The inaugural Animation Is Film festival in Los Angeles has announced its feature film competition winners. Out of the 12 competing titles, Nora Twomey’s powerful The Breadwinner was named the winner of both the Grand Prize and Audience Award, with the charming comedy The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales from Benjamin Renner and Patrick Imbert took the Special Jury Prize.
Twomey co-directed Cartoon Saloon’s Oscar-nominated Celtic myth Song of the Sea. Renner has also been nominated for the Academy Award, for Ernest & Celestine. Big Bad Fox was produced by Oscar nominee Didier Brunner (Kirikou and the Sorceress, Triplets of Belleville, The Secret of Kells, Ernest & Celestine).
Speaking for the jury, festival jury chair Peter Debruge (chief film critic for Variety) said:
“The Breadwinner is not just an incredibly important film, but one that reminds us of the power of animation to communicate serious issues in the world. Transforming hardship into a warm and moving story, the movie represents a triumph by its director, Nora Twomey, in terms of script, voice acting, design, music and editing. The films in competition this year illustrated the many techniques and possibilities of animation, but The Breadwinner was a clear favorite among our jury. Special Jury Prize goes to Big Bad Fox and Other Tales, a comedy that celebrates the joys of traditional cartoon animation.”
The jury also included Allison Abbate (EVP Theatrical Animation, Warner Bros. Pictures; producer, The Iron Giant, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The LEGO Movie), Bonnie Arnold (DreamWorks Animation; producer Toy Story, How to Train Your Dragon), Brenda Chapman (Oscar-winning director of Brave), Carolyn Giardina (Tech Editor, The Hollywood Reporter), Jorge R. Gutiérrez (director, Book of Life), Charles Solomon (film critic and historian), Mabel Tam (head film buyer, Landmark Cinemas), and Anne Thompson (Editor-at-Large, IndieWire).
The festival was presented by GKIDS, Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Variety, and ASIFA Hollywood, with major sponsors LA Times, IndieWire, Cartoon Brew, Fathom Events and Google. More information at AnimationIsFilm.com.
