AWARDS
Zima
Tomek Popakul, OZEKI Kasumi
Graduated Lodz Film School in direction animation and special effects. His debut movie Ziegenort was shown at many festivals around the world. His another project, Acid Rain, gained 35 awards, was shown in around 90 festivals, got a prestigious nomination for Annie Awards, and was on the long Oscar list. Created short hybrid animation Moon for HBO pandemic anthology At Home. Collaborated with Kasumi Ozeki on Acid Rain, Moon, and now ZIMA.
- Jury Statement
- A young girl's anger and grief. A frigid winter. An insular community. This story, painted with simple brushstrokes, plunges right to the heart with its striking realism. From its alarming opening to a breathtaking sledding scene, it is a skillful blend of animation and storytelling. I couldn't help shudder with dread at the sight of a shard of glass glimmering red as if to presage a tragedy. It filled me with the conviction and excitement that I have just seen something great. I have no complaints. The panel was unanimous in calling it a masterpiece.
Misérable Miracle
ORIKASA Ryo
Born in Ibaraki, Japan, 1986. 'Datum point' (2015) received several awards include the Ōfuji Noburō Award, The Mainichi Film Awards 2015, the Golden Zagreb Award, Animafest Zagreb 2016, the Best Experimental or Abstract Animation Award, Ottawa International Animation Festival 2016. Recent film, 'Miserable Miracle' (2023), inspired by the work of Henri Michaux, was co-produced by Miyu Productions (France), the NFB (Canada) and New Deer (Japan).
- Jury Statement
- The jury is honored to introduce our selection for the Japanese Grand Prix. In this film the devotion to the craft of animation, drawn on paper, is pushed and stretched beyond boundary. Perhaps I should say written on paper, as words drift into oceans and beautiful explosions of letters and lines transform and layer a poem within a poem. It is our great pleasure to announce ‘Miserable Miracle’ by Ryo Orikasa’ as the winner for the Japanese Grand Prix!
Sweeter is the Night
Fabienne Wagenaar
Fabienne Wagenaar studied illustration at the École Estienne and the École des Arts Décoratifs de Strasbourg (HEAR) in France, before turning to the moving image during an exchange program with HAW-Hamburg University (Germany). She continued her studies at La Poudrière, an animation filmmaking school in Valence, France, from which she graduated in 2014. Based in Paris, she alternates between personal projects and commissioned work for film and television as a director, assistant director, graphic designer or set designer. She also designs illustrations for publishing and corporate clients.
- Jury Statement
- There is something hidden beneath the layers of beautiful paintings... Something shameful that happened a long time ago but could have also happened yesterday.
The Wild-Tempered Clavier
Anna Samo
Anna Samo was born in Moscow, studied animation at HFF Konrad Wolf in Potsdam and is currently based in New York. As an independent filmmaker she uses a variety of analog animation techniques to create emotional and poetic work. Her most recent films OBON, The Opposites Game and Conversations with a Whale were screened and awarded at film festivals around the world.
- Jury Statement
- I would like to appreciate a film that bravely puts the technique and the delicate material from which it is made into the foreground. And at the same time, it refers to the difficult present with ease.
O/S
Max Hattler
Max Hattler’s experimental animation works explore relationships between abstraction and figuration, aesthetics and politics, sound and image, and precision and improvisation. Max holds a BA in Media and Communications from Goldsmiths, an MA in Animation from the Royal College of Art, and a Doctorate in Fine Art from the University of East London. He has performed live at Sonar Hong Kong, Seoul Museum of Art, EXPO Milano and the European Media Art Festival. He is a Professor at School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong.
- Jury Statement
- This was my first time being named a jury member, so I went excited and prepared to enjoy the 11th New Chitose Film Festival. It didn't disappoint. I was treated to wonderful works made in a wide variety of styles, and visual images that made my heart skip a beat. I marveled at the technique and artistry, and reflected on contemporary themes that demand our full attention. Above all, I experience works full of passion; that sparkled and dazzled. And then, after much difficult deliberation, I made my jury prize selection by going with my gut and choosing my personal favorite; a work that was cool, stylish and simple in its composition. I loved it. It was my kind of world completely, and I wanted to remain in its flood of light forever.
A Crab in the Pool
Alexandra Myotte, Jean-Sébastien Hamel
Alexandra Myotte and Jean-Sébastien Hamel are a duo of writers-directors based in Montreal. Their award-winning animated short films and web series have been featured in numerous festivals around the globe. Their latest film No Title (2021) has won multiple awards, including Best Canadian Short Film at EIFF 2021, in addition to being nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 2022 IRIS Awards.
- Jury Statement
- I am pleased to announce my pic for honorable mention. A touching cartoon about grief and mourning and our human tendency towards escapism. ‘A Crab in the Pool’ by Alexandra Myotte, Jean-Sébastien Hamel.
Glass House
Boris Labbé
Trained at the École supérieure d’art de Tarbes and then at the École de cinéma d’animation d’Angoulême, the work of Boris Labbé (1987, FR) quickly made the rounds of contemporary art exhibitions, international film festivals or audiovisual concerts. His latest short film 'La Chute' was included in the selection of the special session of the 2018 Cannes Film Festival Critics’ Week. In 2020, he collaborated with choreographer Angelin Preljocaj and designed the video set design for Swan Lake. He is currently developing a virtual reality project (Ito Meikyu, Sacrebleu Productions).
- Jury Statement
- This work is astoundingly innovative. I had no idea that AI could be used in such a diverse way. It is a precious thinking that non-narrative expressions can through its abundantly rich sensory dimensions captivate the viewer for extended periods of time without becoming boring. And several scenes were so impactful that I felt I was in a dream. It is undoubtedly a masterpiece.
Look Back
OSHIYAMA Kiyotaka
Kiyotaka has taken part in several works such as “The Wind Rises,” “Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance,” “The Secret World of Arrietty,” “Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos,” and made his directorial debut in “Flip Flappers.” He founded Durian Inc. and directed an original animation short titled, “SHISHIGARI.” At MIFA 2019, he held a presentation titled, “Kiyotaka Oshiyama’s Sakuga Correction Lesson- break the rule.” Kiyotaka has published “The Oshiyama Method to Sakuga Art: Fantastic Sakuga Series” and “Sakuga Correction Lesson: Fantastic Sakuga Series.
- Jury Statement
- Despite its relatively short running time for a medium-to-feature length film, this 58-minute film is packed with emotion. Every moment and space in the film is awash with pictures, colors, voices, music, sounds, and backgrounds, immersing the viewer at a highly visceral level. I perceive cinema as a comprehensive art form, and I keenly feel the director has opened up a new horizon for us.
Such Miracles Do Happen
Barbara Rupik
Barbara Rupik (born 1992) is an animated film director specializing in puppet and mixed media techniques. She graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice and the Polish National Film,Television and Theatre School in Lodz. Her filmography includes a short film 'The Little Soul' (2019), which won the 3rd Prize in the Cinéfondation competition at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival. She is also the author of stop-motion segments for a feature film 'The Silent Twins' (2022), directed by Agnieszka Smoczyńska.
- Jury Statement
- Only a few films in the history of animation deal with faith seriously, and very few indeed manage to deliver it so captivating at the same time. And with the help of completely enchanting stop-motion animation.
Air Lock
Joshua J Shaffner
Josh Shaffner is a film maker and visual artist. He received his BFA in Painting and Drawing from The University of Montana 2005 and his MFA in Experimental Animation from CalArts in 2015. He is the author and animator of several short films including ‘The Rehabilitation of Sleep’ 2012, ‘Flaws’ 2014 ‘Service’ 2015 and his latest work ‘In Dreams’ 2023 which is currently touring festivals. Splitting time between Missoula, MT and Los Angeles, CA Josh works as an educator and freelance artist.
Wind Goes On
Eric Lee
Eric Lee founded Morph Workshop in 2012 which is an animation studio focused on independent short film productions. Since 2012, 6 animation shorts have been made, and all of them are selected in international film festivals around the world.
A Night at the Rest Area
MURAMOTO Saki
Born in Japan, 1988. Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Film and New Media, Department of Animation in 2013. Now I’m working as a freelance animation director and illustrator.
Wind Goes On
Eric Lee
Eric Lee founded Morph Workshop in 2012 which is an animation studio focused on independent short film productions. Since 2012, 6 animation shorts have been made, and all of them are selected in international film festivals around the world.
Simulated Scenery Study: Land of Smoke
OSHIMA Keitaro
Graduated from the Graduate School of Hokkaido University of Education in 2004. In 2012, served as a Special Research Fellow at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne. Currently based in Sapporo, the artist focuses on producing films and conducting research under the theme of "Deconstruction and Reconstruction of Moving Image Structures." In recent years, they have been exploring contemporary developments in found footage while using visual materials such as old photographs and postcards as source material. Additionally, they organize film screenings and lead workshops centered on primitive filmmaking techniques. Currently, He is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Hokkaido Information University.
Haru-tsuge Fish and Fu-rai Boy
YASHIRO Takeshi
At TAIYO KIKAKU Co., Ltd, a commercial production company, he has been working on various methods of stop-motion animation while focusing on live-action as a commercial director.In 2012, he started full-scale production of human figure animation, and in 2015, he established TECARAT, an animation studio within TAIYO KIKAKU Co., Ltd, where he currently focuses on human figure animation. In addition to writing and directing, he also creates art, animates and carves human figures.He aims to create images that are unique to stop-motion animation, while valuing the materiality of the art created by the hand of the artist.
Maria Ex Machina
SUGIMOTO Naoki
Born in Hokkaido in 1992. Major works include ’World of Tokoyo’ and ’Valhalla of Enn’. Collaborated with Aiko on ’Bon Dance’ and created ’River and Nature’.
Happy Green
Sonnyé Lim
Sonnyé Lim is a Korean-American independent animator born in Queens, NY. Their work explores the interwoven connection between nature and the viewer, often using macro and micro shots to emphasize the significance and beauty of all living things.
group_inou “Happening”
AC-bu
AC-bu is a creative team especially known for their high-energy, highly-condensed imagery expression. Over the years, they have received numbers of noticed awards after their first grand prix prize for NHK Digital Stadium Award. Recognized music video works includes 'group_inou / THERAPY' , 'Orange range – Sushi tabetai feat. Soi sauce)' , 'Powder / New Tribe' and so on. Also known for their work for creating 'BOB EPIC TEAM' a regular segment of a worldly praised animation program POP TEAM EPIC.
Madeleine
Raquel Sancinetti
Raquel is a Brazilian-Canadian filmmaker living in Montreal. With a background in film post-production, she earned her degree in Film Animation at Concordia University in 2013. Since then, she has been working on independent films. Her latest work, the animated documentary short film 'Madeleine' (2023) was selected to numerous festivals (Hot Docs, Slamdance, Regard) and has won 11 awards, including Best Documentary Short at Edmonton International Film Festival and the Grand Jury Award at Uppsala Short Film Festival, that made the film eligible for the Oscars.
Long Distance
Michael Frei
Michael Frei (1987), born in Appenzell, is a Swiss filmmaker and game designer. He studied animation at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and at the Estonian Academy of Arts in Tallinn. His projects 'Plug & Play' (2015) and 'Kids' (2019) were popular as films at festivals and as games on YouTube. He co-founded Playables, a production company for peculiar projects based in Zurich.
A Night at the Rest Area
MURAMOTO Saki
Born in Japan, 1988. Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Film and New Media, Department of Animation in 2013. Now I’m working as a freelance animation director and illustrator.
Croak Show
Suresh Eriyat
Born in India in 1973, Suresh graduated from the prestigious National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad specializing in communication design in 1997. Since then, he has been relentlessly working in the field of animation. He founded Studio Eeksaurus, in partnership with his wife Nilima Eriyat since 2009. The studio deals with production of various media, intended for cinema, television, web and digital platforms. Suresh’s is a respected resume, which goes beyond 400 productions, which has allowed him to receive numerous awards, including the prestigious Annecy festival Cristal in 2015, a first for India.
Element
- Jury Statement
- Making the most of a designated square shape, an effusion of colorful fluids traced geometric contours as if manifesting shapes from thin air. I made this selection for being abstract animation, highly-finished work within the parameters of a 30-second square.
