Sources: rofuszferenc.hu, cartoonbrew.com,
The Fly - Oscar Short Animated Film 1980
Another contemporary animation classic on YouTube. This 1980 Hungarian short by Ferenc Rofusz won an Oscar. Hungary was at the time a Communist country and Rofusz himself wasn’t allowed to leave the country to attend the Oscars. Without his knowledge, somebody accepted the award for him during the show. I recall watching an interview once with Rofusz where he explained who the guy was, and how surprised he was during the broadcast to see somebody he didn’t know accepting the award for him. This excerpt from the LA Times in 1981 discusses the mystery person who took his award:
Academy officials were still wondering late Tuesday night if the real Ferenc Rofusz had accepted his award. Rofusz, the Hungarian producer of the winning animated short film “The Fly,” had not been scheduled to attend the ceremonies. But just as presenters Alan Arkin and Margot Kidder were announcing that the academy would accept on behalf of Rofusz, a bearded man bounded onto the stage, made a short acceptance speech, posed for the obligatory photos and departed with an Oscar, leaving, somehow, an air of mystery
FERENC ROFUSZ, CREATIVE DIRECTOR’S
Biography
Ferenc Rofusz is an internationally recognized artist who has been distinguished with numerous international awards for his accomplishments in the field of animation. He is also the recipient of the 1980 Oscar for writing, directing and producing the animated short film, “The Fly.”
Born in Hungary in 1946, he began his career in animation as an assistant director in 1968 at Pannonia Studios in Budapest, and by 1984 he had the position of animation director. In 1984 he left for West Germany where he designed several animated TV series.
In 1988 Mr. Rofusz moved to Canada where he worked for Nelvana Ltd. an animation company in Toronto. In 1990 he established his own animation company. He is the founder and the Creative Director of Super Fly Films Inc. that produced more than sixty commercials and several animation projects up to now using both traditional and computer / digital animation techniques.
FERENC ROFUSZ PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Born in Hungary in 1946, he began his career in animation as an assistant director in 1968 at Pannonia Studios in Budapest, and by 1984 he had the position of animation director. In 1974 he created a unique production titled “A Kö” (“The Stone”)
1977 “Gusztáv olvasna” (“Gustav wants to Read”) TV series,
Marcell Jankovics, co‑director
TV series first prize, Gabrovo, Bulgaria
1978 “Kutyakiállitás” (“Dogshow”) animated commercial
Category winner of the Budapest Festival of Commercials
1980 “A Légy” (“The Fly”) unconventional animated film
Viewers Award and Category‑prize, Ottawa, Canada
Viewers Award, Lucca, Italy
Grand Prize, Lille, France
Critique’s Prize, Krakow, Poland
Main Prize for best animation, Espigno, Portugal
Fairplay‑prize, Miskolc, Hungary
1981 Oscar, The Academy Award of Merit, Los Angeles, USA
The Hungarian Government awarded him with the Merit of
Socialist Culture
Balázs Béla Merit
1982 “Holt Pont” (“Dead‑point”) unconventional animated film
Juri’s special prize, Stuttgart, Germany
Category winner, Oberhausen, Germany
1983 “Gravitáció” (“Gravitation”) unconventional animated film
Category winner, Hiroshima, Japan
Category winner, Oberhausen, Germany
Festival Main Prize, Miskolc, Hungary
Category winner. Espigno, Portugal
Category winner, Toronto, Canada
1984 Of the Budapest Concert‑bureau, Mr. Rofusz was contracted for
TV and animation series in Germany
1988 Canada, Nelvana Film Ltd. ‑ TV series and commercials
1990 Establishing Super Fly Film Inc. Mr. Rofusz’ own
animation studio
“Road Warrior” animated commercial
Category 3. Prize, Houston, USA
1992 “Animated News” Book commercial
Bessies‑prize, Canada
Category 2. prize, Hiroshima, Japan
1998 “Buccaneers Gold” computer game
Category prize, San Francisco, USA
1999 “Solutions” animated commercial
Category prize, Houston, USA
2002 “Tüzet szüntess!” (“Cease‑fire!”) unconventional
animated film
Shown at the 2003 Film exhibition, Hungary
2005 “Szerencse fel” (“Good Luck”) TV series
“Kutyaélet” („Dog’s Life”) unconventional animated film
Category prize, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Category prize, Dervio, Italy
2007 “Ez kész Pénz!” an original idea for TV series.
2010 The Board of Directors at the university of MOME granted
him the title: Cimzetes Egyetemi Tanár, (Titular University Professor).
2011 Kossuth‑díj, (In Hungary it is the most
prestigious government decoration).
„Ticket" unconventional animated film
The prize of the Youth-Jury for “Ticket” at KAFF,
(Kecskemét Animation Film Festival)
Golden Spike Prize, Valladolid, International Film Festival, Spain
Presently in Budapest, teaching and working on several ideas for animation.
