International Festival of Animated Films, 7 - 12 May 2024, Czech Republic
Jury: Hugh Welchman (UK), Milorad Krstić (Slovenia) Alena Vandasová (Czech Republic)
Directors: Chiara Malta, Sébastien Laudenbach
France, Italy, 2023, 76 min
Technique: 2D computer
Produced by: Dolce vita films, Miyu Productions
Jury statement:
While there were several very good films, there was one which was exceptional, and for this reason we are giving out one prize for Best Feature- it is in the category of Best Children’s film, but it was also the stand out film for an adult audience as well. The film managed to surprise and amaze as well as entertain all members of the jury. It’s script was exceptional, with brilliant twists, sharply drawn characters and laugh out loud humour. The design was original and effective. The performances of the cast were first class, with infectious energy and humour. To draw it all together there was a very relevant and modern premise for our urbanised consumerist world at its heart: our alienation from the food we eat. The problems faced by the characters in working out how to kill a chicken meant the film managed to be thought-provoking and philosopical as well as being wildly entertaining and impressive from a film-making perspective. We congratulate the filmmakers on their achievement and thank them for this film.
Synopsis:
Paulette realises she has unfairly punished her daughter Linda. To make up for it, she promises to cook her chicken with peppers, even though she cannot cook at all. But that’s not the biggest problem. Paulette has to solve where to find a chicken on a strike day, when all the shops are closed. And what if the chicken is somewhat wild and causes a series of crazy situations? This zany comedy for a wide range of audiences will entertain children and, thanks to some scenes and details, adults as well. During this and last year’s festival season, it has managed to earn acclaim as it won the Best Feature Film Award at Annecy and earned nominations for the César Award and for the Best Animated Feature Film at the European Film Awards. This film by the Italian-French duo Chiara Malta and Sébastien Laudenbach is pleasantly playful, smoothly animated and, with its colour differentiation of characters and artistic shortcuts, also somewhat atypical. Despite that, it’s audience-friendly and humorously depicts the difficulties in parent-child relationships.
Jury: Mariam Kandelaki (Georgia), André Eckardt (Germany), Emma De Swaef (Belgium)
Director: Tomek Popakul, Kasumi Ozeki
Poland, 2023, 26 min
Technique: drawing on paper
Produced by: Yellow Tapir Films
Jury Statement:
The clash between the ice-cold archaic village life with its manly rituals and the warm personal mystery of the strong young woman Anka has lingered on with us very long after the film. It is an artistically exceptional and wild contemplation about places that you would like to leave but which already have left traces on your soul.
Synopsis:
It grows as slowly as an icicle, but one day it drops and crashes. Anka loves cats. And Jesus. In a winter silence the lagoon freezes and the unspoken resurfaces like a crack on ice. Mosaic portrait of a small fisherman’s village where human to human, human to animal, animal to animal interdepend on a delicate balance of warm tender care and cold emotional cruelty. An eerie story of loneliness.
Director: Nina Gantz
Netherlands, Belgium, France, 2023, 13 min 50 s
Technique: stop-motion
Produced by: Circe Films, Kaap Holland Film, Beast Animation
Jury statement:
This warm ode to the fondly remembered children`s series of the seventies and eighties touched us with its delicate movements and expressions of the characters, contrasting wonderfully with the cheeky sense of humour and beautifully sinister atmosphere.
Synopsis:
Mary, Billybud and Fumbleton are three miniature human actors who perform in an eighties kids TV series called Wander to Wonder. After the creator of the series dies, they are left alone in the studio. With their slowly decaying costumes and growing hunger, they continue to make increasingly strange episodes for their fans.
Jury: Mariam Kandelaki (Georgia), André Eckardt (Germany), Emma De Swaef (Belgium)
Director: Milly Yencken
Estonia, 2023, 9 min 7 s
Technique: painting on glass, drawing on paper
Produced by: Estonian Academy of Arts
Jury statement:
This visually stunning, breathtaking animation has enormous emotional depth. It has been drawing us in from the beginning and holding our attention throughout with every brush stroke and every chime of the bells.
Synopsis:
This poetic film combines the lyrical effect of traditional animation techniques such as drawing on paper and painting on glass with the mysterious and disturbing atmosphere of the portrayed places and scenes. A carefully chosen colour palette enhances the unique visual experience from a strangely familiar yet geographically unspecified setting.
Director: Júlia Tudisco
Hungary, 2024, 11 min 30 s
Technique: 2D computer
Produced by: MOME
Jury statement:
The jury was very impressed by the colorful explosions and mesmerizing sound design of this film, which playfully explores the symbiotic balance between chaos and nourishment in the act of creation.
Synopsis:
A picturesquely colourful fictional mythological film full of visual ideals about the birth and death of our planet. The story is seen through the eyes of two naive god figures – a wild girl who has the power of creation and a shy boy who has the power of destruction. This is not a fight between ‘good’ and ‘evil’ but a game between two equal parts to find harmony.
Jury: Steven Woloshen (Canada), Wiola Sowa (Poland), Jan Brukner (Czech Republic)
Director: Lorans Côme
France, 2023, 9 min 36 s
Technique: stop-motion, puppet, others, live action
Produced by: ENSAD
Jury statement:
Under the cover of abstract animation, we explore the dynamics of planetary evolution with a variety of artistic techniques.
Synopsis: Crypto(zoïque) shows the crossing of a celestial object. It’s an immersive journey in the heart of matter, from a macroscopic to a microscopic scale. This probe is formally stylised as a disturbing sci-fi film and the selected soundtrack underscores it. With its approach to the object’s surface, the film transforms into a fantastic nature documentary.
Director: Mélusine Peduzzi
France, 2023, 8 min 40 s
Technique: 2D computer, drawing on paper
Produced by: Cellofan’
Jury statement:
We loved this technically well-crafted dream state.
Synopsis:
Beneath the skeleton, the flesh that rustles, turns and returns to our heads before rotting in silence. This is the story of this flesh. This surrealist narrative draws us into a darkened world of the unconscious. No matter how bizarre the spectacles we watch are, thanks to superb animation they flow smoothly and surely.
Jury: Steven Woloshen (Canada), Wiola Sowa (Poland), Jan Brukner (Czech Republic)
Director: Jin Woo
Republic of Korea, 2023, 5 min 33 s
Technique: 2D computer
Produced by: Sewingbug
Jury statement:
For its use of a metaphysical and surrealist fusion of graphic arts.
Synopsis:
This suggestive and strongly graphic music video for Illusion was made by a young animator commuting between Korea and Poland. Jin Woo works with a limited colour pallet and mostly dark tones and creates an obscure world where it is unclear whether strange things are happening inside or outside the observer’s head.
Director: Michelle Brand
Germany, France, 2023, 3 min 40 s
Technique: 2D computer, 3D computer, others, cel animation
Produced by: STINK Films
Jury statement:
A colorful exploration of a beautiful night in the city.
Synopsis:
As the night comes, the journey begins. Running, rushing, racing. Unbound from time and swept away by the night’s surreal cascade of lights, we leave the day life behind. The director skilfully managed to depict the magical atmosphere of a city at night.
Jury: Steven Woloshen (Canada), Wiola Sowa (Poland), Jan Brukner (Czech Republic)
Marion Burger, Ilan Cohen
France, Germany, 40 min, 2023
Jury statement:
For its careful balance of teaching by interaction and compelling storyline that improves our understanding and empathy of mental health issues we award the VR prize to Emperor.
Synopsis:
In this interactive and virtual imaginative story, we delve into the mind of a man suffering from aphasia, a disorder impairing a person’s ability to communicate. His daughter tries to communicate with the man and looks for a way to unlock his mind again. When she tries to piece together fragments of his speech, she finds out that individual words are linked to specific memories. Memories of his whole life.
Jury: Eva Marková (Czech Republic), Onat Hekimoğlu (Germany), Vojtěch Buchta (Czech Republic)
UN JE NE SAIS QUOI, UMANIMATION, 2023
Jury statement:
Choosing from the many beautiful and imaginative games was challenging, but Dordogne stands out with its watercolour visuals that give it a warm, human touch. Its soft, dreamy brushstrokes and warm colors perfectly complement the game's poignant story about memories of a childhood summer trip. The artistically rich setting feels almost life-like. We would like to point out that thanks to the interesting combination of real watercolour painting applied to 3D models, the game offers enough interactivity and space that is very pleasant to explore... The result of this approach is an artistically beautiful experience that resonates deeply and captures the essence of a forgotten childhood through every sensitively conceived detail.
Synopsis:
Explore the Dordogne landscapes of a thousand summer colours within sumptuous hand-painted watercolour environments. During your adventure, recall the moments, the panoramas, the scents, the sounds and the sensations. Recount these vivid memories in your journal as a recollection of Mimi’s family past that’s unique to your experience and a nostalgic, touching reflection of your journey.
Daniel Benmergui, 2023
Jury statement:
When we were choosing a game to show the kids and play with them, this game was always at the top of our list. We chose it because it offers a mechanism that appeals to all ages and encourages logical thinking through story construction. Players enjoy experimenting with different combinations and discovering how each twist affects the outcome of the storyline, making it ideal for intergenerational play. The game design is clean and straightforward, with archetypal characters providing clear and enjoyable gameplay. Its humour and animations add to its charm and show how games can be both entertaining and educational.
Synopsis:
Storyteller lets you build stories using a visual language. The goal on each level is to make a story that fits the given title by placing settings and characters that react to each other, creating a narrative through their relationships. Storyteller’s comic-panel design and charming animations allow for experimentation within the framing of its many stories: just drag and drop characters to see how the story plays out!solve the extra mystery challenges along the way!
Director: Adriana Bendžalová
Czech Republic, 2023, 7 min 30 s
Technique: 2D computer
Produced by: Tomas Bata University in Zlín
Synopsis:
The film follows Irma and her weird neighbours during the final days before the world is supposed to end. This farcical story full of black humour is highly topical and shows us that it is possible to find friendship and understanding among all sorts of people.