BENJAMIN SWICZINSKY

Some of the studio’s most exciting projects reaching from independent to big commercial Hollywood productions. What are the challenges facing the Austrian animation industry and what are the goals for the future?

Born in Korneuburg, made his first 2d animation film “Max Monkey” by the age of 12. More film projects followed during his early school years. After graduation he started working in Vienna at misc. film and television production companies like ATV, Pro7, Puls TV, Dor Film and others.

After short studies of communication science, theater arts and psychology at the university of Vienna, he started animation studies at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in 2006. He graduated in 2011. There he also meets Johannes Schiehsl and Conrad Tambour, with whom he founded the group “Neuer Österreichischer Trickfilm” in 2010. His satire film „Heldenkanzer“, which is about the fascist dictator Engelbert Dollfuß, received several awards at international festivals.

Since then he worked as a director of the series „Lilly the Witch“ for Dor-Film Wien, and also directed the music video „Die Telefonbuchpolka“ for arte/ZDF. He is honoree of the culture price by the state of Lower-Austria.