As usually happens I did not agree with some of the prize winning selections. I definitely felt that Pixels directed by French animator Patrick Jean was not the very best short film that I had seen at the festival. Watching New York City transformed into a gigantic video game as retro characters ala Packman and Donkey Kong invade the city was fun and the 1 minute 30 second film was an impressive use of technology but it seemed more like a music video and once you’ve seen it you’ve seen it. I prefer films that I want to watch several times and have to think about. That said, I know that awards are made by a committee who has to come to an agreement.
The closing night party in the now empty MIFA tents was a last chance to discuss films and have fun with old and new friends. The animation community is a close knit family, so for me it is never “goodbye”, but just “see you soon”. This year there was one very big exception. The Bonlieu, heart of the festival, will be torn down next year and construction of the new, larger theatre complex will not be completed in time for Annecy 2012. There was a lot of speculation about where the festival will be located next year but no decision has been announced yet. All I know for sure is that I am looking forward to Annecy 2012 and hope to see you all there.
PRIZEWINNING FILMS
SHORT FILMS
Jury: Akeksandra Korejwo, Poland; Regina Pessoa, Portugal; Pes, United States
Annecy Cristal – Pixels, Patrick Jean, France
Special Jury Award – Big Bang Big Boom, Blu, Italy
Jean-Luc Xiberras Award For A First Film – Switez, Kamil Polak, Poland, France, Canada, Switzerland, Denmark
Special Distinction – Paths of Hate, Damian Nenow, Poland
Sacem Award For Original Music – Maska, Quay Brothers, Krzystof Penderecki
JUNIOR JURY AWARD FOR A SHORT FILM
Jury – Lisa Hachim, 12 years old; Thomas Jacoulet, 14 years old; Khalil Benani, 12 years old; Oumaima Aziz, 13 years old
A Morning Stroll, Grant Orchard, Great Britian
AUDIENCE AWARD – Luminaris, Juan Pablo Zaramella, Argentina
FEATURE FILM JURY
Marc Du Pontavice, France; Mathias Malzieu, France; Yoshihiro, Japan
Feature Film Cristal – The Rabbi’s Cat, Joann Sfar, Antoine Delesvaux, France
Special Distinction – Colorful, Keiichi Hara, Japan
AUDIENCE AWARD – Colorful, Keiichi Hara, Japan
GRADUATION FILMS
Jury – Matthew O’Callaghan, United States; David Sproxton, Great Britian; Will Vinton, United States
Graduation Film Cristal – Plato, Leonard Cohen, France
Special Jury Award – Trois Petits Points, Lucrece Andreae, Alice Dieudonne, Tracy Nowocien, Florian Parrot, Ornelie Prioul, Remy Schaepman, France
Special Distinction – The Eagleman Stag, Mikey Please, Great Britian
JUNIOR JURY GRADUATION FILM AWARD
JUNIOR JURY: llyes Boutemeur, 15 years old; Noemie Tarpin, 16 years old; Oumayma Rmila, 14 years old; Bassam Lhnaoui, 13 years old
Plato, Leonard Cohen, France
TV AND COMMISSIONED FILMS
Jury – Laurence Blaevoet, France; Tapaas Chakravarti, India; Lucineh Kassarjian, Armenia
TV and Commissioned Films Cristal – The Amazing World of Gumbal “The Quest”- Mic Graves, Ben Bocquelet – France
Special Award For A TV Series – Le Petit Nicolas “A La Recre On Se Bat” (Little Nick “At Playtime We Fight) – Arnaud Bouron, France, Luxembourg, India
Award For Best TV Special – Das Bild Der Prinzessin (Princess’s Painting) – Joannes Weiland, Klaus Morschheuser, Germany
Educational, Scientific, or Industrial Award – Comment Nourrir Tout Le Monde? (How to Feed the World?)- Denis Van Waerebeke, France
Advertising or Promotional Film Award – Canal J “Royaume Du Gnagnagna”- Olivier Jeannel, France
Award For Best Music Video – Wax Tailor Featuring Charlie Winston “I Own You” – Romain Chassaing, France
ADDITIONAL AWARDS
Unicef Award – L’Apprenti Pere Noel (Santa’s Apprentice) – Luc Vinciguerra, France
Fipresci Award – Luminnaris – Juan Pablo Zaramella, Argentina
“Canal + Creative Aid” Award For A Short Film – Chroniques De La Poisse (Sticky Ends)- Osman Cerfon, France
Fnac Award for a Feature Film – Chico & Rita – Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal, Tono Errando, Spain
Annecy 2011 You Tube Award – Sidewalk Scribble – Peter Lowey, Australia
PRIZE WINNING PROJECTS
SHORT FILMS
Jury Prize Rhone-Alps Cinema, TVPaint Development- Oripeaux, Sonia Gerbeaud, Mathias de Panafieu, France
Arte France Prize – Le Sens Du Toucher (The Sens of Touch) – Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo, France
Abbaye de Fontevraud Prize – Tagli Di Capelli (Haircuts), Virginia Mori, Italy
Prix ToonBoom Prize – Stripes, Heather Larkin, United States
Canal +, Folimage, ONF Prize – Amelia E Duarte (Amelia and Duarte) – Maria Alice Eca Guimaraes Azevedo, Monica Fernandes dos Snatos, Portugal
Prix Cube Creatiive Productions Prize – Quartet, Jean Bouthors, Thibault Chimier, Vincent Djinda, France
FESTIVAL – TV PAINT DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL MENTIONS
Feature Film – A Poings Fermes – Jean-Jacques Kahn, Franck Van Leeuwen, Jean-Jacques Jauffret, France
TV Series – Le Bien Chasser – Boris Belgghiti, Dimitri Cohen-Tanugi, Pierre Razetto, Maxime Paccalet, France
Cross-Media – Bubbleman Superstar- Alban Gily, France