FERENC ROFUSZ - PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY

Ferenc Rofusz is an internationally recognized director of animation films he has been distinguished with numerous international awards for his accomplishments.

Born in Budapest, Hungary in 1946, he began his career in animation as an assistant director in 1968 at Pannonia Studios in Budapest.

He was the recipient of the 1981 OSCAR (Academy Award) for writing, drafting, directing and producing the animated short film, “The Fly.”

He became director for animation films in 1981, in 1984 he left for West Germany where he designed several animated TV series. In 1988 he moved to Canada where he worked for Nelvana Ltd. an animation company in Toronto. In 1991 he established Super Fly Films Inc. his own animation company. As the Creative Director (Super Fly Films Inc.) produced more than sixty commercials and several animation projects using both traditional and computer / digital animation techniques. Since 2001 he lives in Budapest. Involved in teaching, and working on numerous ideas / projects both unconventional and on animated series as well.

His lifetime achievement was awarded in 2011 with Hungary’s highest and most prestigious KOSSUTH AWARD. In 2022 received the Life-Achievement Award by the Hungarian Motion Picture Festival, and THE MEDAL OF SZENT ISTVAN which is the highest honor given in Hungary.

1972

His first animated film “A Kö” (“The Stone”) based on Jozsef Nepp’ idea

1977

“Gusztáv olvasna” (“Gustav wants to Read”) TV series, Marcell Jankovics, co-director

TV series first prize, Gabrovo, Bulgaria

1978

“Kutyakiállitás” (“Dog show”) animated commercial, Short Category Winner of the Budapest Festival of Commercials

At the same time was involved in numerous TV series and full length features: “Gusztav,” “Mezga,” “Dr. Bubo,” “Janos vitez”

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

1981

Oscar, The Academy Award of Merit, Los Angeles, USA

Fair play prize, Miskolc, Hungary

Don Quijote-Prize, Krakow, Poland

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

Short Category Winner, Oberhausen, Germany

1984

“Gravitáció” (“Gravitation”) unconventional animated film

Short Category Winner, Hiroshima, Japan

Short Category Winner, Oberhausen, Germany

Festival Main Prize, Miskolc, Hungary

Short Category Winner. Espigno, Portugal

Short Category Winner, Toronto, Canada

1984

Via the Budapest Concert bureau, Mr. Rofusz was contracted for TV series in Germany

1985

Film critics Award

1988

Canada, contracted by Nelvana Film Ltd. Animation Studio for TV series and commercials

1991

Establishing Super Fly Film Inc. Mr. Rofusz’ own animation studio

1992

“Road Warrior” animated commercial Category 3. Prize, Houston, USA

1996

“Arany Pillangó” Hungarians of Excellence Award, Budapest

1998

“Animated News” Book commercial

Bessies prize, Canada

Category II. prize, Hiroshima, Japan

1998

“Buccaneers Gold” computer game

Category prize, San Francisco, USA

1999

“Solutions” animated commercial

Category prize, Houston, USA

2001

Animation courses at Budai Rajziskola (Budai Art school)

2002

“Tüzet szüntess!” (“Ceasefire!”) unconventional, individually 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)

2012

Golden Spike Prize, Valladolid, International Film Festival, Spain

Category prize, Syracuse, New York, USA

2012

Hungarian Art Award, Budapest

2013

“Hoppi mesek” (Hoppi tales) animation TV series for children. Completed 1st the episode “Hoppik es a varazsbot” (“Hoppies and the magic wand”) with financials provided by MTVA’s Macskassy Gyula grant

2014

Regional Prima prize, Gödöllő, Hungary

2015

Completed the works; “Hoppi mesek” 2nd and 3rd. episodes and 2016 further 10 segments supported by NMHH Dargay Attila grants

2015

With the grant support started the work on “Az utolsó vacsora” (“The Last Supper”) using the unique painting-film technique.

2016

Life achievement award (life work, oeuvre) Szolnok, International Festival of Fine arts.

A life achievement exhibition, Budapest, House of Films

2017

Life achievement’s exhibition and workshop. University of Kaposvar, Hungary, Rippl-Ronai faculty of fine arts

Villa Barabas (Budapest) Life achievement’s exhibition

Directors award form MTVA, KAFF, Kecskemét, for the animation series „Hoppi mesék”

Completed the „Egy év Hoppifalván” (“One Year in Hoppitown”) full length animation film, sponsored by the 2016 Dargay Attila tender

Awards for the Best Animation-film, Calcutta (KIWEFF) „Hoppi mesék – Karácsony” (“Hoppi tales, Christmas”)

2018

Completed the „Az utolsó vacsora” (The Last Supper) an unconventional animated painting-film, with this Ferenc Rofusz wishes to manifest his admiration for Leonardo da Vinci’ decaying but even in that, eternally divine masterpiece

2018

Recognizing his professional achievements he has received the “Artist of the Nation” title in november, 2018

2019

Lifetime achievement award KAFF, Kecskemét - Hungary

THE LAST SUPPER - Best animated short film – Jesus Cine Fest, Buenos Aires, Argentina

II. prize Seven Hills Film festival (Hét Domb Filmfesztivál) Komló, Hungary

III. Prize 22. Faludi International Film exhibition (Faludi Nemzetközi Filmszemle) Budapest

2020

Hungarian Film award (Magyar Filmdíj) 2020 Budapest, Hungary

2020

Best Animated film – Alexandre Trauner Art/Film Festival, Szolnok

2020

Presented the Honorary Freedom of City - in the Mountainous District (Capitol, Budapest, XII. Hegyvidéki Önkormányzat)

2021

Life-achievement exhibition at the Rév ART Galéria Révfülöp, Hungary

2021

Prima prize – Budapest

Completed the “Red sparrow stories.” (“Piros veréb történetek”) animated film series, also finished the NFI subsidized 1st. segment of the “Lark in disguise” ("Az álruhás pacsirta"), with additional three segments in the works

Presented an animation rendering for Hieronymus Bosch’ “The garden of earthly delights” a film plan.

2022

Sponsored by MMA. “The garden of earthly delights” rendering was a supporting film at The Budapest Museum of Fine Arts’ Bosch exhibition

2022

Life-achievement award by the Magyar Mozgókép Fesztivál, (Hungarian Motion Picture Festival) – Balatonfüred

2022

Magyar Szent István Rend kitüntetés, (The Medal of Szent Istvan which is the highest honor given in Hungary) – Budapest, Sándor – palace

2022

CineFest - Life-achievement award – Miskolc

2023

Accepted member of the Magyar Muvészeti Akadémia, - MMA (The Hungarian Academy of the Arts)

2024

He has begun work on his 10-minute background animation film "Private Sphere", which will be completed in 2026.

Budapest, 2026

The Pannonia Film Studio building Painting of a villa and an autumn park Young Ferenc Rofusz with the Oscar statue Ferenc Rofusz next to the Road Warrior advertising poster in Canada Ferenc Rofusz giving a presentation, with a picture of his younger self drawing behind him Ferenc Rofusz at his animation drawing table in his studio
Portrait of Ferenc Rofusz
József Takács, photographer, Miskolc
Storyboard poster for the animated short film Private Sphere