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- TXT 1 lead image: The movie Knor drew about 50,000 people to the cinema this year. Photo: Triple P Entertainment
Babs with Piglet. Photo: Triple P Entertainment
Utrecht – Dutch action film “Noor” became the biggest winner Friday night with three golden calves during the Netherlands Film Festival. The film won, among other things, the Golden Calf Award for Best Picture. This award has never been given to an animated film before in Dutch film history.
Arnhem’s Mascha Halberstad directed the full-length animated film, which was made in a garage in her town that’s been converted into a studio in nearly eight years.
Knor was awarded the Calfs Gold Award for Best Film, Best Director and Best Production Design at Stadsschouwburg in Utrecht on Friday. The film was also nominated in the categories for Best Screenplay and Best Sound Design, but did not win.
Knor, which premiered in Dutch cinemas earlier this year, is about the girl Babs. For her ninth birthday, she receives a piglet from her grandfather from the United States. Her parents aren’t too happy about this, but Babs is allowed to keep the Piglet when the animal takes a puppy training course. However, Grandfather has other plans for the pig.
Last week, producer Knor announced that the film would be submitted on behalf of the Netherlands for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. Director Halberstad reacted very enthusiastically to the news. “I think this is the first time the Netherlands has done this, and a space has been set aside to make an animated film. It’s very nice and honorable,” she said.
Wait a few months
The fact that the film is presented does not automatically mean that it is actually competing. The first significant moment is on December 21. Then it will be announced if Knor is part of a shorter list from which candidates will be selected. Final nominations will be announced on January 24th.
