** Note - read AWN's Ottawa coverage in the Animated Travels blog.

O’Reilly’s The External World Takes Grand Prix at Ottawa

Press Release from Ottawa International Animation Festival

Ottawa, Ontario (October 24, 2010)--The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) comes to an end with a highly anticipated closing ceremonies which were held this evening at the Canadian Museum of Civilization.  OIAF organizers announced the 2010 winners of the official competition during the ceremonies.

This year’s OIAF, which were held from October 20 to 24, was a tremendous success.  The festival was packed with special screenings, sold out workshops and high profile networking events such as TAC (Television Animation Conference) and the “Students-for-Hire” Animation School Fair.

The OIAF is a major international film event that attracts more than 27,000 film buffs, art lovers, producers, and cartoon fans from around the world. Although the final numbers are not yet officially in, there are strong indications that this year’s festival reached the highest attendance to date.

The members of the 2010 International Jury for the Short Program, Student and Commissioned Films are: Frances Leeming (Canada), Munro Ferguson (Canada), and Maya Yonesho (Japan).  The members of the International Jury for the Feature Film Competition are: Atsushi Wada (Japan), Torill Kove (Canada/Norway), and Michaela Pavlatova (Czech Republic).

The OIAF 2010 also has a special Kids Jury made up of local kids to select the Best Short Animation and the Best Television Animation Made for Children.  This year’s Kids Jury members are: Riel Schryer, Rowan Martineau, Traicy Quintero, Erica Vong, Marc Patterson, Liza Roik, Thomas Berry, William von Herff, Namira Keshavjee, Kiera Kealey, and Lara Kelly.

The 2010 Nelvana GRAND PRIZE for Best Independent Short Animation ($3,000 CDN) is:

· The External World by David O’Reilly (United Kingdom).

“A unique reconstruction of the universe.”

The 2010 GRAND PRIZE for Best Animated Feature is:

· Goodbye Mister Christie by Phil Mulloy (United Kingdom).

The 2010 Walt Disney Animation Studios GRAND PRIZE for Best Student Animation is:

· Prayers for Peace by Dustin Grella (U.S.A.).

“Moving and honest.”

The 2010 GRAND PRIZE for Best Commissioned Animation is:

· Going West by Martin Andersen and Line Andersen (New Zealand).

“Conceptual sophistication and exquisite rendering.”

The 2010 Best Animation School Showreel is:

· Tokyo Arts University (Japan).

Honourable Mention: Rhode Island School of Design (U.S.A.)

The 2010 Best Narrative Short is:

· This is love by Lei Lei (China).

“Because we loved it.”

The 2010 Best Experimental/Abstract Animation is:

· Little Deaths by Ruth Lingford.

“Describing the indescribable.”

The 2010 Adobe Prize for Best High School Animation is:

·Where is the love by Dae Woen Yoon and Joe Woo Shin (South Korea).

“Careful drawing and good story.”

The 2010 Best Undergraduate Animation is:

· LGFUAD by Kelsey Stark (U.S.A.).

“Shows a lot of spirit.”

The 2010 Best Graduate Animation is:

· Prayers for Peace by Dustin Grella (U.S.A.).

“Moving and honest.”

The 2010 Best Promotional Animation is: