Terra, Chainsaw All the Buzz at Ottawa

Monday, September 22, 2008
By: Ryan Ball

The Ottawa Int’l Animation Festival (OAF) wrapped up over the weekend with closing ceremonies at the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau. The event saw top prizes go to filmmakers Aristomenis Tsirbas and Dennis Tupicoff. Tsirbas’ Terra won the Grand Prize for Best Animated feature, and Tupicoff’s Chainsaw took the Nelvana Grand Prize For Best Independent Short Animation. The fest was held Sept. 17-21 and attracted more than 27,000 attendees from around the world. The official count hasn’t yet been tallied, but organizers believe this year’s edition was the most attended to date

2008 OAF Winners:
NELVANA GRAND PRIZE FOR BEST INDEPENDENT SHORT ANIMATION
Chainsaw, directed by Dennis Tupicoff, Australia

GRAND PRIZE FOR BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Terra, directred by Aristomenis Tsirbas
Honorable Mention: Sita Sings the Blues, directed by Nina Paley

GRAND PRIZE FOR BEST STUDENT ANIMATION
I Slept With Cookie Monster, directed by Kara Nasdor-Jones, U.S.

GRAND PRIZE FOR BEST-COMMISSIONED ANIMATION
Sony Bravia “Play-Doh,” directed by Frank Budgen and Darren Walsh, U.K.

CANADIAN FILM INSTITUTE AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN ANIMATION
Drux Flux, directed by Theodore Ushev, Canada

ANIMATION SCHOOL SHOWREEL
Rhode Island School of Design (U.S.)
Honorable Mention: Supinfocom (France)

INDEPENDENT SHORT ANIMATION COMPETITION
Narrative Short Animation under 35 minutes: Chainsaw, directed by Dennis Tupicoff, Australia
Experimental/Abstract Animation under 35 minutes: Muto, directed by Blu, Italy
Honorable Mention: Dialogos, directed by Ülo Pikkov, and Drux Flux, directed by Theodore Ushev, Canada

STUDENT ANIMATION COMPETITION
Adobe Prize for Best High School Animation: The Depose of Bolskivoi Hovhannes, directed by Will Inrig, Canada
Undergraduate Animation: I Slept With Cookie Monster, directed by Kara Nasdor-Jones, U.S.
Graduation Animation: Camera Obscura, directed by Matthieu Buchalski, Jean-Michel Drechsler and Thierry Onillon, France

COMMISSIONED ANIMATION COMPETITION
Promotional Animation: Sony Bravia “Play-Doh”, directed by Frank Budgen and Darren Walsh, U.K.
Music Video: “Último 'Spong Ice,” directed by Bolos Quentes Design, Duarte Amorim, Albino Tavares, Miguel Marinheiro and Sérgio Couto, Portugal
Television Animation for Adults: People from The Dark Years “Bates,” directed by John Halfpenny, Canada

ANIMATION MADE FOR CHILDREN
Best Short Animation: The Swimming Lesson, directed by Danny De Vent, Belgium/Netherlands/France
Honorable Mention: Leon in Wintertime, directed by Pierre-Luc Granjon and Pascal le Nôtre, France/Canada
Television Animation for Children: The Upstate Four, directed by Fran Krause, U.S.
Honorable Mention: The Bunjies, directed by Andreas Hykade and Ged Haney, Germany

More information about the Ottawa Int’l Animation Festival can be found at www.animationfestival.ca.

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