Independent

‘Animation Is Film’ Announces 2025 Winners

October 21st, 2025

ANIMATION IS FILM (AIF) today announced the winners of its 8th annual festival, with AMÉLIE OR THE CHARACTER OF RAIN, directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, receiving the festival’s top honor, the Grand Jury Prize.

INTERVIEW: Putting Together “Stitch Head”

Jackson Murphy|

October 20th, 2025

We spoke with Steve Hudson, the director of the new animated feature Stitch Head, which opens in theaters on Wednesday Oct. 29, just in time for Halloween.

INTERVIEW: Presenting “Light Of The World”

Jackson Murphy|

August 27th, 2025

John J. Schafer and Tom Bancroft directed the new hand-drawn animated feature Light of the World, which opens in theaters on September 5th (John’s birthday). They hope audiences, especially families, respond well to their portrayal of the story of Christ, successfully made outside the major studio system. (This Animation Scoop Q&A was edited for length and clarity.) […]

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TRAILER: Kelly Asbury’s “UglyDolls”

Unconventionality rules in UglyDolls, a new animated family adventure based on the famous toy brand. Directed by Kelly Asbury (Gnomeo and Juliet, Shrek 2), UglyDolls features original songs by Kelly Clarkson, Janelle Monáe, Blake Shelton, Nick Jonas and Pitbull. The film will be released next summer via STX Entertainment. Here’s what it looks like:

Jerry Beck|November 8, 2018

TRAILER: Laika Studios “Missing Link”

Meet “Mr. Link”: 8 feet tall, 630 lbs, and covered in fur, but don’t let his appearance fool you… he is funny, sweet, and adorably literal, making him the world’s most lovable legend at the heart of Missing Link, the latest stop-motion animated adventure from LAIKA. Chris Butler writes and directs with a cast led […]

Jerry Beck|November 8, 2018

Spotlight Stories Sets Premieres For John Kahrs’ “Age Of Sail”

Directed by Oscar-winning director John Kahrs (Disney’s Paperman), Age Of Sail is Google Spotlight Stories’ longest, most visually complex experience to date. Set on the open ocean in 1900, Age Of Sail is the story of William Avery (played by Ian McShane), an old sailor adrift and alone in the North Atlantic. When Avery reluctantly […]

Jerry Beck|August 29, 2018

Shout! Studios Acquires “Tito And The Birds”

Shout! Studios, the distribution arm of Shout! Factory, has acquired North American distribution rights to the new animated feature Tito and The Birds, directed by Gustavo Steinberg (End of the Line), Gabriel Bitar (Cidade Cinza), and André Catoto (Say I Am Only Seventeen), and written by Eduardo Benaim and Gustavo Steinberg. Tito and The Birds […]

Jerry Beck|August 22, 2018

TRAILER: “Ruben Brant, Collector”

Now this is what we are looking for. Ruben Brandt, Collector, which will have its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival next month. The feature was directed by Milorad Krstić, and produced by Peter Miskolczi, Radmila Roczkov, Hermina Roczkov, János Kurdy-Fehér and Krstić. It was written by Krstić, with original music composed by Tibor […]

Jerry Beck|July 15, 2018

Laika’s “Missing Link” To Be Released Spring 2019

LAIKA, the animation studio behind the Academy Award nominated Kubo and the Two Strings, The Boxtrolls, ParaNorman, and Coraline, announces its fifth and most ambitious film to date: Missing Link. The title, U.S. release date (Spring, 2019) and complete cast details were revealed today by LAIKA President & CEO Travis Knight as he prepares to […]

Jerry Beck|May 8, 2018

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TRAILER: “Arctic Dogs”