Rushes Soho Shorts Festival has released the names of this year's winners. Aardman took home the top animation prize for CREATURE COMFORTS 'CATS & DOGS' by Richard Goleszowski. Runners up were KILLING TIME AT HOME from Neil Coslett of Blackwatch Prods. and OUT OF JOINT from Peter Peake of South West Screen. Animation winners in other categories include The Sound Music Video Award Runner Up Steriogram WALKIE TALKIE MAN and The Quantel Title Sequences & Idents Award Runner Up THE LIFE & DEATH OF PETER SELLERS.

The sixth Rushes Soho Shorts Awards Night will be held August 6, 2004 at Sound, Leicester Square. Doors will open at 7.00 pm and the awards presentation takes place at 8:00 pm.

Joce Capper, managing director of Rushes, adds: "Championing and pioneering new talent has always been central to what we do at Rushes, and we are very proud to have established the Rushes Short Film Festival. We are passionate about the art of filmmaking and are committed to maintaining the festival as a platform for screening work of new and established filmmakers. We support the wealth of talent that exists in film making today. The standard of entries was truly exceptional. We depend on the incredible support of many people and I would like to thank our sponsors, the venues and the filmmakers for their energy and commitment. A big thanks to the public for turning up in such large numbers to watch and enjoy the short films we screened. This year's festival has been the greatest yet. Roll on 2005!"

The celebrity packed awards ceremony is hosted by THE WORDs' infamous Terry Christian. Presenters include Nick Moran, Emma Noble, Ray Winstone, Arthur Smith, Kate Miles, Jimi Mistry, Bill Nighy, Leee John, Lysette Anthony, Oscar-nominated director Stephen Daldry of THE HOURS and Nina Nannar the entertainment correspondent at ITN.

The winners are:

The Ascent Media Short Film Award
Winner: THE MOOD - Director - Fredrik Bond - Coded Pictures, MJZ & Frenster Films
Runners up: THE END OF THE LINE - Director - Max Pugh - Tilt Films
WE HAVE DECIDED NOT TO DIE - Director - Daniel Askill - Collider

The Discreet Animation Award
Winner: CREATURE COMFORTS 'CATS & DOGS' - Richard Goleszowski - Aardman Animations
Runners up: KILLING TIME AT HOME - Director - Neil Coslett - Blackwatch Prods.
OUT OF JOINT - Director - Peter Peake - South West Screen

The Polaroid Newcomer Award
Winner: NITS - Director - Harry Wootliff - White Leaf Films
Runners up: DENTALLY DISTURBED - Director - Cameron Mitchell - Academy
OLD TRICKS - Christopher Glass - Ape Like Films

The Sound Music Video Award
Winner: The Streets FIT BUT YOU KNOW IT - Dougal Wilson - Colonel Blimp
Runners up: Goldfrapp TWIST - Director - H5 - Black Dog Films
Steriogram WALKIE TALKIE MAN - Michel Gondry - Partizan

The Quantel Title Sequences & Idents Award
Winner: BBC3 THE BLOBS - Director - Stefan Marjoram - Aardman Animations
Runners up: SCIENCE ON FIVE - Director - Sean de Sparengo - Devilfish
THE LIFE & DEATH OF PETER SELLERS - Director - David Z Obadiah - Voodoodog

For further information on the winners, the festival or the awards night please visit www.sohoshorts.com