Anifilm 2025 announces the winners of the international competitions

A total of 10 feature films, 34 shorts films, 32 student films, 27 music videos, 17 abstract and non-narrative creations and 7 VR films competed in the international competition sections. In addition, 15 computer games and for the first time this year, 12 student computer games were competing at the festival.

The winner of the international competition of feature films for children and young audience, Living Large by Kristina Dufková, is from the Czech Republic. The jury said: ‘From the very first frame, this film captivated us with its unique charm, visual imagination, and emotional depth. Told through beautifully crafted stop-motion animation, we follow a witty and talented teenager navigating first love, bullying, and self-doubt. In a world that persistently tells him to change, the film gently but powerfully reminds us that true transformation begins within oneself. With its uplifting message, joyful spirit, and loving ending, it is a celebration of self-acceptance and resilience. The director, supported by an exceptionally talented team of animators, has created a vivid universe full of distinctive characters and imaginative storytelling. It is not only a delight to watch, but an important reminder that the journey to embracing oneself is one worth taking.’

The award in the competition of feature films for adults was given to brothers Stephen and Timothy Quay and their film Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass. The jury statement: ‘Mysterious and masterfully told, this film is a haunting meditation on grief, memory, and the passage of time. Meandering between reality and dreams, it brings two worlds into collision – one grounded in a historical, desolate mountain landscape, the other a dystopian realm where time slips and reality blurs. Through a powerful blend of evocative puppetry and live action, the directors manage to create a beautiful yet eerie world, where time becomes abstract and grief takes shape in the most unexpected forms - continuing their distinctive artistic vision, crafting a universe that is both unsettling and mesmerising. With wonderful editing and a deeply atmospheric tone, the film leaves us with a lingering sense of loss and wonder. It is a cinematic journey that not only draws us into its corridors of mystery, but also gently nudges us to wander through our own.’

The short film category’s winner is the Italian-French The Voice of the Sirens directed by Gianluigi Toccafondo. The jury explained their decision: ‘In this dreamlike dive into the confines of fantasies, the director mixes ghostly images with an incredible palette of colours that blend into a single choreographic moving painting with strange sounds and the fascinating song of his free and wild sirens.’

In the student category, the jury chose Bunnyhood produced at the UK’s National Film and Television School and directed by Mansi Maheshwari. The jury praised the film and the narrative followingly: ‘Based on a true story, an energetic movie with wild aesthetics and crisp narration about lies, trust and a relationship that will never be the same again.’

In the non-narrative and abstract animation category, the award was presented to Meejin Hong for her film Deluge, a testimony of resilience in the creative process, which the author animated on 24 sheets of paper and whose creation took almost a decade.

The best music video award goes to Argentina’s Jesica Bianchi and her video for My Way by the electro- pop-rock band Siamés. Boris Labbé is the winner of the VR film category; his film Ito Meikyū creates a highly enjoyable, deeply personal and emotional experience within a contemplative labyrinth, where the boundaries between self and the environment dissolve.

In the computer games competition, the award for best computer game for children goes to Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley produced by Hyper Games; the award for best visual art in game goes to Indika by Odd Meter. The audience has chosen the winner in the audience award category – the Liberec Region Award was presented to Hurikán by Czech director Jan Saska. The winners in the international competitions were selected by renowned jurors, including Argentinian designer, animator and director Diego Polieri, who worked on the series Love, Death & Robots and Scavengers Reign and the film Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse, French historian and publicist Xavier Kawa-Topor, US director Josh Shaffner, Polish director Tomek Popakul and Czech director Diana Cam Van Nguyen.