Happy Birthday Kaj Pindal!

In the picture above: Alessandro, Amir, Kaj and Ellen Bessen
In the picture below: Alessandro, Kaj and Annie Pindal

Yesterday was Kaj Pindal's 80th birthday tribute at the NFB store in downtown Toronto,
It was a wonderful celebration of Kaj's life and carreer so far, we got to see some of his NFB classics and rare footage of his brilliant animated films from Denmark.
My friend Alessandro Piedimonte contributed to it with very creative ideas: First, to give Kaj the caricature bust he had sculpted of him, and second a birthday card featuring a caricature by Pete Emslie, Alex asked me to help him with the text on the card, and for two weeks it was passed around the college for the students and teachers to sign.
Kaj was really moved, he appreciates creativty, just like Alessandro!

Thanks to Angela Piedimonte for taking the pictures!

No more misreports, please!

Kaj Pindal and yours truly
Picture by Mitch Kennedy

Readers of Cartoon Brew know what I'm referring to, The great Grim Natwick has also experienced a similar mishap when he was in his 80s. Please don't rush false notions.

Kaj is an inspiration to so many of us. A warm and giving person, experienced animation history first hand. In his lectures, accompanied by many behind the scenes stories, He exposes us to many brilliant films, saying "I want to give you an impression of what hasn't been made, so that someday, you may do it yourself"

He Created a very good show called "Peep and the Big Wide World" encouraging kids to put aside the chips and remote and keep being curious about the natural world.

I drew a caricature of him as he appeared in the documentary "Laugh Lines", made in 1979 by the National Film Board. When I gave it it to him, he said "I'm going home to show it to my wife"

Screenshots from "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" Animation by Kaj, Direction by Derek Lamb.