Wendy Tilby & Amanda Forbis

Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis, the Canadian animation duo with an exceptional career that has marked the panorama of contemporary animation.

Tilby and Forbis have developed a unique visual style that combines traditional and experimental techniques to explore the complexity of human relationships. Their best-known film, When the Day Breaks (1999), won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and other international awards. Other notable films include the Oscar-nominated “Wild Life” (2012) and the recent critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated “The Flying Sailor” (2023). His collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) has been key to developing an artistic language that combines deep narrative sensibility with technical innovation.

Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis met at Vancouver’s Emily Carr University of Art and Design, where they began to develop their distinctive styles. Tilby first came to prominence with the Oscar-nominated short film “Strings” (1991), while Forbis collaborated on commercial animation projects. Their creative partnership officially began with “When the Day Breaks” and has continued with impressive works such as “Wild Life” and “The Flying Sailor”, which combine 2D, 3D and live-action animation.

The duo’s technique is characterised by meticulous attention to detail and innovative use of materials and techniques such as hand-painting, digital montage and image manipulation. This approach has allowed them to push the traditional boundaries of animation and explore profound themes such as human fragility and emotional connection.

As part of the tribute, Animac will organise a retrospective of their most iconic works and the animators will give a masterclass to share their vision and experience with students and professionals in the field.