Cartoon Saloon

Overview

Cartoon Saloon is an independent Irish animation studio founded in 1999 by Tomm Moore, Paul Young, and Nora Twomey in Kilkenny, Ireland. The studio has produced 6 feature films and dozens of short films and television projects. Cartoon Saloon has received 5 Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature, 2 Golden Globe nominations, and multiple BAFTA and Emmy wins, making it one of the most nominated independent animation studios outside the major Hollywood animation labels.

The studio's work is defined by hand-drawn animation, Celtic and folk art aesthetics, and stories rooted in Irish and international cultural traditions. This approach positions Cartoon Saloon's films as a deliberate artistic alternative to the dominant computer-animated feature model. The studio celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2024.

Cartoon Saloon's new CEO is Anthony Leo, who joined from Aircraft Pictures (Canada). The studio's current development slate includes Kindred Spirits (directed by Tomm Moore, co-produced with Folivari), Julián (directed by Louise Bagnall, based on the children's book Julián is a Mermaid), My Brother the Minotaur, Éiru, and Silly Sundays.

History

Moore, Young, and Twomey founded Cartoon Saloon in 1999 in Kilkenny, choosing to remain in Ireland rather than relocating to Dublin or larger international production centers. The studio started in a two-room office with a drawing room and a computer room, with everyone working on paper. Over 25 years, the studio transitioned from pencil-and-paper production to fully digital workflows while maintaining its hand-drawn animation aesthetic.

The studio's debut feature, The Secret of Kells (2009), co-directed by Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature. The film introduced the studio's visual language: highly stylized 2D animation drawing on the imagery of illuminated manuscripts, Celtic knotwork, and Irish mythology. It was produced in partnership with French and Belgian co-producers, establishing the European co-production model that Cartoon Saloon has used for all subsequent features.

Song of the Sea (2014), directed by Moore, received a second Academy Award nomination. The film drew on Irish selkie mythology and continued the studio's exploration of Celtic folklore. The Breadwinner (2017), directed by Nora Twomey and co-produced with Angelina Jolie's Jolie Pas production company, was set in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and received a third nomination. The Breadwinner received a Section 481 tax credit of between €2 million and €5 million from the Irish government.

Wolfwalkers (2020), co-directed by Moore and Ross Stewart, won the Golden Globe and BAFTA for Best Animated Feature Film and received a fourth Academy Award nomination. My Father's Dragon (2022), directed by Twomey for Netflix, added a fifth nomination and received a Section 481 tax credit of between €5 million and €10 million.

Puffin Rock and the New Friends (2024), directed by Jeremy Purcell, was released on VOD platforms (Google TV, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV) in April 2024. The studio also produced Screecher's Reach, an Emmy Award-winning and Annie Award-nominated short that appeared in Star Wars Visions: Volume 2.

Production Model and Financing

Cartoon Saloon's European co-production model draws on Irish, French, Belgian, Luxembourg, and Canadian film funding bodies. Key partners include Screen Ireland, the CNC (France's national film center), Folivari (France), Melusine Productions (Luxembourg), and Aircraft Pictures (Canada). This financing structure allows the studio to produce features at budgets comparable to much larger animation facilities by combining multiple smaller public funding streams.

Ireland's Section 481 tax credit is a central component of Cartoon Saloon's financing. Section 481 provides a payable tax credit worth up to 32% of eligible Irish expenditure on film, television, animation, creative documentary, post-production, VFX, and games development. The credit applies to the cost of all cast and crew working in Ireland and all goods and services sourced in Ireland. The per-project cap is 32% of the lower of: (1) all eligible expenditure, (2) 80% of total production cost, or (3) €125 million.

The Scéal Uplift provides an additional 8% tax relief (bringing the total to 40%) for small to medium-sized productions, further benefiting independent animation. There is no annual cap or limit on the funding programme. Projects must satisfy the Culture Test and the Industry Development Test, and all productions with eligible expenditure over €2 million must submit a Skills Development Plan to Screen Ireland.

The studio's commitment to hand-drawn animation is both an artistic and a practical choice: traditional 2D animation can be produced at lower per-frame costs than comparable computer animation when executed efficiently. This cost advantage, combined with the European co-production model and Irish tax credits, allows Cartoon Saloon to produce Oscar-caliber features at a fraction of the budget of major studio animation.

Current Projects

Kindred Spirits, directed by Tomm Moore and co-produced with Folivari (France), was presented at Cartoon Movie 2026 in Bordeaux. The film tells the story of Mara, an Irish immigrant child in 1847 New York, and Tushka, a Choctaw boy far from his family, who form a magical bond and journey through epic adventures watched over by the spirit of Mara's late brother. The screenplay is by Shelley Dennis (Spirit Rangers) and Will Collins. The project is in development, with the team seeking additional European co-producers, international sales agents, broadcasters, and regional distributors. Moore described Kindred Spirits as the beginning of a new trilogy following the Irish trilogy of The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, and Wolfwalkers.

Julián, directed by Academy Award-nominated Louise Bagnall and based on Jessica Love's children's book Julián is a Mermaid, is a co-production between Cartoon Saloon, Aircraft Pictures, Melusine Productions, and Sun Creature.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Cartoon Saloon develops projects with directors who share the studio's commitment to hand-drawn animation and culturally rooted storytelling. The studio's European co-production expertise provides a working model for independent animation producers seeking to assemble financing from multiple public sources across borders.

For animators and animation directors, Cartoon Saloon demonstrates that independently produced hand-drawn animation can achieve the highest levels of critical recognition and global distribution. The studio's 5 Oscar nominations, BAFTA and Golden Globe wins, and Netflix distribution deal for My Father's Dragon confirm that the model works.

Screen Ireland is the primary resource for Irish animation producers. The agency provides production funding, development loans, and administers the Skills Development Plan requirement for Section 481. International producers considering animation in Ireland should work with an established Irish production company, as Screen Ireland recommends. The Irish producer handles the Section 481 application, manages local crew and services, and provides the full range of production services.

Key Numbers

• Founded: 1999
• Founders: Tomm Moore, Paul Young, Nora Twomey
• Location: Kilkenny, Ireland
• Academy Award nominations: 5 (The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, The Breadwinner, Wolfwalkers, My Father's Dragon)
• Golden Globe wins: 1 (Wolfwalkers)
• BAFTA wins: 1 (Wolfwalkers, Best Animated Feature Film)
• Emmy wins: 1 (Screecher's Reach, Star Wars Visions Volume 2)
• Section 481 tax credit: up to 32% of eligible Irish expenditure (40% with Scéal Uplift for small/medium productions)
• Section 481 per-project cap: 32% of lower of eligible expenditure, 80% of total cost, or €125 million
• The Breadwinner tax credit: €2-5 million
• My Father's Dragon tax credit: €5-10 million
• Co-production partners: Screen Ireland (Ireland), CNC/Folivari (France), Melusine Productions (Luxembourg), Aircraft Pictures (Canada)
• 25th anniversary: 2024
• New CEO: Anthony Leo

House Style & Genre Focus

Cartoon Saloon, based in Kilkenny, Ireland, is known for hand-drawn 2D animation inspired by Irish mythology and folklore. The studio's distinctive artistic style varies per film: the geometric patterns in Wolfwalkers (2020), the watercolor aesthetic in Song of the Sea (2014), and the bold shapes of The Secret of Kells (2009). Every Cartoon Saloon feature has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

The studio's filmography includes The Secret of Kells (2009), Song of the Sea (2014), The Breadwinner (2017, co-produced with Aircraft Pictures and Melusine Productions), Wolfwalkers (2020, Apple TV+), My Father's Dragon (2022, Netflix), and Ultraman: Rising (2024, co-produced with Netflix). The studio collaborates with international directors and studios including Apple TV+ and GKIDS, and occasionally works on co-productions with production companies from other countries.

Cartoon Saloon does not have an open submission policy but finds talent through Irish animation networks and partnerships. The studio has expanded beyond features into television series (Dorg Van Dyango, Vikingskool) and commercial work. For filmmakers interested in working with Cartoon Saloon, the primary pathway is through established animation industry connections and the studio's own recruitment channels.

Watch: Trailers & Behind the Scenes

See Also

For understanding how European animation co-production financing works, see Distribution Deals Explained. For technical animation context, use the Frame Rate Calculator. For budgeting animation productions with tax credit financing, see the Indie Film Budget Calculator.