Joanna Quinn facts for kids
Joanna Lisa Quinn is a famous English film director and animator. She is known for her unique hand-drawn animation style and for creating the popular character Beryl. Her films have won many awards around the world.
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Early Life and Education
Joanna Quinn was born in Birmingham, England. She grew up in North London. She attended Highgate Wood Secondary School. After school, she studied art at Goldsmiths College, University of London. Later, she earned a degree in Graphic Design from Middlesex University. These studies helped her develop her special artistic style.
Her Amazing Career
Joanna Quinn's first film was Girls Night Out, made in 1987. This film won three awards at the Annecy Film Festival. It also introduced her well-known character, Beryl. Beryl is a fun and quirky character who often finds herself in interesting situations.
Beryl appeared again in Quinn's next film, Body Beautiful (1990). In this film, Beryl is a factory union representative. She deals with a challenging workmate named Vince, voiced by Rob Brydon.
In Dreams and Desires - Family Ties (2006), Beryl becomes very interested in making films. She is asked to record a friend's wedding.
Her film Affairs of the Art was released in January 2021. It was written and produced by Les Mills. The voices were done by Brendan Charleson and Menna Trussler, who played Beryl. This film won Best Animation at its first showing at the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival. In Affairs of the Art, Beryl is completely focused on drawing. Her passion for art takes over her life and her whole home.
Other Notable Films
Joanna Quinn has directed other films too. These include:
- Elles (1992)
- Britannia (1993), which featured voices by Christine Pritchard and music by Ben Heneghan and Ian Lawson.
- Famous Fred (1996), with voices from Lenny Henry and Tom Courtenay.
- Wife of Bath (1998), which had voices by Billie Whitelaw, Liz Smith, and David Troughton.
Beryl Productions International
In 1987, Joanna Quinn started her own company called Beryl Productions International Ltd. She founded it with producer and writer Les Mills. Besides making personal films, their company has created many commercials. These commercials have been shown in the UK, US, Mexico, and Canada.
Some of their clients include well-known brands like Charmin, Whiskas, and United Airlines. Many of these commercials feature Quinn's unique drawing style. They were all animated by hand, on paper.
Joanna Quinn's work has been celebrated all over the world. Her films have been shown in special retrospectives in cities like Rome, New York, Toronto, London, and Moscow.
In 2008, an exhibition called 'Drawings that Move' displayed her work. It was first shown at the National Media Museum in Bradford, England. This exhibition later traveled to Spain, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Portugal.
Academic Recognition
Joanna Quinn has received several special honors from universities. She has an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Arts from the University of Wolverhampton. She also has an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Arts from Middlesex University. She was made a Fellow of the University of Wales. She is also an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Art, London. In 2017, she became a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which is the group that gives out the Academy Awards.
Awards and Recognition
Joanna Quinn has won more than one hundred international awards for her animation. These include:
Two of her films have even been nominated for an Academy Award:
- Famous Fred (1997)
- Affairs of the Art (2021)
Affairs of the Art has won many international awards. These include 6 Audience prizes, 2 grand prix awards, and awards for best comedy, best director, best British, and best European film.
In 1996, Quinn was invited to Buckingham Palace. There, she received the Leonardo da Vinci International Art Award. In 2006, her film Dreams and Desires won the Grand Prix at the World Festival of Animated Film - Animafest Zagreb. In 2014, she was honored with the ASIFA laureate award. In 2021, she received the Crystal Pegasus. This is a lifetime achievement award given at the Animator Festival in Poznań.
Filmography
Here is a list of Joanna Quinn's films:
- Girls Night Out (1987)
- Body Beautiful (1990)
- Elles (1992)
- Britannia (1993)
- Famous Fred (1996)
- The Wife of Bath - The Canterbury Tales (1998)
- Dreams and Desires – Family Ties (2006)
- Affairs of the Art (2021)
See also
In Spanish: Joanna Quinn para niños
