SPOTLIGHT ON CANADA – OIAF ANNOUNCES 2016 COMPETITION WINNERS
The 40th Anniversary of the OIAF features a number of Canadian prize winners.
OTTAWA (September 24, 2016) - The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF), North America’s leading animation film festival, announced the winners of its 2016 Official Competition today at an awards ceremony held at Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts. This year, the OIAF received a total of 2311 entries from 86 different countries. Of those, 80 short films and 7 feature films were chosen for competition.
The Nelvana Grand Prize for Independent Short went to Diane Obomsawin’s J’AIME LES FILLES (I LIKE GIRLS), a colourful series of narratives where women recount the discovery of homosexual desire in short, sweet vignettes. The Grand Prize for Features went to LOUISE EN HIVER, directed by Jean-François Laguionie who won a Grand Prize at the OIAF in 1982 with La traversée de l’Atlantique à la rame.
This year’s Short, Feature and Kids Competition screenings were judged by 3 official juries. The Competition Short Jury included animator Ann Marie Fleming (Canada), Brooke Keesling (USA) - Director of Animation Talent Development at Disney Television Animation, and Sarina Nihei (Japan), animator and winner of the OIAF 2015 Grand Prize for Short Animation. The Competition Feature Jury includes animation historian Giannalberto Bendazzi (Italy), former Grand Prize winner and animator Peter Millard (UK), and animation director and optical effects specialist Elise Simard (Canada). The third jury is comprised of Ottawa-area children between the ages of 8 and 12 who judge the Shorts and Series for Young Audiences Competition.
A selection of the Festival’s award-winning films will be screened on Sunday, September 25 at 7:00 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. in the BEST OF OIAF 16 screening at the ByTowne Cinema (325 Rideau Street). Tickets are available online at www.animationfestival.ca and will be sold at the Box Office.
OIAF 2016 AWARDS
Nelvana Grand Prize for Independent Short Animation
J’AIME LES FILLES (I LIKE GIRLS)
Diane Obomsawin
Canada
2016
FROM THE JURY
"Fresh, funny, sweet. We were delighted by the charming coming of age tales, told from different perspectives. The vignettes were strong. The design and colours were excellent. Simple, lovely animation."
Grand Prize for Best Animated Feature
LOUISE EN HIVER
Jean-François Laguionie
France & Canada
2016
Honourable mention
CAFARD, Jan Bultheel (Belgium/France/The Netherlands)
CATEGORY AWARDS
Cartoon Network Award for Best Narrative Short Animation
L’AVEUGLE, VAYSHA (BLIND VAYSHA)
Theodore Ushev
Canada
2016
FROM THE JURY
“A beautiful retelling of an old world tale with contemporary relevance. It had an interesting and moving message. The stylized woodblock prints were beautiful."
Award for Best Experimental or Abstract Animation
SUIJUN-GENTEN (DATUM POINT)
Ryo Orikasa
Japan
2015
FROM THE JURY
"Loved the texture. The granularity of the sound and medium had a visceral quality. Poetic beauty and integration of text, texture and sound. It was mysterious. I don't know what it was... but I was moved."
Award for Best Undergraduate Animation
CIALO OBCE (FOREIGN BODY)
Marta Magnuska
Poland
2016
FROM THE JURY
"A unique story. A mesmerizing metaphor for self-acceptance. Raw sound design was delightfully disturbing."
Walt Disney Animation Award for Best Graduation Animation
FRANKFURTER STR. 99
Evgenia Gostrer
Germany
2016
FROM THE JURY
"Subtle but very beautiful. Surprising narrative and emotional impact was achieved by minimalist technique ... a touching story about everyday life of a member of society that is often invisible."
Award for Best Commissioned Animation
HONDA ‘PAPER’
PES
USA
2015
FROM THE JURY
"A tour de force. The handmade qualities stood out. Appreciated the complex planning and execution of this brilliant piece."
Award for Best Short Film Made for Young Audiences
THREE LITTLE NINJAS DELIVERY SERVICE
Karim Rhellam & Kim Claeys
Belgium
2016
Honourable Mentions
ACCIDENTS, BLUNDERS, CALAMITIES, James Cunningham (New Zealand)
NOVEMBRE, Marjolaine Perreten (France)
Award for Best Animated Series Made for Young Audiences
SHAUN THE SHEEP ‘THE FARMER’S LLAMAS’
Jay Grace
UK
2015
Honourable Mentions
SUMMER CAMP ISLAND, Julia Pott (USA)
HEY DUGGEE ‘THE OMLETTE BADGE’, Grant Orchard (2015)
CRAFT AWARDS
Award for Best Script
FIRED ON MARS
Nick Vokey and Nate Sherman
USA
2016
FROM THE JURY
"Clever and funny... and kind of sad."
Award for Best Design
THE ABSENCE OF EDDY TABLE
Rune Spaans
Norway
2016
FROM THE JURY
"Grotesque and beautiful. Amazing to see painting style translated into CG. Appreciated the sophisticated colour palettes and the unique character design."
Award for Best Animation Technique
VELODROOL
Sander Joon
Estonia
2015
FROM THE JURY
"Inventive use of perspective. Great sight gags - unique and not your typical go-to. Does what animation does best - transforms. Loved the sparse colours and design."
Award for Best Sound
SQUAME
Nicolas Brault
Canada
2015
FROM THE JURY
"Powerful, dramatic, enveloping, moving. Surprising developments for this piece: We found ourselves enveloped in the perfect marriage of sound and picture. Dramatic as the sounds and story moved. Pleasantly surprised that it was the body was made of sugar."
OTHER AWARDS
DHX Public Prize
FIRED ON MARS
Nick Vokey and Nate Sherman
USA
2016
Canadian Film Institute Award for Best Canadian Animation
BLIND VAYSHA
Theodore Ushev
Canada
Narrative Short Animation
Honourable mentions
4MIN15 SEC AU REVELATEUR, Moia Jobin-Paré
BEGONE DULL CARE, Paul Johnson
VIA Rail Award for Best Canadian Student Animation
NIHIL
Khoebe Magsaysay
Sheridan College
2016
Honourable Mentions
DER TOD IST EIN DANDY, Daniela Vargas (Vancouver Film School)
THE CLITORIS, Lori Malepart-Traversy (Concordia)
DE RACINES ET DE CHAINES, Francis Lacelle & Robert M Lepage (INIS)
BOUNCING BLUNDERS, William Martin (Sheridan College)