A Bear Named Wojtek is a 2023 Scottish-Polish animated short film directed by Iain Gardner.[2] The 28-minute animated film about the true story[3] of Wojtek, the war bear,[4] has been selected in various international film festivals, including the Annecy International Animation Film Festival[5] and the Manchester Animation Film Festival.[6] It also won a British Animation Award for Best Long Form Animation[7] as well as a Venice TV Award for Best Animation. The film was first broadcast on BBC Alba on the 8th May 2024.[8]
| A Bear Named Wojtek | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Iain Gardner |
| Written by | Wojciech Lepianka |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Edited by |
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| Music by | Normand Roger |
Production companies |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 28 minutes |
| Countries | |
| Language | English |
Plot
editA Bear Named Wojtek brings to life the extraordinary true story of a Syrian brown bear adopted by Polish soldiers during World War II. This half-hour animated short follows Wojtek from the Persian Desert to the Battle of Monte Cassino, where he becomes both a soldier and a symbol of resilience. As the soldiers forge an unbreakable bond with Wojtek, the film explores themes of friendship, identity, and the search for belonging in times of upheaval.
Release
editSince its release, the film has been selected in various festivals around the world:
| Year | Festivals | Award/Category | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival | Best Animated Short[9] | Nominated |
| Manchester Animation Film Festival | British Animated Short Film Award[10] | Nominated | |
| 2024 | Annecy International Animation Film Festival | Competition - Best Television Film[11] | Nominated |
| Venice TV Awards | Best Animation[12] | Won | |
| Animasyros | TV & Commissioned Films Competition Section[13] | Nominated | |
| British Animation Award | Best Long Form Animation[14] | Won | |
| Portland Festival of Cinema Animation & Technology | Best Score in a Short Animation[15] | Won | |
| Spokane International Film Festival | Audience Award for Best Animated Short[16] | Won | |
| Animayo International Film Festival of Animation | International Film[17] | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ "'A Bear Named Wojtek' Trailer Brings Incredible True Story to Attention". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
- ^ Scotland, Screen (2024-05-08). "BBC ALBA shares the epic journey of A Bear Named Wojtek in exclusive VE Day premiere". Screen Scotland. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- ^ "'A Bear Named Wojtek' trailer brings heartfelt true story to life -". www.animationxpress.com. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- ^ Howard, Harry (2021-10-22). "Work begins on animated film telling true story of WWII bear Wojtek". Mail Online. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- ^ Zahed, Ramin. "'A Bear Named Wojtek' Director Iain Gardner Discusses His Lovingly Crafted Annecy-Selected Project". www.animationmagazine.net. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- ^ "A Bear Named Wojtek". Manchester Animation Festival. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ "A Bear Named Wojtek / Mog's Christmas". British Animation Awards. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- ^ "BBC ALBA - Mathan Leis an Ainm Wojtek/A Bear named Wojtek". BBC. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
- ^ "Illuminated Film Shares 'A Bear Named Wojtek' Trailer". Animation World Network. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ "British Animated Short Film Award". Manchester Animation Festival. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
- ^ "Film d'animation catégorie Films de télévision : Un ours nommé Wojtek | Annecy Festival". www.annecyfestival.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ "Winners 2024". Venice TV Award (in German). Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ "ANIMASYROS powered by PPC 2024 – Official Selection". animasyros.gr. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ "2024 Archives". British Animation Awards. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
- ^ "Awards - Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology". 2023-05-30. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ "Animayo | Summit, Conference and International Film Festival of Animation, Visual Effects and Video Games". www.animayo.com. Retrieved 2024-10-30.