The 2nd Matita International Animation Film Festival was held September 23
- 26 in Guardiagrele, Italy. The jury consisted of Jury President Giulio
Cingoli (producer and director), Milan, Italy; Piotr Dumala (director,
animator, and teacher at the Film School of Lodz), Warsaw, Poland; Ruth
Lingford (director, animator, and teacher at the Royal College of Arts and
National Film & Television School of London), London, UK; Laura Ruggeri
(student at the International Academy of Image, Lanterna Magica), L'Aquila,
Italy; Alessandro Russo (Cecchi Gori Group), Rome, Italy; and Annick
Teninge (General Manager of Animation World Network), Los Angeles, USA. The
Jury's notes follow in quotes.


The following awards were handed out:


AUTHOR SECTION:


Grand Prize:


ARTHUR by Guionne Leroy, K.E.E.N. Productions, Bruxelles, Belgium, 1998.
"The film features an optimist view of life, a most beautiful animation and
the desire to see a sequel."


BILLY'S BALLOON by Don Hertzfeldt, Bitter Films Productions, Goleta, CA,
USA, 1998. "For the cheeky and provocative take on the typical child's film
and representational world."


Honorable Mentions:


THE CANTERBURY TALES by Aida Zyablikova, Ashley Potter, Dave Antrobus, Mic
Graves and Joanna Quinn, Right Angle Productions, Abergwaun, Wales, U.K.,
1998. "For the extraordinary ability to exploit graphic skill in an art
form, especially in the third episode by Joanna Quinn."


T.R.A.N.S.I.T. by Piet Kroon, The Illuminated Film Co. Ltd., Richmond,
England, U.K., 1997. "For the skillful evocation of the Twenties and the
romantic plot superbly developed through effective uses of flashback."


Student Section:


Grand Prize:


MUM by Nicholas Peterson, California Institute of the Arts (CalArts),
Valencia, CA, USA, 1999. "For the maturity of its cinematographic style,
and the yet defined professionalism which characterizes its narration."


Honorable Mentions:


ONE EYE by Liana Dognini, National Film & Television School, London,
England, U.K., 1997. "For its painful, simple decency meant to portray love
between parents and a daughter."


THE FAIRY WITH SEVEN HEADS by Andrea Kiss, Hungarian Academy of Crafts &
Design/Studio Exist, Budapest, Hungary, 1998. "For the courage to resort to
a traditional fable in order to reaffirm the urgency of self consciousness
in love."


AUDIENCE AWARDS:


Author Section:


GOGWANA by Deiniol Morris, AAARGH! Animation, Cardiff, Wales, U.K., 1998.


Student Section:


SANDLAND by Heiko Lueg, Filmakademie Baden-Wurttemberg, Ludwigsburg,
Germany, 1999.