A major figure in the world of international animation, and father of the Russian Winnie the Pooh (1969), Fyodor Khitruk has passed away at age 95.
He joined the Soviet-run Soyuzmultfilm Studio as an animator in 1937, and became a director in 1959. Khitruk was instrumental in bringing modern graphics to Russian animation and won numerous awards for his short films – including the Golden Palm at Cannes.
A lifelong fan of the art form, Khitruk released a two-volume book, The Profession of Animation, describing his 50 years of experience in 2008. He spent his final years teaching animation at the Moscow Academy.
