On Nov. 5, 2006, the 11th annual Holland Animation Film Festival handed out its prizes.
The international jury included Evert de Beijer (NL), Sandra Gibson (U.S.), Nicole Hewitt (U.K.), Tim Hope (U.K.) and Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (Japan). They commented, There were a lot of really great films in the narrative competition... and they showed a range of very distinct and powerful individual voices. We know this is cliché but it is still true to say that selecting a single film as the winner is slightly ridiculous. Its a bit like saying a light bulb is better than a cart horse. Or a guitar is better than a forest.
However, in awarding the top prize to Run Wrakes RABBIT, the jury said, A film which united the diverse tastes and interests of the Utrecht independent film jury. It was beautifully illustrated; cheerfully cruel; intelligent and silly at the same time; to be honest were not really sure if it is profound or meaningless.
In presenting the Grand Prix for Non-Narrative films to INSTRUCTIONS FOR A LIGHT AND SOUND MACHINE, the jury said, For its deconstructive visual power and meta-cinematic approach, for its contribution towards expanding our experience of the film medium, and for reacquainting us with the basic tools of cinema.
The complete list of winners are:
Grand Prix 2006 in the Category NarrativeRABBIT, Run Wrake (U.K., 2005)
Grand Prix 2006 in the Category Non-NarrativeINSTRUCTIONS FOR A LIGHT AND SOUND MACHINE, Peter Tscherkassky (Austria, 2006)
International competition for applied animation Jury: Taku Furukawa (Japan), Stephen Hillenburg (USA), Andreas Hykade (Germany)
Grand Prix (commercial) United Airlines: The Meeting, Amanda Forbis & Wendy Tilby, (U.S., 2006)
Best Educational Film RIGHT TURN, Dmitry Rezchicov (Russia, 2006)
Best Leader VIOLENTLY HAPPY BUGS, Fons Schiedon (Netherlands, 2006)
Best Music Video Gravenhurst: I Turn My Face to the Forest Floor, Thomas Hicks (U.K., 2005)
Best Commercial Kirin Lemon Black: Monster Blacks Fights Back, Katsuhito Ishii (Japan, 2005)
All jury members had the opportunity to give a special mention, the so-called Guilty Pleasures: Andreas Hykade: Emiliana: Torrini Heartstopper, David Lea (U.K., 2005)Taku Furukawa: The Knife: We Share our Mothers Health, Motomichi Nakamura (U.S., 2006)Stephen Hillenburg: ONVZ: Bellybutton, Paul Bush (U.K., 2006).
Competition for student films from the Netherlands and Belgium Jury: Doris Cleven (Belgium), Áron Gauder (Hongary), Pjotr Sapegin (Norway)
First prize TELERIFIE VOODOO, Paul Jadoul (La Cambre Brussels, Belgium, 2006) The scholarship of 13.500 is provided by the Dutch Film Fund.
Second prize BWAP!, Marlies van der Wel (HKU KMT Hilversum, Netherlands, 2005).
Third prize DIAMANT, Francis Combes (RITS Erasmushogeschool Brussels, Belgium, 2006).
MovieSquad HAFF Jury: Stijn Balk (NL), Mark Lindenberg (NL), Yoram van Telgen (NL)
Winners Golden Shield MovieSquad HAFF: CARNIVORE REFLUX, James Calvert en Eddie White (Australia, 2006) DEHORS NOVEMBRE, Patrick Bouchard (Canada, 2005) JEU, George Schwizgebel (Canada, Switzerland, 2006) JONA/TOMBERRY, Rosto (Netherlands, 2005) MINISTRY MESSIAH, Gints Apsits (Latvia, 2005) WOLF DADDY, Hyung-Yun Chang (Republic of Korea, 2005)
MovieSquad HAFF Junior Jury: Timo Franssen (NL), Mirthe de Haas (NL), Lieke Kruithof (NL)
Winners: Golden Shield MovieSquad HAFF Junior: A FISH WITH A SMILE, C. Jay Shih, Poliang Lin, Alan Tuan (Taiwan 2005)
Golden Shield MovieSquad HAFF Junior Publieksprijs (Audience Award)SHIPWRECKED, Frodo Kuipers (Netherlands 2005) Machinima Competition
Jury: Sander Alt (NL), Kees Driessen (NL), Marinka Copier (NL), Paul Marino (VS), Riichiro Mashima (Japan)
First prize: 4000 euro ADDICTION, David Riedel (Germany 2006)
Runner up: Mediamatic Workshop, Amsterdam WHAT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER 2006, Micha Volders (Belgium 2006)
Best viewed on Google: Google Video Artist page CONDEMNED KOREA, Sam Baas, Ronald Meijers (Netherlands 2006)
View the Machinima finalists on http://video.google.nl/nl/machinima.html.
For more information about the event, visit haff.awn.com/.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
