My Life in Cartoons (Paperback)

PAUL DRIESSEN was born in 1940, just before The Netherlands were invaded by Nazi Germany and his family lived through the Nazi occupation of Holland.

Growing up with parents who were arts and culture advocates, Driessen was surrounded by music, literature, and theatre.

In 1967 he moved to London to work on the animated Beatles feature The Yellow Submarine. From its Canadian director, George Dunning, he discovered the National Film Board of Canada, an organisation known for its inventive animated shorts.


An award-winning director/animator/cartoonist who is the recipient of more than 50 prizes, Driessen has created some of the most acclaimed animated films and books, including an Academy Award nomination for 3 Misses and lifetime achievement awards at both the Ottawa and Zagreb animation festivals. He is recognized worldwide as one of the greatest animators and cartoonists.

PAUL DRIESSEN drew cartoons from an early age. In 1964 he started to animate commercials at an animation studio near Amsterdam. A few years later George Dunning invited him to work on the Beatles film, The Yellow Submarine in London, UK. In 1970 Paul Driessen emigrated to Canada and started a freelance animation career, producing most of his personal films for the National Film Board of Canada. Since 1976 he also animated and directed many of his films for independent producers in The Netherlands. Of late his projects are also made with the support from Belgian and French production houses.

Paul Driessen has won a great many international awards for his work, including six Lifetime Achievement awards. His film 3Misses earned him an Oscar nomination in 2000.

From 1988 to 2005 Paul Driessen taught animation at the university of Kassel, Germany. Under his guidance his students have won two Oscars.


Paul Driessen is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.