Wouter Bongaerts, an animation director, obtained his master’s degree in Animation at the Luca School of Arts in Genk, Belgium, and things got rolling after that. His graduation project, MOUSE FOR SALE, screened at various international film festivals and received over a dozen prizes including the coveted VAF Wildcard, granting the winner a scholarship to create their first professional short film. This resulted in MIA: Woulter’s directorial debut, which picked up world prizes including in Clermont-Ferrand, the Austin Film Festival, and Anima Brussels. The short also made it to the Academy Oscar longlist selection.