‘Bestia’ and ‘Flee’ Take Top Honors at ITFS 2022

The 29th Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film came to an end after six days full of highlights from the world of animation. The festival culminated May 8 with the ITFS awards ceremony and the announcement of winners of the competition program, which was preceded by the Trickstar Professional Awards on May 4, and the Tricks for Kids Awards on May 7.

The categories and honorees:

International Competition – State of Baden-Württemberg and the city of Stuttgart Grand Award for Animated Film:

Winner:

• Bestia - Hugo Covarrubias, Chile 2021, Trebol 3 Producciones
• Based on true events, the film tells the story of a secret police investigator during the military dictatorship in Chile. Her relationship with her dog, her body and her fears reflect the rupture of her soul and the soul of the country.

Special Mention 1:          

• Hysteresis - Robert Seidel, Germany 2021

Special Mention 2:

Steakhouse - Špela Cadež, France, Germany, Slovenia 2021, Production: Finta film, Fabian&Fred, RTV, Miyu Distribution

Lotte Reiniger Promotion Award for Animated Film:

Winner:

• L'Immoral / The Immoral - Ekin Koca, France 2021, 4:13 min., School: La Poudrière 
• The guest of a restaurant collapses. The other guests, except for one, are in a state of shock.

SWR OnlineFilm Audience Award:

Winner:

• Bis zum letzten Tropfen / To the last Drop - Simon Schnellmann, Germany 2021, Production: abwerner.ch 

• During chemotherapy, an infusion stand fights for the life of a patient.

Young Animation:

Winner:

• Underwater Love - Andrea Falzone, Maria Cristina Fiore, Veronica Martiradonna, Italy 2021, School: Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia
• A girl has many questions towards herself, and she faces her problems with some monsters. Anger turns her into a wasp, under water she meets a king. She cries excessively, turns all red and finally she grows, big as a giant.

Special Mention:

• Les larmes de la Seine / The Seine's Tears - Alice Letailleur, Eliott Benard, Etienne Moulin, Hadrien Pinot, Lisa Vicente, Nicolas Mayeur, Philippine Singer, Yanis Belaid, France 2021, Production: Je Regarde, School: Pôle 3D

AniMovie:

Winner:

• Flugt / Flee - Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Denmark, France, Sweden, Norway 2021, Production: Final Cut for Real, Sun Creature Studio, Vivement Lundi, MostFilms, Mer Film, ARTE France, VPRO – Television

• The film tells the story of Amin Nawabi, who struggles with a painful secret he has kept hidden for 20 years that threatens to unravel the life he has built for himself and his future husband. He tells director Jonas Poher Rasmussen for the first time the story of his extraordinary journey as a child refugee from Afghanistan, presented mainly in animated form.

Special Mention:

• Moje Slunce Maad / My Sunny Maad - Michaela Pavlátová, France, Czech Republic, Slovakia 2021, Production: Negativ Film Production, BFILM, Sacrebleu Productions

Trickstar Nature Award:

Winner:

• Varken / Pig - Jorn Leeuwerink, The Netherlands 2022, Production: Studio Pupil (Tünde Vollenbroek)
• A group of animals connect a power grid to the socket-shaped snout of a large, sleeping pig. At first, the animals use the pig's energy for simple things, but soon they become dependent on a city where everything is automated. How long can this go on?

FANtastic Award:

Winner:

• The Soloists - Celeste Jamneck, Feben Elias Woldehawariat, Mehrnaz Abdollahina, Razahk Issaka, Yi Liu, France 2021, Production: GOBELINS
• In a village with ridiculous rules, two old ladies and their forbidden dog have lost their sister, which is why they now need a replacement singer for their next show

Special Mention:             

• Les larmes de la Seine / The Seine's Tears - Alice Letailleur; Eliott Benard; Etienne Moulin; Hadrien Pinot; Lisa Vicente; Nicolas Mayeur; Philippine Singer; and Yanis Belaid, France 2021, Production: Je Regarde, School: Pôle 3D

Crazy Horse Session – 48H Animation Jam:

Winner:

• Bath - Shantanu Karkare, Siddhi Vartak, India

The winners of the Animated Games Award, German Animation Screenplay Award and Trickstar Business Award competitions were presented at the Trickstar Professional Awards on May 4, and the Tricks for Kids Award on May 7.

Trickstar Professional Awards

German Animation Screenplay Award:

Winner:

• “Dino Mite / Minus Drei und die verlorene Stadt”- screenplay: Armin Prediger, Andreas Völlinger, production: Holger Weiss and Dominique Schuchmann, M.A.R.K.13 – COM, Björn Magsig and Sandra Schießl, TRIKK 17

The best screenplay with the greatest international market potential:

Winner:

• “Little Miss Santa” - screenplay: Jasmina Kallay, production: Lilian Klages (Dreamin’ Dolphin Film, Munich)

A Special Mentions:

• “Mr. Wiggles” - screenplay: André Heeger
• “The (mostly) marvelous MURRAY” - screenplay: Christian Kaps.

Animated Games Award Germany:

Winner:

• Minute of Islands - developer: Studio Fizbin GmbH, publisher: Mixtvision Mediengesellschaft mbH

Special Mention:

• Lacuna - developer: DigiTales Interactive, publisher: Assemble Entertainment.

Trickstar Business Award:

Winner:

• Business Model Yullbe GO - Mack NeXT, Rust

Special Mentions:

• Art Minute - Die Asta Experience & Zentropa Productions (Hvidovre, Denmark)
• Colored (Noire) - Novaya (Paris, France)

The Tricks for Kids Awards

Award for the Best Children’s Animated Film:

Winner:

• Die allerlangweiligste Oma auf der Welt / The most boring Granny in the whole world - Damaris Zielke, Germany 2022, Production: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
• Greta has the most boring grandma in the whole world. When she falls asleep on the sofa, Greta gets the idea, to play funeral with her grandma. This confronts them with some questions they didn’t ask themselves before. Because what remains when you have to leave life behind?

Special Mention:

• Maman Pleut des Cordes / Mum is Pouring Rain - Hugo De Faucompret, France 2021, 29:43 min, Production: Dandelooo, Laïdak Films

Tricks for Kids Audience Award:

• Giuseppe - Isabelle Favez, Switzerland 2021, 26 min; Production: Nadasdy Film
• This year, Giuseppe, the little hedgehog, doesn’t want to hibernate because his greatest wish is to see snow for once in his life. In search of the snow that is not coming this year, Giuseppe will have a great adventure and make new friends.

Find out more about the winners here.

The next Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film will take place from April 25- 30, 2023.

Source: ITFS

Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.