Co Hoedeman, Oscar-winning Canadian Animator, Dies at 84

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84-year-old Canadian animator and director Co Hoedeman, famously recognized for his 1977 Oscar win for Best Animated Short Film, has passed away.

On May 26th, Hoedeman passed away in Montreal. The National Film Board of Canada, where he directed 27 films throughout his career, confirmed this on Tuesday. The reason for his passing was not disclosed.

As a gamer, I’d rephrase that as: “Co Hoedeman was an exceptional animator who spent a significant part of his life at the NFB, leaving behind a trail of groundbreaking films with profound humanitarian messages. His love for children and his belief in the power of public filmmaking were unwavering. Sadly, we in the animation community have lost not just a colleague, but a cherished friend. However, we’re fortunate to still have his incredible body of work, each piece a testament to his extraordinary spirit.” This statement was shared by Suzanne Guèvremont, our government film commissioner and chairperson of the NFB.

A skilled craftsman in stop-motion animation, particularly recognized for his work on Wallace and Gromit, A Town Called Panic, Hoedeman was awarded an Academy Award for Le Chateau de Sable (The Sand Castle), a 13-minute short puppet animation film produced by the NFB. This animated tale revolved around a sandman and the beings he formed from sand. The resulting creations then collaborated to construct a castle, celebrating their fresh dwelling, until an unwelcome visitor disrupted their festivities.

Originally from Amsterdam, Hoedeman was born on August 1, 1940. As a youngster, he found great joy in crafting puppets, kites, and other figures using his own hands. In his recently published biography, “Frame by Frame: An Animator’s Journey,” he reminisced about the enchantment of puppet shows during his childhood when television was scarce and entertainment options were limited. He noted a strong similarity between puppet theatre and animation, explaining that both the animator and their team have full control over the narrative, movements, stage design, characters, animation, and audience emotions, much like a puppeteer in a traditional show.

Hoedeman initially embarked on his professional journey within TV commercial production in the Netherlands. However, after witnessing the works of NFB pioneer Norman McLaren at an animation festival, he decided to immigrate to Montreal in 1965, armed with little more than a film reel, hoping to secure a position at Canada’s publicly-funded film studio within its animation department.

Back in 2013, Hoedeman shared in a short documentary titled Making Movie History: Co Hoedeman, that he had developed a deep affection for NFB films. He found the process of creating experimental films truly captivating. As a result, they made the bold decision to relocate to Canada. In this same biographical film, he appeared nonchalant about his Oscar nomination for The Sand Castle, saying something along the lines of ‘So what? Maybe it’s my Dutch practicality talking.’ or ‘Perhaps it’s just my Dutch pragmatism showing.’

During the Oscars, Hoedeman’s reluctance also extended to the point where he mistakenly believed another NFB film, Ishu Patel’s “Bead Game”, had been declared the winner in that year’s competition. In a dramatic turn of events, he stood up to congratulate the supposed winner, only to discover it wasn’t him. Instead, it was Hoedeman who had unexpectedly won the Oscar. This is how he remembered the incident.

Following his initial filmmaking endeavors with the National Film Board (NFB), long before the era of computer-generated imagery, Hoedeman created the acclaimed film “Oddball” in 1969. Subsequently, he journeyed to Czechoslovakia in 1970 to learn about puppet animation techniques. Upon his return to the NFB, he embarked on a series of timeless stop-motion films, employing traditional methods such as a 35mm camera mounted on a tripod and a physical film set.

The 1972 movie called “Tchou-tchou” was made using wooden blocks and won the British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) for Best Animated Film. During the 1970s, Hoedeman developed a collection of animated films inspired by Inuit folklore, collaborating closely with artists from Nunavut and Nunavik.

After his Oscar win for The Sand Castle, Hoedeman proceeded to explore various filmmaking methods and subjects. In 1992, he collaborated with Indigenous inmates at the La Macaza Institution to produce The Sniffing Bear, a movie serving as a warning about drug abuse.

Starting in 1998, he embarked on a cherished children’s series featuring Ludovic, a young teddy bear. This series can be found in the NFB collection under the title “Four Seasons in the Life of Ludovic.” Hoedeman’s last project with the NFB was “Marianne’s Theatre,” completed in 2011.

Afterward, there were collaborations between the NFB (National Film Board) and Hoedeman, who is now an independent filmmaker, such as the 2011 movie titled “55 Socks“. This project was a personal endeavor that drew inspiration from Hoedeman’s childhood memories of Holland during World War II, particularly the “Hunger Winter” of 1944-45.

Apart from his work, Hoedeman envisioned his Ludovic character for a beloved kids’ TV series as well. In 2003, the Cinémathèque Québécoise and NFB honored him with an exhibition titled “Co Hoedeman’s Gardens of Childhood” in Montreal.

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2025-05-28 01:25