The Anim’est trophies found their winners! Closing gala of the festival’s seventh edition took place Saturday, October 13, at Patria Cinema.
This year’s Anim’est Trophy leaves for Belgium. Oh Willy … (d. Emma De Swaef, Marc James Roels, 2012) has convinced three judges that they deserve the grand prize as „a great achievement that looks exactly how it feels: sensitive and gentle while playing with a subtle palette of emotions „. It’s not Director Emma De Swaef’s first visit to Anim’est, having won, in 2009, the jury’s special mention in the student film category.
The Award for Best Feature Film was given to Alois Nebel (d. Tomáš Luňáĸ, Czech Republic, 2011), for „the powerful story, told in a claustrophobic atmosphere, with a complex, extremely credible protagonist”. In the absence of the film’s director, Vit Prudil collected the award, the deputy director at the Bucharest Czech Centre.
The Award for Best Short Film, offered by Opel, went to Father (dir. Ivan Bogdanov, Moritz Mayerhofer, Asparuh Petrov, Veljko Popovic, Rositsa Raleva, Dmitry Yagodina, Bulgaria-Croatia-Germany, 2012), „a brave mosaic of a failed parent-child relationship that shows the expressive power of animated film: to make the invisible visible”.
The jury awarded two special mentions for short films to Bendito Machine IV (d. Jossie Malis, Spain, 2012), a surprising film from its beginning to the last frame and About Killing the Pig (d. Simone Massi, Italy, 2011), a bleak film, full of human emotion and premonition.
The Finnish film Roire / Swarming (d. Joni Mannisto, 2011), a perverse fable that could not be told so well other than by animation, was given The Best Student Film Award, meanwhile The Best Film Award from Balkanimation section went to Bulgaria, to Rew Day (d. Svilen Dimitrov, 2012). The jury, made by Ullo Pikkov, Elizabeth Harkman and Andrei Gorzo, appreciated the intelligent story and beautiful drawings.
This year, The award for Best Romanian Film was called Viorica Bucur, as a tribute to a dear friend of films and the festival. The trophy was presented by Mădălina Roșca from Make a Point Association, to the film Hunger (d. Alexei Pătrașcu, 2010).
The Award for Best Music Video was given to Have you seen my sister Evelyn (d. Hoku Uchiyama, USA, 2011), for a „surprising technique, for the most ingenious way to introduce the band in the script, all in one an ingenious animation, with a new, simple idea that incorporates music perfectly” and The Award for Best Advertising Spot went to Germany (Fish Face, d. Alexander Dietrich, Dominic Eise, Johannes Flick, Germany, 2012).
The Award for Best Short Film in Minimest section, offered by Canyon, went to Jingle All the Way (d. Chel White, USA, 2011).
The Audience Award, given to a short film in Animash section, offered by Sony, went to The Missing Key (dir. Jonathan Nix, Australia, 2011), a touching story transferred in spectacular and tender images.
At the 2012 edition, Anim’est held two animation workshops, one for adults and one for children, both hosted by the Hungarian Cultural Centre. The workshop for adults was supported by two trainers from one of the largest Danish animation studios, Tumblehead: Peter Smith and Marcus Muller, and participants made a video in five days. During the workshop for children, kids from 3 to 8 years old were able to make a film in five days, using the cut-out technique under the guidance of a highly experienced trainer, Rebecca Morse. The two videos were extremely popular with viewers. Equally appreciated was the making of the 2012 Anim’est, conducted by Ana Florea and Adi Tudose.
After the awards gala, the audience was able enjoy a special performance by Sonja & Band.
Winning films of the festival’s seventh edition can be watched on Sunday, October 14, at 6.30pm, at Patria Cinema.
On 28-30 October in Cluj-Napoca, at Victoria Cinema, the audience will be able to watch a selection of films from the 2012 Anim’est and from November 1 to 4, there is the second Anim’est Chișinău edition.