John Halas Remembered:
an animator ahead of his time

(2012-15, 12’06”, PAL Quicktime)

A newly-updated version of the documentary about John Halas, the Hungarian-Jewish emigre who became the father of British Animation. This new version was made to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the founding of Halas & Batchelor on 18th May 1940. It is the companion film to Ode To Joy.

John is a key figure in British cinema and his contribution goes far beyond making “Animal Farm” in 1954, Britain’s first animated feature-film. He produced more than 2,000 films between 1938 and 1995, launched the careers of hundreds of British animators and was a visionary who wanted to create a post-War Utopia through Socialism, animation and international understanding. The original version was made to coincide with the centenary of his birth on 12th April 2012.

The film was commissioned and produced by his daughter Vivien Halas, with whom I co-directed it. This new version is narrated by Zoe Wanamaker and has new music by Tanera Dawkins and sound mixing by Tom Lowe.

The film is included on the The Halas and Batchelor short film collection DVD. It premiered at London Animation Club on 5th May 2015 and will have its festival premiere at Hiroshima International Animation Festival in August 2016.

Interviewees:
Brian Borthwick
Ginger Gibbons
Stella Harvey
Sayoko Kinoshita
Clare Kitson
Gillian Lacey
Roger Mainwood
György Matolcsy
Jimmy Murakami
Edward Nazarov
Graham Ralph
Nicole Saloman
Geza M. Toth
Harold Whitaker
Andy Wyatt

Narrated by Zoe Wanamaker
Narration recorded by Mike Wyeld
Original Music by Tanera Dawkins
Dubbing Mixer: Tom Lowe
Edited by Martin Pickles
Directed by Vivien Halas and Martin Pickes
Produced by Vivien Halas

Screenings

13th Biennial of Animation Bratislva, 11th October 2016
Hiroshima International Animation Festival, 18th August 2016

DVD

Available on the Halas & Batchelor Short Film Collection DVD and BluRay published by Network, 2015.