Meet Beryl’s wacky family: her grown son the techno geek, her sister (a fanatical narcissist living in Los Angeles) and her long-suffering husband, who becomes her personal nude model. Together, these characters provide muses for Beryl’s art, as well as some riotous, action-packed humour for both viewer and, now, reader.

After debuting at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in January 2021, where it won the Best Animation award, the 16-minute Affairs of the Art has delighted audiences at more than 65 festivals, snagging 25 other awards.

This includes the Special Jury Distinction for Direction, Short Film, at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the Jury Award in the Comedy category at Aspen Shortsfest, the Audience Award at the New York City Short Film Festival, and the Gold Hugo for Best Animated Short Film at the Chicago International Film Festival.

This book documents the behind the-scenes work that went into the animation including a range of sketches, storyboards, final artwork and commentary from director Joanna Quinn and writer Les Mills. A full graphic novel adaptation of the film is also included.

Cardiff based Beryl Productions has been in existence since 1987 and specialises in individually hand-drawn character animation. Their raison d’être is to produce high quality, accessible animation using humour as an essential element. Apart from their film work, they have created TV commercials for clients including Procter & Gamble, Fallon, KalKan, Coca Cola, Nestlé, United Airlines. 

A full list of awards and festival selections for Affairs of the Art can be seen here:

British animator Joanna Quinn discovered animation at Middlesex University in London while studying Graphic Design. Her graduation film, Girls Night Out, kick-started Joanna’s career by winning three awards at the Annecy Animation Festival in 1987. She is renowned internationally for her drawing skills, wonderful characterisations and humour. 

Joanna’s films have won many awards including four BAFTAs, three Emmys and three OSCAR® nominations. Joanna is a committed educator throughout the world and has an Honorary Doctorate from three UK universities and is an Honorary Fellow at the Royal College of Art, London.

‘Joanna Quinn has long been one of the world’s leading lights in animation and most inspirational and affable of people. Her prolific, and highly observant drawing style, is as fluid and generous as her sense of comedy and fun, and the earthy and memorable characters that ignite into life whenever she puts pencil to paper.’ Nick Park, Academy Award® and Bafta winning Director, Producer, Animator and Writer (inc Creature Comforts, The Wrong Trousers, Chicken Run).

Screenwriter and producer Les Mills studied Fine Art in Cardiff, London and a Masters at Rutgers University in the USA but gradually became more interested in film, culminating in him becoming Director of the Film School at University of Wales, Newport.

He first collaborated with Joanna on her graduation film, Girls Night Out and in 1988 they formed their company Beryl Productions International. Les wrote and produced the next three award-winning Beryl films and produced Wife of Bath for which he won a BAFTA and an Emmy. In 2022 he received the British Animation Awards Writers Award and was nominated for an OSCAR® for Affairs of the Art.

'I have long been a fan of Joanna Quinn and Les Mills’s brilliant short films and their sharply observed Beryl. Always exceptionally staged, wonderfully animated and featuring Joanna’s rocksolid draughtsmanship, and featuring the trenchant and acerbic dialogue of Les. Their films celebrate the art of hand drawn animation as few films do.’ John Musker, Academy Award® nominated Director, Producer and Writer at Disney (including Hercules, Aladdin, Little Mermaid, Moana).

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