Heavenly Pigsty: Jean-François Laguionie & La Fabrique

Came across this animator in a book... FLAT CARDBOARD STYLE? Hmm let's see...

Animator Profile
Jean-François Laguionie, born on Oct 4 1939 in Besancon, is a realistic animation film maker. Critically acclaimed and award winning, his work has been described as a kinetic combination of "naïf painting and René Magritte." He wasn't initially interested in animation but preferred theatre. It was through meeting Paul Grimault that Laguionie learnt the techniques of animation. Although the two were close, they did not work together.

Jean-François Laguionie made several short films, among which the famous La Traversée de l'Atlantique à la rame (crossing the Atlantic to the oar) was awarded by Cannes and César. During the production of 'Gwen', or 'The Book of Sands' in 1985, Jef (nick) founded the animation studio 'La Fabrique' (The Factory). However the film was met with critiques and did not achieve major success.It was not until 1999 that his second full feature film 'A Monkey's Tale' came out and in 2003, Black Mor's Island was completed.Currently, Laguionie is working on Le Tableau (Table), a full length film mixing animation and real graphics.

'La Fabrique'

Quoted from Official Site:
More than 20 years ago, Jean François LAGUIONIE, director of several short animation films, settled in Saint Laurent le Minier, in an old silk factory to begin work with a few artist friends on a feature film: "GWEN OU LE LIVRE DES SABLES", and from then onto a stream of short films destined for the cinema. All these artists stayed in the Cevennes and in 1987 the Fabrique Association became a production company (although the association structure is still operating in order to ensure the projection of the films and the functioning of animation workshops)

In 1995 the work area was enlarged from 330 m2 to 600 m2 to allow for the production of a second feature film "THE CASTLE OF THE MONKEYS".

And so the adventure goes on , with the goal of having a diverse production activity combining the making and distribution of author's short and feature length films and working on television specials of a top quality level. Animation services for the developpement and production of interesting projets are also available.

Today, La Fabrique counts about one hundred films in it's catalogue, films often coproduced with major television channels and other french and european studios.

La Fabrique Feature Films

La Fabrique Short Films > Refer here

Filmography & Awards (from IMDB)
Synopsis quoted from La Fabrique Official Site

Filmography (as Director)

Île de Black Mór, L' (2004)
... aka Black Mor's Island (literal English title)

Château des singes, Le | Castle of the Monkey(1999)
... aka A Monkey's Tale (UK)
... aka Kwom und der König der Affen (Germany)

Gwen, le livre de sable | Book of Sand (1985)
Behind the ramparts of a city , in the middle of a sandy desert, an ancient civilisation has left a monstrous machine which for centuries has continued to produce gigantic objects only to hurl them in to the desert.. Roseline, a 173 year old woman, like all the other nomades of the desert , does not understand the utility of these objects, sinks, telephones or coffee machines and so they are used in other ways, such as for shelter from the sun and the cold. The forbidden city, looming in the distance, is the haven of the dead and no one has ever come back from there. However GWEN, a thirteen year old girl will be the first to attempt the journey in the hope of finding her friend who has disappeared. Rosaline will be her guide and the journey,full of surprises, becomes a sort of initiation.

La Traversée de l'Atlantique à la rame | The Atlantic Crossing(1978)
At first it was only meant to be an ocean crossing, an exploit like any other. However, some journeys last longer than others…

L'Acteur | The Actor(1974)
In his dressing room a young actor makes himself up as an old man , but under his mask of youth , which is his real face

Une bombe par hasard... | An unexpected bomb(1969)
The town has been abandoned by it's inhabitants who fear the explosion of a diabolical machine. A tramp appears, unaware of the situation….

La Demoiselle et le violoncelliste | The lady and the cellist(1965)
... aka The Lady and the Cellist (France: literal English title)
Down by the sea, a musician unwittingly unleashes a storm which carries off a young fisherwoman catching shrimp.

Awards
1965 La Demoiselle et le violoncelliste (the lady and the cellist) - Grand Prix

1967 L'Arche de Noé - Silver Dragon

1969 Une bombe par hasard... - Special Jury Prize

1978 La Traversée de l'Atlantique à la rame - Golden Palm : Best Short Film
1978 La Traversée de l'Atlantique à la rame - Grand Prize
1979 La Traversée de l'Atlantique à la rame - César: Best short film - animation

2000 Le Château des singes (aka. A Monkey's Tale) - Hollywood Discovery Award: Best Animation

2004 L'Île de Black Mór (Black Mor's Island) - Adult's Jury Award : Cert. of Merit

Nominated
2004 L'Île de Black Mór (Black Mor's Island) - Starboy Award

La Traversée de l'Atlantique à la rame (Crossing the Atlantic)

Part 1