Marcell Jankovics
Filed under: People, Animator, Character Designer, Director, Screenwriter, Writer, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, Anime, Color, Hungary, Pannonia Studio, Technicolor,
Full Name:Marcell Jankovics
Occupation / Title:Animator, Character Designer, Director, Screenwriter, Writer
Date of birth:21/10/1941
Date of death:29/05/2021
Birthplace:Budapest, Hungary
Associated studios:Pannoia Film Studio (Pannónia Filmstúdió)
Biography
Marcell Jankovics is a Hungarian animator, director, graphic artist, and writer. He was the former art director and managing director of Pannonia Film Studio in 1995 and 1996, the former president of the Hungarian Cultural Society in 1998 and the St.Stephen Foundation in 2006, and the former president of ASIFA from 1973 to 1978 (Milligan).
Jankovics failed to enter university due to his father being sentenced to prison in 1950 (Losonczi), so in 1960, he joined Pannonia after graduating from high school (Milligan) (“In Memoriam of Marcell Jankovics”).
Jankovics first started as the figure designer of Gusztáv, an iconic character of the famous Hungarian TV animated series Gusztáv running from 1964 to 1979 (“In Memoriam of Marcell Jankovics”).
In 1968, Jankovics directed Dreams on Wings (Álmok szárnyán) (1968), an Air India advertisement of which the director considered to be the turning point of his life for both showing his talent as well as establishing his personal style (“The Director Answers / A Rendező VáLaszol: Jankovics Marcell (2020)” 0:00:20). Dreams on Wings was awarded at the 1970 International Film Festival in Beirut, Lebanon (Losconcz).
Jankovics co-directed Johnny Corncob (János vitéz) (1973), Hungary’s first feature-length animation commissioned by the Hungarian government in commemoration of poet Sándor Petőfi’s birth. It was after this animation that Jankovics gained the fame of animating folklore (“The Director Answers / A Rendező VáLaszol: Jankovics Marcell (2020)” 0:05:44), which ultimately led to his second feature animation, Son of the White Mare (Fehérlófia) (1981), which developed into a cult classic, receiving its digital 4K restoration in 2020 (De Wit).
Jankovics made two shorts in the subsequent years. Sisyphus (1974), a short monochrome ink drawing, was nominated for the Animated Short Oscar in 1976. The other short, The Struggle (Küzdők) (1977), won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1977.
Most of Jankovics’ works made during his later life received awards from Hungary’s Kecskemét Animation Film Festival (KAFF), including:
The Transylvanian Woman and the Devil (A Székely asszony és az ördög) (1988/1996), which won the first prize for Best Series;
Tangram (1988), which won Best Animation;
Hungarian Folk Tales (Magyar népmesék) (1988–1996), which won the best film series;
Jankula (1993), which won the Cultural History Prize;
Song of the Miraculous Hind (Ének a Csodaszarvasról) (2002), which received the National Radio & Television Commission Award sponsored by KAFF;
and The Tragedy of Man (Az ember tragédiája) (2011), which received the Best Visual Language and Jury’s Special Mention
Jankovic’s final work, Toldi (2021), was released a few months after his death in 2021.
References:
De Wit, Alex D. “‘Son of the White Mare’: The Journey of the Cult Classic’s 4K Restoration (Interview).” Cartoon Brew, 21 Aug. 2020, www.cartoonbrew.com/streaming/son-of-the-white-mare-the-journey-of-the-cult-classics-4k-restoration-interview-195577.html. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
“In Memoriam: Marcell Jankovics.” ASIFA, 2 Jun. 2021, asifa.net/in-memoriam-marcell-jankovics/. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
Losonczi , Márton . “Celebrating the Great Cartoon Director Marcell Jankovics’ Birthday.” Hungarian Conservative, 21 Oct. 2023, www.hungarianconservative.com/articles/culture_society/marcell_jankovics_animations_hungarian_folk_tales_birthday_celebration/. Accessed 5 Mar. 2024.
Milligan , Mercedes. “Hungarian Animation Legend Marcell Jankovics Dies Age 79.” Animation Magazine, 1 Jun. 2021, www.animationmagazine.net/2021/06/hungarian-animation-legend-marcell-jankovics-dies-age-79/. Accessed 5 Mar. 2024.
“The Director Answers / A Rendező VáLaszol: Jankovics Marcell (2020).” Youtube, uploaded by Nemzeti FilmintéZet – FilmarchíVum, 21 Oct. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4cz3TYUvKg.
External Links:
Marcell Jankovics on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0417757/