Raoul Servais (1928-2023)

Raoul Servais, a Belgian pioneer of animation film, passed away on March 17 at the age of 94. Nicknamed the “wizard of Ostend”, Servais is widely regarded as the father and pioneer of animation film in Belgium, and his work has been an inspiration to animators around the world. Servais’ remarkable career spanned several decades and included 15 short animation films and one feature-length film, winning more than 60 international awards for his work. He garnered worldwide acclaim with the films Harpya (Golden Palm Cannes 1979), Taxandria and Night Butterflies (an homage to Paul Delvaux). He was also the founder of the first animation film department in Ghent, at KASK School of Arts, which was the first of its kind on the European continent. Some of his works can be seen at the museum Mu.ZEE in Ostend, where some of his short films are also permanently screened.