"Uncle Thomas, accounting for the days" wins the Annie Award in the category of Best Short Subject.
Regina Pessoa's film "Uncle Thomas, accounting for the days" won the run for the Best Short Subject at the 47th Annie Awards, an event that celebrates excellence in the field of animation, whose awards are given annually in Los Angeles by the Hollywood division of the International Association of Animation Cinema (ASIFA). It's the first time that a Portuguese film receives this distinction.
Regina Pessoa described the award as a relevant chapter for Portuguese animation: “It is important because it's the first time that a Portuguese film has won this prize. It is another step in a new ground that the Portuguese are gradually establishing.”
Since its premiere last June, "Uncle Thomas, accounting for the days", has been recognised worldwide such as in the world's most important animation festival, in Annecy (France), where it received two awards; in Animamundi (Brazil), also awarded twice or in Chicago (USA) where it got the main prize. Additionally, the film was one of the 10 films in the Short List for the Oscars and it received the candidacy for the nomination to the 2020 European Film Awards, whose 5 final nominees will be known in October.
This short film, co-produced between Portugal (Abi Feijó, Ciclope Filmes), France (Reginald de Guillebon, Les Armateurs) and Canada (Julie Roy, ONF), is a touching tribute to an everyday poet, a demonstration of Regina Pessoa's love for her eccentric uncle, a person who became an artistic inspiration and played a key role in her development as a filmmaker. The 13-minute film is a rich mix of animation techniques, combining stop-motion with an unique animated engraving technique. With a matrix coming from the drawing by hand, "Uncle Thomas, accounting for the days" evolves from Regina Pessoa's childhood universe, very evident in all her work. Regina Pessoa had already been nominated for the Annie Awards with her previous film, "Kali the Little Vampire".
The other Portuguese animated film nominated for the 47th edition of the Annie Awards was "Purpleboy" by Alexandre Siqueira, a co-production of the Portuguese company Bando a Parte with France and Belgium.