In an unprecedented Goya Awards ceremony (Spanish Academy Awards), UniKo studio swept away the Animation categories by winning both Best Animation Short Film and Best Animation Feature awards.

ACT ONE

UniKo is the label behind the unbelievably original world of Alberto Vazquez’s animation. From Bilbao, Basque Counry they have produced all his films and many other successful projects. Every Animation project they get involved becomes an award winning film. We believe the work of this Basque company deserves some serious attention and hence we bring to Scotland one of their most talented collaborators: Khris Cembe.

ACT TWO

Director Khris Cembe was born in Madrid in 1983, grew up in Cangas (Galicia) and currently lives and works in Barcelona. Autodidactic animator, started his career in the popular webseries ‘Cálico Electrónico’. He has worked in a number of well-known animation projects such as the Goya awarded ‘Birdboy’ (Alberto Vázquez & Pedro Rivero, 2010) in charge of visual development, color, backgrounds and animation. He was Animation Director for the Goya Winning feature film ‘Psiconautas’ (Alberto Vázquez & Pedro Rivero, 2015) and critically acclaimed Decorado (Alberto Vázquez & Pedro Rivero 2015). ‘

ACT THREE

TRAVEL BY FEET’ was Khris’ debut in film directing; in his own words “it tells the story of a traveler who just wants to have a peaceful journey. But many hours trapped in a train eventually it ends up rotting yourself. In this travel only human stupidity will be real. A journey of emotions driven by anger and despair. Travelling is beautiful, but sometimes, it’s only when you get to your destination, right?”.

Khris will speak about his job with Basque production company UniKo. His versatility working both as Director of his own projects where he takes responsibility for all aspects of the animation process and as Animation Director for Alberto Vazquez films. A must heard voice for anyone working in Animation.

Khris Cembe, Alberto Vazquez and UniKo studio have changed Spanish modern Animation. A distinctive artistic style that doesn’t look like anything made before in Spain. Competing with massively bigger productions and blockbusters in the field of animation, they all share their passion for adult type animation, daring stories and dark sense of humour. Always opting for brave stylistic choices, their films reveal a constant commitment to breaking artistic dogmas. Thankfully Spanish Academy (after being praised in world’s most prestigious film meccas) is rewarding the talent of these three amigos and the whole UniKo team for their artistic contribution to the field of Animation.

One masterclass in three acts, producing animation; directing in animation; and developing animation for other directors.

This event is supported by Etxepare Basque Institute and ECA Animation.