Tito on Ice and by Max Andersson & Helena Ahonen (Sweden) and Lonely Bones by Rosto were the surprising winners of the top prizes at the 2013 Ottawa Intl. Animation Festival (OIAF) on Saturday.
Tito on Ice was the winner of the Grand Prize for Best Animated Feature. The feature has been described as “mischievous combination of documentary, fiction, semi-journalism, gore and stop-motion animation which absolutely carnivalizes post-Yugoslavian mythology and splendidly captures the spirit of the Balkan underground.” The Absurdist pic offers a surreal excursion through a traumatized Balkan landscape populated by a number of tormented Bosnian psyches.
Honorable Mention: The Boy and the World (O Menino e o Mundo) by Alê Abreu (Brazil) “Because it was full of some of the most beautiful images we’ve ever seen”
Public Prize: But Milk is Important by Eirik Grønmo Bjørndrn & Anna Mantazaris (Norway)
The 2013 Canadian Film Institute (CFI) Award for Best Canadian Animation: Two Weeks – Two Minutes by Judith Poirier (Canada)
Honorable Mentions to: The Clockmakers (Les Horlogers) by Renaud Hallee (Canada) Crossing Victoria by Steve Woloshen (Canada)
Best Narrative Short Animation: Oh Willy… by Emma De Swaef & Mark James Roels (Belgium, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg) “Because it’s an engaging, enthralling, genuinely emotional film that never resorts to cheap sentimentals”
Best Experimental/ Abstract Animation: Virtuoso Virtual by Thomas Stellmach & Maja Oschmann (Germany) “Because it’s a classic idea, but done in a contemporary way”
Walt Disney Award for Best Graduation Animation: But Milk is Important by Eirik Grønmo Bjørndrn & Anna Mantazaris (Norway) “For it’s a very human story, and a problem that most of us can recognize and relate to”
Honourable Mention: Youkosobokudesu Selection ‘Na Ni Nu Ne No No’ by Manabu Himeda (Japan)
Best Undergraduate Animation: Rollin’ Safari by Kyra Buschor, Constantin Paeplow & Anna Habermehl (Germany) “For its’ strength of the short format gags, which makes you want to see more”
Best High School Animation: Abduction Milk Cow by Shin Hye Kim, Woo Sol Lee & Hyun Ji Yoon (South Korea) “Because it’s a fun, risk-taking, ambitious undertaking”
Best Animation School Showreel: TAMA ART University
Best Canadian Student Animation: Wind & Tree by Konstantin Steshenko (Canada) from Emily Carr University
Honorable Mention to: Blackout by Sharron Mirsky (Canada) from Concordia University
Best Promotional Animation: 50e Anniversaire de la Cinémathèque Québécoise by Diane Obomsawin (Canada) “Because it addresses the subject of history very well, in a simple, fun, and understandable way”
Best Music Video: Stuck in the Sound ‘Let’s Go’ by Alexis Beaumont & Rémi Godin (France) “For its irony and unexpected twists”
Best TV Animation for Adults: Archer ‘Coyote Lovely’ by Bryan Fordney (USA) “Because it’s entertaining, edgy, politically incorrect”
Best Short Animation for Children: Written By A Kid ‘La Munkya’ by Roque Ballesteros ”Because it’s happy and creative”
Honorable Mentions: Tome Of the Unknown by Patrick McHale (USA) The Little Blonde Boy With a White Sheep (Le petit blond avec le mouton blanc) by Eloi Henriod
Best TV Animation for Children: Regular Show ‘A Bunch of Full Grown Geese by JG Quintel (USA) “Because it’s unpredictable, cool, and hilariously weird!”
Honorable Mentions: Adventure Time ‘A Glitch Is A Glitch’ by David OReilly (USA) SpongeBob SquarePants ‘It’s A SpongeBob Christmas!’ by Mark Caballero & Seamus Walsh (USA)
The Nelvana Grand Prize for Best Short Animation: Lonely Bones by Rosto (France, the Netherlands) “For the engrossing, immersive, dreamlike experience”
This year the festival received 1,924 entries from 76 different countries, selecting 108 finalists for competition. An additional 44 films will be shown out-of-competition in Showcase screenings.
The members of the 2013 Jury for the Short Program include Carolina López Caballero (Spain), Ged Haney (UK/ Germany), and Megan Turnbull (Canada). The members of the Jury for the Animated Feature Film Competition include Elliot Cowan (Australia/ USA), Fran Krause (USA), and Michèle Lemieux (Canada).
Here are the trailers for some of the key winners:
Tito on Ice
Lonely Bones
Oh Willy…
The 50th Anniversary of Cinema Québécoise
Virtuos Virtuell
But Milk Is Important
