'The Happy Duckling', a nine-minute film created using a unique and innovative "pop-up book" style, has already scooped several prizes, including Best Animation at the BAFTA Scotland Awards.

The film has now been shortlisted in the Short Animation category for a national British Academy of Film and Television Arts accolade. Facing stiff competition from 'The Gruffalo' and 'Mother of Mary', the team behind 'The Happy Duckling' will attend the glittering red carpet ceremony at London's Royal Opera House on Sunday, February 21st.

The film stars a young boy and a very unordinary duck, who learn that sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. It was written and directed by Israeli animator Gili Dolev, who studied and taught at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, part of the University of Dundee.

He approached animation students at both universities with the idea of involving them in the project at the beginning of the 2007/08 term. Eight students became involved in the project, which required them to give up much of their free time to work alongside Gili, a renowned animator and director with several credits and awards to his name.

Gili (35) has now returned to Israel with his wife and child, and works as a Content Development manager with Primus Design and Animation. He said everyone involved in the making of the film was thrilled with this latest recognition.

"This is an absolutely tremendous honour and all of us on the team are truly happy ducklings today," he said. "There are only a few awards around the world of this magnitude, and I'm completely over the moon just to be nominated.

"I'd like to thank the fantastic and talented people who made this project a reality, DJCAD and Abertay University for their support, and everyone else who supported us along the way."

The Happy Duckling has already been shown in almost 50 countries worldwide, and has won several awards at film festivals around the globe.

Production of the film took place at Duncan of Jordanstone's media labs and Abertay's White Space studios, and it premiered at Dundee Contemporary Arts during the 2008 Discovery Film Festival for children and young people. The film proved an instant hit with both children and adults.

The animated adventure follows the antics of a young boy who finds himself the reluctant travelling companion of a relentlessly happy duck. Despite his best efforts to shake the duck off, it trails him all the way through the delightful and surprising pop-up book world where anything can, and does, happen.

The film's original score was provided by Dundee-born composer Mick Cooke of Belle and Sebastian.