Variety is proud to announce the fourth edition of the “Pixels and Pencils” series, highlighting the director behind some of this year’s animated films at this year’s Scad Savannah Film Festival.
Among the directors of six animated films: “Arco,” “Elio,” “In Your Dreams,” “Kpop Demon Hunters,” “Little Amélie or The Carpertion of Rain,” and “Teenage Ninja Turtles Chrome 2: Lost in New Jersey,” she has joined a record number of women in a record number of women films.
As part of Variety’s unparalleled awards season coverage and long-standing partnership with SCAD, the selected director will showcase a wide range of artistic visions and animation styles. Their work will peak on Monday, October 27th with a roundtable discussion moderated by Variety’s Chief Awards Editor Clayton Davis.
A total of nine Auteurs will be involved in the conversation, including Domee Shi from Pixar’s “Elio.” Shi was one of the four women on the panel this year, the most common in a given year. Others include her fellow “Elio” director Madeline Sharafian, Maylies Valade from Gkids’ acclaimed “Little Amelie or Rain Character,” and Maggie Kang, one of the co-helmers of Netflix’s smash hit “Kpop Demon Hunters.”
Another notable first timer on the panel is the Kent Seki. He represents “Teen Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey.” The film premieres at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June, and competes in the category of animated short films for this Oscar season, along with the upcoming screening of “The Spongebob Movie: Search for SquarePant.” Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Jeff Lowe, Ramsay McBean and the animated film relationship “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” took part in the 2023 edition.
The complete list of directors on the panel is as follows:
Ugo Biennu – Neon “Alco” Madeline Sharafian and the Domaine Tribe – Pixar’s “Elio” Alex Woo – Netflix’s “In Your Dreams” Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang – Netflix’s “KPOP Demon Hunter” Seki – Paramount Pictures ‘”Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey”
The panel became the destination for the animated candidates during the awards season. The 2024 panel included Academy Award nominees “Inside Out 2,” “Memoir of a Snail,” “The Wild Robot,” and ultimate Oscar winner “Flow.” In 2023, he nominated nominated filmmakers such as Peter Thorne (“Elemental”), Nick Bruno and Troy Quarn (“Nimona”), Joachim dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson and Kemp Powers (“Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse”). Last Wish), Dean Fleischer Camp (“Marcel the shell in shoes”) and Shi (“Red”).
Variety will also showcase the 4th annual 10 artisans to monitor winners at the festival, and recognize outstanding artists across filming, costume design, editing, hair and makeup, production design, sound editing/design and visual effects. The panel will be hosted by Jazz Tankei, the senior craftsman editor of Variety.
The Scad Savannah Film Festival, unveiled by the Savannah College of Art and Design, is packed with film creativity from award-winning experts and emerging student filmmakers. Over 63,000 people attend the 8-day festival every year.
