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Cartoon Forum, the leading co-production event in Europe for animated series, has unveiled the winners of this year’s Cartoon Tributes, recognizing the dedication and creativity of key players in the European animation
industry.
Chosen by the event’s attendees gathered in Toulouse, the winners in the three established categories (Producer, Broadcaster and Investor/Distributor of the Year) were celebrated today as the Forum slowly comes to a close after three days of intense pitching sessions, networking and debates around the state of European animated TV industry.
This year, the Producer of the Year went to Bobby Prod (France), who presented “The Broos” back in 2024 at Cartoon Forum. Now streaming on ARTE France, the series (which originated on social media before being developed as an animated series in co-production with ARTE) highlights the potential of digital-first storytelling to reach wider audiences, with creators and communities deeply tied together.
An approach that’s been at the heart of Bobby Prod for more than 15 years, as the studio built its strong identity around irreverent humour, creative freedom and bold storytelling. From bringing known IPs to life with “Creatures Commandos” or “Dead Cells,” Bobby Prod and sister company Bobbypills are now expanding into their own originals IPs with French hit queer animated feature “Jim Queen” now being presented at TIFF, and Jordan Firstman announced as lead voice cast.
France’s Folivari International takes home the Investor/Distributor of the Year award. Two year since its creation by Folivari, the independent sales agency carefully built its distinctive slate blending in-house titles and third-party acquisitions, with hit series such as “Samuel,” and buzzy titles currently in production and/or development, such as “Pil’s Adventures,” “Ted & Paula’s Tadpole Journey,” “Nino Dino” and “The Baker Street Four,” all presented at Cartoon Forum.
BBC, UK’s public-service broadcaster and a major player in the global economy of animated TV series, received the Broadcaster of the Year award, emphasizing the enduring ties between European animation and the post-Brexit United Kingdom. With its children’s services CBeebies and CBBC catering respectively to preschool and school-age audiences, BBC remains a major commissioner and co-producer of children’s animation, with a strong focus on original content and partnerships with independent production companies. A long-standing presence at Cartoon Forum, BBC boarded several European series to its slate after their Forum pitches, including “Duck & Frog,” “Maddie + Triggs,” “Piggy Builders,” “Pablo” and “Dungeons & Kittens.”
This year’s Tributes also introduced a fourth category, the Ecoprod-Cartoon Tribute, honoring a European animation production company or initiative that has made a significant contribution to advancing sustainability in the sector.
Presented in partnership with Ecoprod, a French non-profit organisation supporting the audiovisual industry’s environmental transition, the new award featured three nominees, with the winner selected by Ecoprod in recognition of its commitment to sustainability across its operations, production methods and storytelling.
The very first Ecoprod-Cartoon Forum Tribute went to French, Réunion Island-based Gao Shan Pictures, a 2D and 3D animation service studio and production company creating bold, distinctive and meaningful films for international audiences with sustainability at its core. A stance that is reflected both in the stories it chooses and in the way they are produced, with credits including “In Waves,” “The Smurfs,” “Jim Queen” and “Allah is Not Obliged.” At Cartoon Forum 2026, Gao Shan Pictures presented “The Roots of My Hair,” a 2D animated series for teenagers aged 12 to 15 adapted from the eponymous best-selling graphic novel.
This year, all nominees had strong ties to Cartoon Forum, having participated in the event both to pitch their projects and to connect with the European animation industry. Companies from the Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Spain and Sweden were also among this year’s nominees.
Created in 1990 to boost the co-production and distribution of European animation across television and new media platforms, Cartoon Forum has since helped more than a 1,000 1,053 animation series obtain financing, totaling more than €3.83 billion ($4.39B).
