Joanna Quinn

Joanna discovered animation at Middlesex University London while studying for a BA degree in Graphic Design. Her graduation film Girls Night Out, a simple and humorous riposte to machismo and a celebration of uninhibited female sexuality, debuted her iconic character of Beryl. This film marked the start of Joanna’s animation career, winning three awards at the Annecy International Animation Festival in 1987. Beryl became the focus for two more films Body Beautiful and Dreams & Desires – Family Ties and the politics of gender and oppression together with Joanna’s obsessive fascination with the eccentricities of the human body, became the central themes of her work. In 1993, Joanna’s powerful critique of British imperialism, Britannia, further established her reputation and her most recent Beryl film Affairs of the Art earned Joanna an Oscar nomination. Her films have won numerous international awards, including four Baftas, three Emmys and two Oscar nominations. She is also a dedicated educator, holding Honorary Doctorates from three UK universities and serving as an Honorary Fellow at the Royal College of Art, London. Recently, Joanna has dedicated her efforts to supporting a team of women animators in Gaza and promoting the animated films created by displaced children. She led a global initiative called to ‘Gaza with Love’ which resulted in the production of over 300 films from over 50 countries expressing love and support for the people of Gaza.