong EU connections. Until and unless we are back and contributing to Creative Europe MEDIA programs, we can’t fully participate and pitch as majority co-producers. But we are very grateful to the BBC, which is sponsoring two projects this year from two Animation UK members.” 

Pictured is Duck & Frog from Sun & Moon Studios, one of the five UK projects (and a BBC-backed one) that was part of Cartoon Forum’s Animated UK Meets Europe program in 2023.