The Lady and the Reaper

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Antonio Banderas, and the production company Kandor Moon produced the film in Granada, Spain.

Granada, February 2nd, 2010.-Spanish short film “The Lady and the Reaper”, co-produced by Kandor Graphics and Antonio Banderas, is nominated for the Oscar in Best Animated Short Film category, as announced today by the Academy of Arts and Cinematographic Sciences in Hollywood.
This is the first ever nomination for a Spanish animated film.
The movie directed by Javier Recio Gracia is result of the joint effort of Granada studio Kandor Graphics in association with Green Moon, Antonio
Banderas production company.

About KandorMoon

KandorMoon is an animation studio based in Granada Spain. The company’s debut animated feature, THE MISSYNG LYNX was directed by one of the studios´founders, Manuel Sicilia together with Raúl Garcia. Despite the film’s low budget, the film caught the attention of distributors, critics and audiences. It won last year’s GOYA for Best Animated Feature, Spain’s highest honor, and has been sold to over 80 countries. www.themissinglynxmovie.com

The company’s second film, THE LADY AND THE REAPER is an 8 minute short film in 3D, and is Spain’s first ever animated film to be honored with a nomination
to the Academy Award.

Antonio Banderas, who is very attuned to developments in the film industry in his native Andalucía was quick to ask Executives from his Malaga-based
production company, Green Moon to visit the young studio. He was impressed with the work that was being carried despite the very limited resources, and
immediately struck a 50/50 partnership that has considerably raised the company’s profile in Spain and amongst the community of animators. Antonio
consults on all creative matters, serves as a producer, and helps the company administer its growth and its ambition to become a world class
producer of CGI animated films.

The company is currently in late pre-production of its next feature, GOLEOR, a 3D film written and directed by Manuel Sicilia, and produced by Antonio
Banderas, Juan Molina, Marcelino Almasa, Enrique Posner, and Raúl García.

GOLEOR, set in medieval times, is the story of a young man who must defy his father’s wishes, overcome extraordinary odds, and ultimately confront himself in order to fulfill his dream of becoming a Knight.

About THE LADY AND THE REAPER:

Once GOLEOR was green lit as the studio’s second animated feature, and because it became evident that the film needed to be made using stereoscopic 3D, it was decided that the studio would make a short film as part of an R&D process to ensure that the requisite technology and talent could be assembled. The studio offered its employees an opportunity to submit ideas for a short film. The winner, as determined by the studio as a whole wouldbe awarded the right to direct the film, and the studio would invest $1 million dollars to produce it.

Javier Recio Gracia submitted a story about an elderly woman’s life and death struggle, as she finds herself pitted in the middle of an egotistical
battle between the grim reaper and a young doctor determined to keep her alive by any means necessary. The delicate comedic tone, the daring premise and the proposed narrative style came together perfectly in Javier’s submission, and the studio awarded the prize to his script. The story held a particularly poignant, emotional and personal dimension for Javier, as just then his own grandmother was herself gravely ill. Javier was combating the emotional stress of the circumstances by channeling his own talent and the support of his fellow team members, all seeking to bring to life this very poignant, personal, charming and funny film.

Kandor Graphics, in association with Green Moon and Antonio Banderas are currently working at “Goleor”, the first animated feature film realized in Spain in stereoscopic 3D. The 22 million Euros production is directed by Manuel Sicilia and produced by Juan Molina, Marcelino Almansa, Enrique
Posner and Raúl García.