The 2000 edition of the Ottawa International Animation Festival has come to a close with the announcement of this year’s winners. The winners were chosen by an international jury, comprised of acclaimed Canadian animator Suzanne Gervais, former ASIFA-Hollywood general manager and critic, animator and teacher Wendy Jackson Hall, Wild Brain co-Founder and creative director John Hayes, renowned Estonian animator Priit Pärn, and the head of the Shanghai Animation Studio in China Jin Guo Ping. This year’s top honors went to Andreas Hykade’s groundbreaking animated film RING OF FIRE. (While Priit Pärn shared an inside joke of admiration with Igor Kovalyov publicly stating Kovalyov’s FLYING NANSEN should have won; just as Kovalyov stated in his 1996 acceptance speech that Parn’s 1895 should have won.) The international jury awarded this film the grand prize for "it’s a daring exploration of suffering, redemption and love." RING OF FIRE follows two young cowboys who spend their days in the cool shade of a rock, but at night they make their way to the bazaar of sexual desire. Below is a complete list of winners.





Grand Prize: RING OF FIRE by Andreas Hykade





Grand Prize Commissioned Film: DRAWN FROM LIFE series by Paul Fierlinger





Grand Prize Best Internet Film: ROMANOV Episode 8 Shadow Split by Chris Lanier





Frédérick Back Award For Best Canadian Film: WHEN THE DAY BREAKS by Wendy Tilby & Amanda Forbis





ASIFA-Canada Public Prize: FATHER & DAUGHTER by Michael Dudok de Wit





Independent Film: FATHER & DAUGHTER by Michael Dudok de Wit





Crater Software Award For Best Graduate Film: SUBIDA by Kunyi Chen





Film For Children: YOUR CHOICE by Koji Yamamura





First Professional Film: THE PERIWIG MAKER by Steffen Schaeffler





Educational Productions: UNDERSTANDING THE LAW: THE WORM by Diane Obomsawin





Programme ID: WORKSHOP by Jeff Sias





Commercial: "Rally’s G-Force" by Peter Chung





Music Video: POW’s "Live The Life You Love" by Kris Lefcoe & Harvey Glazer





Television Special: HOOVES OF FIRE by Richard Goleszowski





Television Series: THE PJS "The Preacher’s Life" by Marv Newland





Zack Schwartz Award For Best Story: ARMASTUSE VOIMALIKKUSEST (ON THE POSSIBILITY OF LOVE) by Janno Poldma





Chromacolour Award For Best Use Of Colour: FUGUE by Georges Schwizgebel





Best Design: CRIME & PUNISHMENT by Piotr Dumala





Best Use Of Music/Sound: TUNING THE INSTRUMENTS by Jerzy Kucia





Cartoon Network Award for Best Animation: FLYING NANSEN by Igor Kovalyov





Special Jury Prize: LE CHAPEAU by Michele Cournoyer





Object Animation Award: GILBERT & SULLIVAN – THE VERY MODELS by Barry Purves