Nora Twomey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nora Twomey
Twomey in 2018
Born	(1971-10-31) 31 October 1971 (age 53) Cork City, County Cork, Munster, Ireland
Alma mater	Ballyfermot College
Occupation	Producer, film director, animator
Years active	2002–present
Known for	The Secret of Kells The Breadwinner

Nora Twomey (born October 31, 1971) is a talented Irish animator, director, and producer. She is famous for helping start Cartoon Saloon, an amazing animation studio in Kilkenny, Ireland. Nora is well-known for co-directing The Secret of Kells and directing The Breadwinner. Both of these films were nominated for an Academy Award!

Nora's Early Life and Journey

Discovering a Passion for Animation

Nora Twomey grew up in Midleton, County Cork, Ireland. She left school at 15 and worked in a factory. Even though the work was noisy and repetitive, Nora used that time to think up new ideas. She wore headphones to block out the sound, which helped her focus and imagine stories.

Learning Animation Skills

Nora always loved to draw. After her factory job, she briefly studied fine art. Her drawings were so good that she was accepted into the School of Animation program at Ballyfermot College in Dublin. She graduated from Ballyfermot College in 1995, ready to start her career in animation.

Nora's Amazing Animation Career

Starting Out and Founding Cartoon Saloon

After college, Nora Twomey began working at Brown Bag Films, an animation studio. In 1999, she teamed up with Tomm Moore and Paul Young to create their own studio, Cartoon Saloon. This studio has become famous for its unique and beautiful animated films.

Directing Short Films

In 2002, Nora directed an award-winning short animated film called From Darkness. This film had no talking and told a story based on an Inuit folk tale. She also worked on the fun animated TV series Skunk Fu!. In 2004, Nora wrote and directed another short film, Cúilín Dualach (which means Backwards Boy). It was about a boy whose head was on backwards and how he found acceptance.

Creating Award-Winning Feature Films

Nora Twomey co-directed The Secret of Kells with Tomm Moore. This animated movie is set in Ireland a long time ago, when the famous Book of Kells was being made. It tells the story of a 12-year-old orphan boy who helps finish a special illustrated book. The film was nominated for an Academy Award in 2009.

Nora also worked as the head of story and voice director for Song of the Sea in 2014.

Directing The Breadwinner

In 2017, Nora directed the animated film The Breadwinner. This movie is based on a popular book for young adults by Deborah Ellis. It's about an 11-year-old girl named Parvana who has to pretend to be a boy to support her family when her father is unfairly taken away. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was a big success. Nora worked on this project with actress Angelina Jolie, who helped produce it. The Breadwinner was also nominated for an Academy Award.

Themes and Artistic Style

Stories for All Ages

Nora Twomey's films often feature young main characters who are growing up and dealing with big ideas. Her stories explore themes like myths, the power of stories, family, and finding acceptance. She believes that animation is a powerful way to tell complex stories that can be enjoyed by everyone, not just kids.

Unique Visuals and Hand-Drawn Art

Nora's films combine traditional and digital art, but they often have a beautiful hand-drawn look. She uses simple but effective character designs to make her stories clear. She also likes to mix fantasy with real-life situations. For example, in The Breadwinner, she used colorful, imaginative art for the main character's thoughts, contrasting it with the more realistic and challenging world around her.

Nora is a big fan of the "hero's journey" story structure, which is a common pattern in many tales where a hero goes on an adventure. She also prefers to stick with hand-drawn 2D animation because she believes it has a special artistic quality that lasts a long time.

Awards and Recognition

Celebrating Her Achievements

Nora Twomey has received many awards for her work. The Breadwinner earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature. It also won the Annie Award for Best Animated Feature — Independent, making Nora the first solo female director to win that award.

Her films have also won awards at the Emile Awards, which celebrate European animation. In 2018, The Breadwinner won awards for Best Direction, Best Storyboarding, Best Character Animation, Best Background, and Best Character Design.

Nora has also won awards for her short films, including From Darkness and Cúilín Dualach. Cartoon Saloon, the studio she co-founded, has been nominated for many prestigious awards, including five Academy Awards.

Personal Life

Nora Twomey is a mother of two sons. During the making of The Breadwinner, she faced a personal health challenge but has since recovered.

Filmography

Film Projects

Television Projects