Hartlepool filmmaker wins animation award at Tees Valley International Film Festival

One of the town’s filmmakers has received an animation award at the North East’s international film festival.
By Madeleine Raine
Published 19th Dec 2023, 15:42 BST
Updated 19th Dec 2023, 15:42 BST
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Adam Bouabda, a film producer from Hartlepool, was presented with an award for Best Animation from Robson Green at the Tees Valley International Film Festival 2023 for his production of An Illustrated History of the Teesside Parmo.

The short comedy, written and voiced by Scott Turnbull and with animation by Ben Pics, follows the tale of the Parmo – “free roaming birds of paradise” – throughout history.

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From Early Anglo Saxon settlers to 21st Century celebrities, the viewer is exposed to the struggles faced by these “birds” who “have been hunted almost to extinction”.

Adam Bouabda receives the Best Animation Award at the Tees Valley International Film Festival for his production of An Animated History of the Teesside Parmo.Adam Bouabda receives the Best Animation Award at the Tees Valley International Film Festival for his production of An Animated History of the Teesside Parmo.
Adam Bouabda receives the Best Animation Award at the Tees Valley International Film Festival for his production of An Animated History of the Teesside Parmo.

Speaking about receiving the award, Adam said: “You always hope something you create will win.

"As a company, that is one of our smaller projects but it’s nice when you get some recognition.

"It is very niche and a film we knew our North East audiences would get.”

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Adam graduated from the Northern School of Art in 2015, launching his own independent indie company, Sea & sky Pictures, in 2020 to produce scripted comedy, factual entertainment and commercial feature films in the North East.

Still from the short film, An Illustrated History of the Teesside Parmo, showing Piers Morgan trying a hot parmo.Still from the short film, An Illustrated History of the Teesside Parmo, showing Piers Morgan trying a hot parmo.
Still from the short film, An Illustrated History of the Teesside Parmo, showing Piers Morgan trying a hot parmo.

He said: “We are the only production company in Hartlepool, and Teesside really, is doing what we do.

"We jump between genres.”

Since launching his own company, Adam has produced a number of scripted comedy, BFI-funded short films, online content and his first feature film, Lore.

Sea & Sky Pictures has also joined the BBC’s regional partnership scheme where it co-creates ideas for BBC Comedy alongside Hat Trick Production, and has produced a number of sketches for Channel 4’s Comedy Sparks.

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A still from the short film, An Illustrated History of the Teesside Parmo, featuring Diana, Princess of Wales.A still from the short film, An Illustrated History of the Teesside Parmo, featuring Diana, Princess of Wales.
A still from the short film, An Illustrated History of the Teesside Parmo, featuring Diana, Princess of Wales.

Talking about the company’s journey, Adam said: “It’s really difficult to get funding in this industry.

"We have some good talent but the main bulk of the industry is in London.

"It is spread around but it is also centralised.

"Being here in the North East, you feel out of it.”

Sea & Sky Pictures had three productions shown at this year’s Tees Valley International Film Festival including Brother Nature and Lore.

Lore is a horror which follows four friends as they embark on a horror-themed camping excursion.

Related topics:North EastHartlepoolBBCTeesside