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 organization 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.