Big Pitch Finalist Hugo van Essen was born and raised in a tiny town in rural Netherlands that was once liberated by Canadian troops long ago. He now works, climbs, and writes in Toronto. He has worked everywhere, from car garages to all-female construction companies to just regular production companies. Hugo holds a bachelor's in American Studies from the guttural-sounding University of Groningen, as well as a certificate in writing & producing from Humber College. Hugo’s project Ferdinand was chosen as a semi-finalist for the pitch competitions of the Ottawa International Animation Festival and a finalist for the Toronto Animation Industry Conference.