The Cartoon Festival of Knokke-Heist (Dutch: Cartoonfestival Knokke-Heist) is an annual international festival in the Belgian municipality Knokke-Heist showcasing cartoons from all over the world. Various prizes are also awarded during the festival, including the Golden Hat (Dutch: Gouden hoed), the most prestigious, as well as the Silver Hat (Dutch: Zilveren hoed) and the Bronze Hat (Dutch: Bronzen hoed). It is the oldest cartoon festival in the world, with the first edition taking place in 1962. A book of 100 selected cartoons is published annually.
History
The first festival was organized in 1962 with the theme of tourists. About 25 Belgian cartoonists were approached. Among them were the cartoonists Bob de Moor and Marc Sleen. Other participants included Cram, Dani, GAL, GoT, , Pil en Ploeg. The first festival was attended by 17,136 visitors. The first jury included , Gaston Durnez, Rik Sabbick and .
Awards
<nowiki>*</nowiki> The 2014 Silver Hat was initially awarded to Iranian Mohammadreza Babaei, who was later disqualified as the cartoon he submitted was plagiarized from a design by Milton Graser.
Panel/jury
- 2003: Guido Depraetere, Peter van Straaten, Stefan Verwey, Dirk Denoyelle, Kim Duchateau, Zaza
- 2004: Guido Depreatere, Inge Heremans, Bart Schoofs, Karl Meersman, Carry Goossens, Peter Frison
- 2005: Guido Depraetere, Jeroom, Canary Pete, Steve, Marec
- 2006: Guido Depraetere, Karl Meersman, Lies Maertens, Quirit, Ilah, Katrien De Vreese
- 2007: Marec, Kim, Peter Nieuwendijk, Bob Vincke, Hein De Meyere, Katrien De Vreese
- 2008: Bob Vincke, Ludo Goderis, Kurt Defrancq, Katrien De Vreese, Dieter Bevers
- 2009: Karl Meersman, Kim Duchateau, Steven Degryse, Katrien De Vreese, Rudy Gheysens
- 2010: Rudy Gheysens, Katrien De Vreese, Steven Degryse, Guido Packolet, Pieter De Poortere, Bart Stolle
- 2011: Frank JMA Castelyns, Kurt Valkeneers, Steven Degryse, Steve Michiels, Luc Janssen, Katrien De Vreese, Guido Packolet
- 2012: Geert Hoste, Fleur Van Groningen, Jonas Geirnaert, Sam De Graeve, Inge Heremans, Urbanus, Katrien De Vreese
- 2024: Pieter De Poortere, Steven Degryse, Laura Janssens, Karl Meersman, Prudence Geerts, Tine Anthoni, Steve Michiels, Kim Duchateau, cartoonist KIM, Toon Horsten
References