Born in Amsterdam, Holland. Jacobus-Willem (Co) Hoedeman left school at age 15 to work as a photograph retoucher in the printing industry but soon decided he would rather work in cinema. He started out at Multifilm, a small production company in Haarlem, and then moved to Cinecentrum in Hilversum, where he was assigned to the optical and special effects section. Not having enough to do, he also helped out in various other areas such as camera, laboratory and sound. During this time, he took evening courses at the School of Fine Arts in Amsterdam and the School of Photography in The Hague. He was given increasingly complex work: transitions, models, commercials (design, sets, editing and directing). Hoedeman immigrated to Canada in 1965 and was hired as a production assistant by the National Film Board. In 1967-68, he made the educational film CONTINENTAL DRIFT. The recently created French Animation Studio then gave him the chance to make what he terms his first "real" film, ODDBALL, soon to be followed by MATRISOKA and TCHOU-TCHOU. In 1970, he spent four months in Czechoslovakia studying puppet animation. On his return, working closely with artists from Iqaluit and Povungnituk, he used sealskin figures, soapstone carvings and drawings to make a series of animated films illustrating Inuit legends: THE MAN AND THE GIANT, THE OWL AND THE LEMMING, THE OWL AND THE RAVEN and LUMAAQ. Hoedeman received an Oscar in 1978 for THE SAND CASTLE / LE CHÂTEAU DE SABLE, an amusing fable peopled with bizarre little creatures created from foam rubber, wire and sand. It won a total of 22 awards and has proved to be an enduring favourite. More whimsical creatures, these ones shaped from papier-mâché, are featured in MASQUERADE (1985), a tale illustrating the pitfalls and rewards of the creative process. CHARLES AND FRANÇOIS (1988), a touching film about aging and death, uses similar 3-D animation techniques in combination with paper cutouts and computer animation in a truly impressive set. In 1992, Hoedeman gave a workshop for students aged 4 to 12 at Lafontaine elementary school in Montreal. The participants created their own video, called "Les Droits de L'Enfant à Montréal," showing how they see children's rights. That same year, he made THE SNIFFING BEAR / L'OURS RENIFLEUR, a cautionary tale about substance abuse based on an idea proposed by a group of Amerindian and Inuit inmates at La Macaza penitentiary. Hoedeman then worked on LE JARDIN D'ÉCOS / THE GARDEN OF ÉCOS, a fable on ecology released in 1997 that explains how conflicts can upset the natural balance of ecosystems. From 1998 to 2002, Hoedeman directed a series of films based on beautiful children's stories featuring Ludovic, a teddy bear who draws viewers into the magical world of childhood. LUDOVIC - THE SNOW GIFT (1998) and LUDOVIC: A CROCODILE IN MY GARDEN (1999), the first two films in the collection entitled Les Saisons de Ludovic, both won prestigious awards. The last two films are entitled LUDOVIC: VISITING GRANDPA (2001) and LUDOVIC - A MAGIC WINDOW (2002). Hoedeman's most recent film is LE THÉÂTRE DE MARIANNE (2004). Although primarily intended for a young audience, Hoedeman's films are in no way didactic or sentimental. He feels that one can communicate with children without using pretty pictures or talking down to them. The whimsical worlds he creates appeal to the imagination and intelligence and can be enjoyed by young and old alike. His films are seen all over the world and have won more than 50 awards to date. He is often asked to act as a special effects consultant or filmmaking advisor.  Short Films (Animated Films) 1977: SAND CASTLE - Producer 1 nomination, 1 Award