Cinema Expo International will present its 2010 “Cinema Expo Award of Achievement in Animated Filmmaking” to Illumination Entertainment CEO Chris Meledandri.
He will be presented with the award at a Cinema Expo lunch on June 22 at the Amsterdam RAI.
Robert Sunshine, MD of the convention, said: “It is a great pleasure for Cinema Expo to be able to acknowledge and pay tribute to Chris Meledandri for his role in producing quality animated films that are enjoyed by so many,” noted Robert Sunshine. “Chris’ track record, both at Illumination Entertainment and at 20th Century Fox Animation, proves that he knows what makes blockbuster animated films, and we couldn’t be more pleased to be able to honor him at Cinema Expo.”
Illumination has a deal with Universal Pictures; its first film Despicable Me will be released by the studio in July (and also presented at Cine Expo). The company is also in production on a feature version of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax; live-action/CG-hybrid Hop; and an adaptation of Ricky Gervais’ Flanimals books.
Before founding Illumination, Meledandri was an executive at Fox, and founded 20th Century Fox Animation and led Fox’s acquisition of Blue Sky Studios. He is also a veteran of Dawn Steel Pictures at Walt Disney Pictures.
Cine Expo runs June 21-24.
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