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Anna Budanova’s ‘Among the Black Waves’ Tops Anima 2017

Makoto Shinkai’s ‘Your Name’ and Theodore Ushev’s ‘Blind Vaysha’ win audience awards at the 36th Brussels International Animation Film Festival.

The 36th Brussels International Animation Film Festival, Anima 2017, came to a close on Sunday evening with an attendance that greatly exceeded the record of 42,000 visitors reached last year. After a 10-day invasion of the Flagey studios and theatres, the curtain came down on the Festival with the much awaited announcements of the competition winners, followed by the screening of Roger Mainwood’s feature Ethel and Ernest and the awarded films.

The international jury -- made up of Rémi Durin (Enclume Animation, BE), Graham Annable (LAIKA, US) and Annettte Schindler (Fantoche, CH) -- decided to award the Anima 2017 Grand Prix to the Russian short film Among the Black Waves by Anna Budanova, who received 2,500 Euros offered by the Région de Bruxelles-Capitale

The jury also gave its special award to Decorado, a short film by the Spanish filmmaker Alberto Vazquez and the best student short film went to the young Korean Jang Nari for My Father’s Room. The young jury, made up of representatives from the webtv Ceci n’est pas un Buzz and Ouftivi, rewarded La Cage by Loïc Bruyère as the best short film for a young audience.

The national competition jury -- made up of Jeroen Jaspaert (BE), Christine Polis (BE) and Ligia Soare (Animest, RO) -- awarded the best Belgian short film offered by the SABAM to Britt Raes for Catherine. The SACD award went to Julien Grande’s film Pour une poignée de girolles, while the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles Grand Prix for the best short film was awarded to the duo Vincent Patar and Stéphane Aubier for their film La Rentrée des classes. 


Finally, the Festival public’s favorite was the Japanese film Your Name by Makoto Shinkai, which was awarded the prize for best feature and the audience award for best feature for a young audience went to Rabbit School by Ute von Münchow-Pohl. On the shorts’ side, the public chose Theodore Ushev’s Blind Vaysha as best short film, while the young viewers chose the French short film Jubilé from the MoPA school.

With these 279 selected films, the Festival attracted a diverse public of children, adults, animation students and many industry professionals for ten days rich in sneak previews, numerous screenings playing to a full house and popular highlights including the EXPERIENCE festival of VR films, the Animated Night, the workshops for the kids and the Futuranima professional days, presenting the latest films in production by big names from the industry.



This year, the Festival hosted 70 international guests coming from Japan, South Korea, the USA and the four corners of Europe and not even a general power cut could dampen the spirits and atmosphere of the whole proceedings!



Check out Festival photos, the full list of winners and photos of the awarded films on www.animafestival.be, and you can also see some interviews with filmmakers on the Anima Festival YouTube channel



Next year, Anima will be taking place once again in Brussels February 9-18.

Jury Awards

Grand Prix Anima 2017 for Best International Short Film, provided by the Brussels-Capital Region (2500€)
Among the Black Waves (Sredi chernyh voln)
Anna Budanova, Russia

Special Jury Award
Decorado
Alberto Vazquez, Spain

Award for Best Student Short Film
(softwarelicense TVPaint Animation 11 Edition Standard)
My Father’s Room
Jang Nari, South Korea

Special mention
Asphalte,
Lisa Matuszak, France

Award for Best Short Film for Children
(Youth jury : Ceci n’est pas un buzz and Ouftivi) (acquisition of broadcasting rights on Ouftivi)
La Cage
Loïc Bruyère, France

Special mention
Jubilé
Coralie Soudet, Charlotte Piogé, Marion Duvert, Marie El Kadiri, Agathe Marmion, France

Audience Awards

Audience Award for Best Animated Feature, provided by FedEx (voucher worth 2.500€)
Your Name (Kimi no Na wa)
Makoto Shinkai, Japan

Audience Award for Best Animated Feature for Children
Rabbit School (Die Häschenschule - Jagd nach dem goldenen Ei)
Ute von Münchow-Pohl, Germany

Audience Award for Best Short Film
Blind Vaysha
Theodore Ushev, Canada

Audience Award for Short Film for Children
Jubilé
Coralie Soudet, Charlotte Piogé, Marion Duvert, Marie El Kadiri, Agathe Marmion, France

Animation Night Audience Award for Best Short Film
Our Wonderful Nature - The Common Chameleon
Tomer Eshed, Allemagne

Partner Awards

BeTV Award for Best Animated Feature (5.000 € for acquisition of broadcasting rights)
The Anthem of the Heart (Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda)
Tatsuyuki Nagai, Japan

Creative Revelation Award (2.500 € provided by the Korean Cultural Centre)
Blind Vaysha
Theodore Ushev, Canada

Press Award for Best Short Film
Fragments (Estilhaços)
José Miguel Ribeiro, Portugal

National Competition

Jury Awards

Award for Best Belgian Short Film, provided by SABAM (2.500€)
Catherine
Britt Raes

Grand Prix for Best Short Film of the Fédération Wallonie -Bruxelles, provided by the Fédération Wallonie -Bruxelles (2.500€)
La Rentrée des classes
Stéphane Aubier & Vincent Patar

Author Award provided by SACD (2.500€)
Pour une poignée de girolles
Julien Grande

Partner Awards

BeTV Award (acquisition of broadcasting rights)
69Sec
Laura Nicolas

RTBF – La Trois Award (acquisition of broadcasting rights)
Projection sur canapé
Violette Delvoye

Cinergie Award (Electronic Press Kit)
69Sec
Laura Nicolas

Source: Brussels International Animation Film Festival