Chico and Rita wins 2011 European Film Award, earns Best Animated Feature Nomination at Annies 2012 Chico and Rita, an animated feature film co-funded by Isle of Man Film and CinemaNX, won the Best Animated Feature Film award at the European Film Academy awards ceremony in Berlin on Saturday 3rd December 2011. In addition the film has just received a nomination in the Best Animated Feature category for the Annie Awards, regarded as the most prestigious international awards event for animation. The winners of the Annie awards will be announced at the ceremony in Los Angeles on Saturday February 4th 2012. Set in Havana in 1948, Chico & Rita is the story of Chico, a young Cuban pianist who dreams of making a place for himself in the jazz world. Rita is a singer with an extraordinary voice which captivates everyone. Music brings them together and they embark on a passionate and tormented love affair. With a soundtrack of latin jazz as background to their love story, the film’s audience is immersed in Cuban passion, sensuality and music. Ten young Manx artists received full training and worked on the film for sixteen months as colourists, in collaboration with other studios based in Hungary, Spain and the Philippines. Film critic Mark Kermode has described the film as “breathtaking”. John Shimmin, Minister for the Department of Economic Development said, “I am simply delighted. This award, plus the many other recent award nominations demonstrate that filmmaking in the Isle of Man is going from strength to strength. I congratulate the local artists who worked on Chico and Rita, they should be extremely proud of their contribution to the film.” ENDS