We use essential cookies and third-party cookies for content.

Pallade Veneta - 'Minions' studio Illumination gets honorary award from Pharrell

'Minions' studio Illumination gets honorary award from Pharrell

CULTURE 14.06.2023
'Minions' studio Illumination gets honorary award from Pharrell
'Minions' studio Illumination gets honorary award from Pharrell / Photo: VALERIE MACON - AFP

Animation studio Illumination, creators of "Minions" and "Super Mario Bros", was presented with a rare honorary award by Pharrell Williams at one of the world's top animation festivals in France on Wednesday.

Change text size:

Williams, who contributed megahit "Happy" to the soundtrack of "Despicable Me 2", presented the Annecy festival's "Golden Ticket" to Illumination founder Chris Meledandri.

The multi-faceted musician and producer was in France ahead of his debut as Louis Vuitton's new head designer at Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday.

Since its creation in 2007, Illumination has had an astonishing run of success thanks to its "Despicable Me" franchise, and the spin-offs based on the antics of its little yellow Minions.

"The Secret Life of Pets" and "Sing" films have also been hugely successful, though all have been eclipsed by the shock triumph of "Super Mario Bros" which has grossed more than $1.3 billion since its release in April.

It is only the second time the festival has given the award. The previous recipient was DreamWorks ("Shrek", "Kung Fu Panda") in 2016.

"The collaboration between Illumination and Annecy has been crucial in the recent evolution of the festival," its artistic director Marcel Jean said in a statement.

U.Paccione--PV

Featured

Jersey Boys Anniversary Tour Opens in Birmingham With Gritty Account of Crime and Fame

The 20th-anniversary tour of Jersey Boys has opened at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre, offering a gritty and unvarnished look at the Four Seasons’ journey. The production details the band's turbulent rise from New Jersey petty criminals to international rock stars, highlighting the complex personal costs behind their musical success.

UBC professor describes police call after Galloway remark as act of care

VANCOUVER — A University of British Columbia professor has testified about a colleague’s decision to call police to visit Steven Galloway after he was accused of sexual assault, describing it as an “act of care” toward the author, who had spoken of killing himself. Galloway, who is suing his accuser and others in a defamation trial centred on the unproven allegations, has described his subsequent committal to a hospital in the United States as “terrifying.

The Cat in the Hat expands its stakes to cosmic scale in animated reboot

The folks behind the new animated “The Cat in the Hat” are pretty confident they’ve got the cat in the bag. It hasn’t even opened yet and there are onscreen references to possible movie spinoffs for the jet-powered magical couch and The Things.

Lettermen co-founder Tony Butala dies at 87

NEW YORK (AP) — Tony Butala, co-founder of the Grammy-nominated trio The Lettermen, whose lush vocal harmonies made them one of the most popular vocal groups of the 1960s, died Sunday. He was 87.

Change text size: