The United Kingdom

1 Jan 1994
Sound
6m

What does it mean to be British? You might not have a much clearer idea after watching this animated portrait, but you will certainly be entertained

With the ink drying on the Maastricht Treaty, animators across Europe were commissioned to make cartoon calling cards for their respective countries under the title 'Know Your Europeans'. Britain's first animated Oscar winner Bob Godfrey, best known for his work on Roobarb and Henry's Cat, was chosen to make the UK entry, which he handles with a typical mix of irreverence, ingenuity and humour. Long-term collaborator Colin Pearson contributes the lyrics, with Chris 'Red Dwarf' Barrie the voice.

The film was co-produced by Halas & Batchelor, with the Hungarian-born, naturalised Brit, John Halas the main utopian spark behind the project. Eurosceptics might not be surprised that the project fell somewhat short of its original ambitions, and this UK effort was one of the few films completed.

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Halas & Batchelor

Celebrating the vital and varied work of the pioneering British animation studio

Halas & Batchelor Cartoon Films were a defining force in British animation for more than five decades. Founded in 1940 by the Hungarian-born John Halas and Watford-born Joy Batchelor, the company progressed from producing cinema advertisements to creating vital public information films during and after the Second World War, before producing Britain's first animated feature film, Animal Farm, in 1954.

Whether working in advertising, children's television or independent short films, Halas and Batchelor championed animation as both a commercial enterprise and an art form. Though more than the story of John and Joy, their vision, advocacy and innovation helped shape the careers of generations of artists and practitioners, while bringing a broad range animated storytelling to audiences on screens both large and small.