Hungarian movie wins European Animation Award for best writing – trailer
László Csáki’s film Pelikan Blue has won the Emile Award for Best Animation Screenplay, announced the National Film Institute on Monday.
Hungarian animation movie on the top
The European Animation Awards were presented on Sunday evening at the Tallinn Black Nights International Film Festival, according to a statement highlighting that Pelikan Blue, made with support from the National Film Institute, has been seen by over 26,000 cinema-goers in Hungary. The film is regularly screened in numerous film clubs, available on Filmio, and has earned prestigious awards worldwide over the past two years.
“The award went to a film that elegantly blends animation with documentary, engaging its audience deeply. Although it tells a personal story, it captures a significant moment in Hungarian and European history, all the while reminding us of the importance of freedom,” the international jury of animation experts said in their citation.
The Pelikan Blue is Hungary’s first animated documentary, offering a playful yet critical take on the 1990s train ticket forgery scandal. Infused with system-critical and heist film elements, it’s packed with contemporary Hungarian hits. Alongside real participants speaking in their own voices, the film features voice performances by Norman Lévai, Kornél Tegyi, Ágoston Kenéz, Olivér Börcsök, Vivien Rujder, Renátó Olasz, Szabolcs Thuróczy, Gábor Csőre, Nóra Trokán, and Judit Csoma.
Numerous honours
The soundtrack evokes the post-communist era with iconic Hungarian bands such as Bonanza Banzai, Kispál és a Borz, and Hiperkarma, the Film Institute added.
The film had its world premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival two years ago and has since been invited to prestigious international festivals including Annecy, the Silk Road Festival in Xi’an, Hot Docs in Toronto, and Filmtettfeszt in Cluj-Napoca.
It has also been honoured with awards at numerous other international festivals.
Pelikan Blue was directed by Csáki László, produced by Ádám Felszeghy and Miklós Kázmér. The cinematographer was Árpád Horváth, edited by Dániel Szabó, with music composed by Ambrus Tövisházi and Miklós Preiszner. Supported by the National Film Institute, the film was produced by Umbrella Entertainment in collaboration with Cinemon Entertainment, with professional input from Temple Réka. The domestic distributor is JUNO11 Distribution.
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