Oscar-nominated director of “Brother Bear” brings hand-drawn magic to Amsterdam
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Aaron Blaise spent more than two decades working at Walt Disney Animation, eventually getting the chance to direct the 2003 picture, Brother Bear, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. His career started with Mickey Mouse and Roger Rabbit shorts, and he was soon working on Disney’s epic run of feature film success in the 1990s, including The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas and Mulan.
Blaise will discuss his career at the Pathé Arena in Amsterdam on Monday evening during an event in which he will also screen his new animated short, Snow Bear. Earlier in the week, he screened the film at the Playgrounds International Film Festival in Eindhoven.
“I love answering audience questions, so people can look forward to an open, engaging conversation about art, animation, & storytelling,” he told NL Times ahead of the Amsterdam show. “In a world that’s increasingly digital and fast-paced, keeping this art alive preserves storytelling traditions that have touched people across generations. With Snow Bear, I wanted audiences to feel the intimacy of hand drawn images, to experience that magic and remember why we fell in love with animation in the first place.”
Blaise began drawing wildlife as a child, inspired by his father’s field guide books. His fascination with nature deepened when he moved to Florida, where he spent much of his youth sketching and observing wildlife from his home, a trailer near Corkscrew Swamp in the Everglades.
“You know, ever since I was a kid, I’ve always felt a deep connection to animals. To me, they’re pure emotion, pure movement. They don’t hide behind anything. Drawing animals lets me explore themes like family, loss, and love in their most honest form. It’s almost spiritual,” he said.
“When you study animals closely, you see humanity reflected in their eyes, their actions, and their struggles. I just can’t think of anything more powerful to animate than that.”
Blaise enrolled in the Ringling College of Art, graduating in 1989 with a certificate in illustration. He was soon hired by Walt Disney Feature Animation, where he worked on a string of immensely successful films.
His nomination for Brother Bear faced stiff competition, losing out to Finding Nemo. The other nominee in the category was another critically acclaimed film, The Triplets of Belleville.
Blaise still prefers two-dimensional animation, even though film studios continue to use 3D and other methods to draw more audiences to movie theatres. “Two-dimension animation is more than just nostalgia... it’s magic! It has a warmth and handmade quality that I believe speaks directly to our hearts. There’s something incredibly special about seeing a drawing come to life, frame by frame. It still makes me feel like a kid every time I see it,” he told NL Times.
Following his work on Brother Bear, Blaise contributed to various projects before departing Disney to help establish Tradition Studios in Florida. During the studio’s brief existence, he developed The Legend of Tembo, an animated feature centered on an African elephant. However, the studio ultimately faced bankruptcy, and Blaise found himself without work for the first time in his career.
Though initially challenging, he wrote that it allowed him to refocus on his painting and launch a personal website, marking a new chapter in his artistic career. His events are known for being engaging and open, with Blaise discussing his time at Disney, his work as an independent filmmaker, and the trends shaping the future of animation.
He said his audience in Amsterdam can also expect an eventful and spirited show. “I’ll be drawing live, which is always fun, and we’ll screen Snow Bear as well.”
Tickets for the show in Amsterdam cost 41.50 euros for adults and children from age 11. Younger children will be admitted for 14 euros.
