Manchester Animation Festival, the country’s only Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying animation festival has revealed the winners of its annual awards.
The ceremony took place at HOME last night, with the awards designed by Mackinnon & Saunders.
The festival also recognised outstanding individuals behind the scenes in scriptwriting, storyboarding, character design, and character animation, with its Industry Excellence Awards:
Script Writing – Davey Moore for Maddie and Triggs (CBeebies/RTÉjr)
Storyboarding – Sasha Fusini for Supertato (BBC)
Character Animation – Dave McKenna for Maddie and Triggs (CBeebies/RTÉjr)
Character Design – Saeed Rezvani for Mojo Swoptops (CBeebies)
Manchester Animation Film Award Winners:
Feature Film
Winner: ‘Little Amélie or the Character of Rain’ by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han (France)
“It was a unanimous decision by the jury who were all blown away by the originality and creativity of this film,” said the jury.
“We were transported by the tender and heartwarming story of family, seen from the point of view of the two year old girl. There was a real cohesion within the film from the art direction, animation, voice performances, music and sound design that came together beautifully in this unique and moving feature.”
Short Film
Winner: ‘Sulaimani’ by Vinnie Ann Bose (France)
“This short film explores the cultural nuances, societal expectations and internal conflict of leaving India with real depth and care. Dancing seamlessly between stop motion & 2D, the mixed media format enhanced the storytelling and its evocative imagery. With strong characterisation and real emotions,” said the judges of the winner, who will now be eligible for consideration in the Academy Awards Fhort Films competition.
British Short Film
Winner: ‘Two Black Boys in Paradise’ by Baz Sells (United Kingdom)
The Jury said:
“Our winning film is as gorgeous and visually poetic as it is bold and unapologetic in its storytelling,” said the judges.
“The film expertly weaves a number of British themes into the fabric of this film, among them the intersection of race, gender and sexuality. The filmmakers handle their subject matter with such care and grace, giving us a celebration of Black, queer love and leaving us with a universal invitation to welcome love.
Student Film
Winner: ‘The Twelve Inch Pianist’ by Lucas Ansel (United States)
Immersive Film
Winner: ‘Out of Nowhere’ by Kris Hoffman (Austria)
Commissioned Film
Winner: ‘Desi Oon’ by Suresh Eriyat (India)
Audience Award
The audience award was voted for by Manchester Animation Festival Delegates.
Winner: ‘Ovary-Acting’ by Ida Melum (United Kingdom)
Short Films for Children
Winner: ‘Forevergreen’ by Nathan Engelhardt and Jeremy Spears (United States)
Irish studio and animation powerhouse Cartoon Saloon received the Manchester Animation Festival Fellowship Award, recognising over 25 years of excellence in animation.
“There have been so many enriching conversations this week about the future of animation,” said Festival Director Steve Henderson.
“At a tricky time for the animation industry, seeing such a range of wonderful, handcrafted, and intricate masterpieces celebrated – and awarded – here at the festival is genuinely heartwarming and brilliant, obliterating any doom and gloom!”
