2007 Award Winners
Mercury Filmworks Prize for Best Animated Feature: "Persepolis" [2007]
Directed by: Vincent Paronnaud & Marjane Satrapi | 2.4.7. Films | France | 95:00
"Not only a sour criticism of intolerance but especially a vibrating call for the universal rights for freedom, democracy and love. By using very simple but powerful designs, the authors of Persepolis succeeded in creating a unique and original cinematographic language in which humanism and feelings are emerging."

SCHOOL COMPETITION
Best Animation School Showreel: Bezalel Academy of Art and Design (Israel)
"For the attention to traditional strengths of animation: well drawn, variously stylized picture, clarity in the stories and attention to character animation. Jury also perceived the wide spectrum of techniques used in the students’ films. The showreel presented by the Bezalel Academy of Art was also very steady – their production and visual style retained a good quality throughout."
Immeasurable

Special Mention: "Immeasurable" [2007]
Directed By: Gergely Cziraki | National Film & Television School | UK | 8:00
"It was the best single short film in all this year’s School Showreels. Very good and professional direction and realization. Wise use of computer animation and high level of technical complexity makes this film recognizable in this year’s set."

NEW MEDIA COMPETITION
AniBoom Prize for Best Animation Short Made for the Internet: "L'eau Life" [2007]
Directed By: Jeff Scher | Fez Films, Originally published in TimesSelect | USA | 2:35
"With its Breer-esque painterly rotoscoping, this piece is a little feast for the eyes."

INDEPENDENT SHORT FILMS COMPETITION

Nelvana Grand Prize for Best Independent Short Animation: "Franz Kafka's A Country Doctor" (Franz Kafka's Inaka Isha) [2007]
Directed By: Koji Yamamura | Japan | 21:00
"Distortions of time space and figure take story-telling to a challenging new place. This is a beautiful and dream-like film."

Best Narrative Short Animation Under 35 minutes: "Madame Tutli-Putli" [2007]
Directed By: Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski | National Film Board of Canada | Canada | 17:21
"This is an original and visually intriguing tour-de-force with wonderful characters. It is both technically innovative and emotionally involving."

Best Experimental/Abstract Animation: "Framing" (Bildfenster / Fensterbilder) [2007]
Directed By: Bert Gottschalk | Germany | 6:00
"A poignant love poem to a disappearing medium."

Honourable Mention: "Teat Beat of Sex" [2007]
Directed By: Signe Baumane | USA | 4:00
"A fabulous and fearless film, which should be required viewing."

STUDENT ANIMATION COMPETITION

Bioware Grand Prize for Best Student Animation: "Milk Teeth" [2007]
Directed By: Tibor Banoczki | National Film and Television School | UK | 11:22
"This film has a haunting atmosphere, great sound and characterization. It is a powerful evocation of the horror of being a child."
Herbert

Adobe Prize for Best High School Animation: "Herbert" [2007]
Directed By: Aven Fisher | King's View Academy | Canada | 5:00
"The director has wonderful timing and a warm and understated sense of humor. The beautifully-observed incidental characters and events make this a rich and enjoyable film."

Best Undergraduate Animation: "Doxology" [2007]
Directed By: Michael Langan | Rhode Island School of Design | USA | 6:10
"This playful and cosmic film surprised us with its ideas and images."

Best Graduation Animation: "t.o.m." [2006]
Directed By: Tom Brown & Daniel Gray | International Film School of Wales | UK | 2:57
"Well designed, quirky and engaging."


COMMISSIONED FILMS COMPETITION

Grand Prize for Best Commissioned Animation: "Golden Age" [2007]
Directed By: Aaron Augenblick | Augenblick Studios | USA | 23:00
"A lovingly crafted parody, which transcends the genre through thoughtful attention to detail."
National Lottery The Big Win

Best Promotional Animation: National Lottery 'The Big Win' [2006]
Directed By: Marc Craste | Studio AKA | UK | 1:00
"Beautifully designed and achieved, this ad is also a satisfying, tiny, feel-good film."

Best Music Video: OOIOO 'UMO' [2007]
Directed By: Shoji Goto | Japan | 3:37
"Anarchic and energetic, this video has good lighting and some memorable images."

Best Television Animation for Adults: "John and Karen" [2007]
Matthew Walker | Arthur Cox Ltd. | UK | 3:30
"A very involving human drama, this economical and well-designed film has great characters and well-observed biscuits."

FILMS/VIDEOS MADE FOR CHILDREN

Best Short Animation Made for Children: "Zhiharka" [2006]
Oleg Uzhinov | “Pilot” Moscow Animation Studio | Russian Federation | 13:11

Honourable Mention: "Aston's Stones" (Astons stenar) [2007]
Directed By: Uzi Geffenblad & Lotta Geffenblad | Sweden | 9:00

Honourable Mention: "Nightmare at School" (Cauchemar à l'école) [2007]
Directed By: Catherine Arcand | National Film Board of Canada | Canada | 8:43

Best Television Animation for Children: Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends 'Squeeze the Day' [2006]
Directed By: Craig McCracken | Cartoon Network Studios | USA | 30:00

Honourable Mention: Pocoyo 'Dance Off' [2007]
Directed By: Guillermo Garcia & Alfonso Rodriguez | Zinkia Entertainment & Granada International | Spain & UK | 7:00

CANADIAN FILM INSTITUTE AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN ANIMATION
CFI Award for Best Canadian Animation: "Sleeping Betty" (Isabelle au bois dormant) [2007]
Directed By: Claude Cloutier | National Film Board of Canada | Canada | 9:25

Honourable Mention: "I Met the Walrus" [2007]
Directed By: Josh Raskin | I Met the Walrus Inc. | Canada | 5:10

NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA PUBLIC PRIZE
National Film Board of Canada Public Prize: "Sleeping Betty" (Isabelle au bois dormant) [2007]
Directed By: Claude Cloutier | National Film Board of Canada | Canada | 9:25