Azur et Asmar Is Audience Choice At Sprockets Best Animated Film award goes to Michel Ocelot film at Toronto film festival April 26th 2007 08:05pm | Posted by: Michael Simpson The following is a press release from Seville Pictures: Seville Pictures' upcoming film, Azur & Asmar had premiered at the 10th Annual Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children, with its filmmaker Michel Ocelot in attendance. Out of 43 animated films at this year's festival, Azur & Asmar was heralded by Sprockets' festival-goers and is the new recipient of this year’s "Audience Choice Award – Best Animated Film". At the Sprockets Festival 25,000 children and family members attended, viewing a total of 98 films from 28 countries. Azur & Asmar is the latest animated masterpiece from renowned French director Michel Ocelot (Kirikou & The Sorceress, Princes & Princesses), that premiered to standing ovations at the past Cannes and Annecy Film Festivals in 2006. Michel Ocelot worked with a live-action producer (Christophe Rossignon, of Nord Ouest), choosing to combine 3D and 2D for Azur & Asmar. Unlike most other French animation productions, Azur & Asmar was made entirely in Paris . Michel Ocelot also served as President of the ASIFA (International Animated Film Association) from 1994 to 2000. His new feature film, Azur & Asmar, tells a fable about tolerance by presenting two warring brothers in a world of 15th century Persian miniatures. It's an Arabian Nights-style story about two re-united half-brothers and their genie-seeking adventures in a far-off land. The fairy tale, created and written by Ocelot, addresses such themes as racism, nationality, inheritance and idealism. In Azur & Asmar two children were nursed by the same woman: Azur, the blonde, blue-eyed son of a nobleman, and dark-haired, dark-eyed Asmar, the nurse's child. The boys grew up together like brothers, until fate brutally separated them. But Azur was haunted by his nurse’s tales of the legendary Fairy of the Djins, and would not rest until he found her. Now as adults, and rivals, the blood brothers embark on a quest for the Fairy, and their journey takes them to magical lands, rich with dangers and wonders alike. Azur et Asmar is distributed in Canada by Seville Pictures and will be in theatres in the fall of 2007. The Weinstein Company has bought the film and is scheduled to release it in the United States in early fall as well. Source: Seville Pictures In: General Movie News |Visit the HNR Forums

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