The Chicago International Childrens Film Festivals closing night awards ceremony, sponsored by American Airlines, was held Oct. 31, 2004. FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR star James Avery hosted the gala as hundreds of movie lovers gathered to celebrate the most popular films of the festival.
The most anticipated awards of the night are those, which qualify the winners to enter the short films category for the Academy Awards. The winner of the Adult Jury Live-Action category was Annette Carle for BELMONDO, a film about a boy who gets the chance to choose the perfect mother. Winner of the Adult Jury Animated Short Film went to Sejong Park for BIRTHDAY BOY, a story about a boy who pretends to be off fighting bad guys with his heroic dad. BLIZZARD (Canada, 2003), directed by LeVar Burton, won the festivals Best of the Fest award. BLIZZARD tells the tale of a young skater named Katie who becomes friends with Santas most gifted reindeer, Blizzard, voiced by Whoopi Goldberg.
Other animated winners include:
CHILDRENS JURY PRIZE - ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OR VIDEO1st Prize, Animated Feature Film or VideoKATE: THE TAMING OF THE SHREW (Roberto Lione, Italy, 2004)
2nd Prize, Animated Feature Film or VideoLITTLE LONGNOSE (Ilya Maximov, Russia, 2003)
CHILDRENS JURY PRIZE ANIMATED SHORT FILM OR VIDEO1st Prize, Animated Short Film or VideoBELLYBUTTON (Mike Nawrocki, USA, 2003)
2nd Prize, Animated Short Film or VideoBLUE DOG BLUES (Mair Doyle, England, 2004)
Certificate of Excellence, Animated Short Film or VideoBABY CHANGING STATION (Keith Osborn, USA, 2003)
CHILDRENS JURY PRIZE ANIMATED TELEVISION PRODUCTION1st Prize, Animated Television ProductionCREATURE COMFORTS: CATS OR DOGS? (Richard Goleszowski, England, 2003)
2nd Prize, Animated Television ProductionYOKO! JAKAMOKO! TOTO!: THE TRAVELLER (Tony Collingwood and Andrea Tran, England, 2003)
Certificate of Excellence, Animated Television ProductionZOE KEZAKO: BRONCO BABYSITTER (Fabrice Fouquet and Corinne Kouper, France, 2004)
ADULT JURY PRIZE ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OR VIDEO1st Prize, Animated Feature Film or Video RAINING CATS AND FROGS (Jacques-Remy Girerd, France, 2003)
2nd Prize, Animated Feature Film or VideoTHE DOG, THE GENERAL AND THE BIRDS (Francis Nielsen, France, 2003)
Certificate of Excellence, Animated Feature Film or VideoBLACK MOR'S ISLAND (Jean-François Laguionie, France, 2003)
ADULT JURY PRIZE ANIMATED SHORT FILM OR VIDEO1st Prize, Animated Short Film or VideoBIRTHDAY BOY (Sejong Park, Australia, 2004)
2nd Prize, Animated Short Film or VideoTHE DOT (John Lechner & Gary Goldberger, USA, 2004)
Certificate of Excellence, Animated Short Film or VideoSTORMY NIGHT (Michèle Lemieux, Canada, 2003)
ADULT JURY PRIZE ANIMATED TELEVISION PRODUCTION1st Prize, Animated Television ProductionCREATURE COMFORTS: CATS OR DOGS? (Richard Goleszowski, England, 2003)
2nd Prize, Animated Television ProductionZOE KEZAKO: BRONCO BABYSITTER (Fabrice Fouquet and Corinne Kouper, France, 2004)
Certificate of Excellence, Animated Television ProductionWILDE STORIES: THE SELFISH GIANT (Rachel Bevan Baker, England, 2003)
A complete list of awards and winners and descriptions of films is posted online at www.cicff.org. For additional information contact Kidsfest at (773) 281-9075.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
