The 24th Bucheon International Animation Festival (BIAF2022) came to a close in South Korea on Tuesday, announcing its international selection of winning films.
The European co-pro feature No Dogs or Italians Allowed by Alain Ughetto won the festival’s Grand Prize. The autobiographical film, based on the director’s family history, has been described as “a simple and frank film that shows the director’s bond with his family.” The BIAF jury noted, “It is an understatedly beautiful film. We were deeply moved by the scene where the director’s real hand moves in interaction with the animated character’s hand.”
The Jury Prize for the feature film competition went to Dozens of Norths by Koji Yamamura. “Great animation work, you can feel the director’s artistic passion and the theme is outstanding,” jury members enthused. Special Distinction Prizes went to My Love Affair with Marriage by Signe Baumane and Perlimps by Alê Abreu. Warmly received by attendees, Little Nicholas – Happy as Can Be took the Audience Prize.
The Feature Film competition was judged by Jury President Florence Miaihle, novelist Choyeop Kim, Félix Dufour-Laperrière and Yusuke Hirota.
The COCOMICS Music Prize went to Nayola by José Miguel Ribeiro, a film about three generations of women and their solidarity in the Angolan Civil War. The film also won the DHL Diversity Prize, taking two awards in total.
The jury for the Music Prize was made up of director Byungjun Kwon and actress Eunsoo Shin.
The judges described Nayola as “a masterpiece in which the rhythm is felt throughout the play, not only the rap but the lines are also musical, and the music harmonizes well with the drawings.”
The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes by Tomohisa Taguchi won the Korean Animation Studies President’s Prize, and Perlimps by Alê Abreu won the Korea Animation Industry Association Prize.
The Grand Prize for a Short Film was given to The Debutante by Elizabeth Hobbs. Juries commented that the “film makes us feel an instinctive sympathy for this girl who doesn’t want to be a good girl. We witness a conservative and patriarchal society that forces this debutante, which makes her deny who she is and find no way but to let her inner hyena come out. It is the story of a time and place that may have not changed that much.”
The Jury Prize went to Scale by Joseph Pierce. “Big films find their strength in general aspects as in their smallest details. Here the director focused on every detail,” the jury commented. Special Distinction Prizes were given to Christopher at Sea by Tom CJ Brown, El After del Mundo by Florentina Gonzalez and Two Sisters by Anna Budanova.
Run Totti Run by Shad Bradbruy won the Audience prize for favorite short, and Dog – Apartment by Priit Tender won the AniB’s Choice.
The Short Film Competition was juried by Hugo Covarrubias, Dahee Jeong and Bastien Dubois.
Addition special awards, the cocone M Prize and EBS Prize Short Film, went to Home of the Heart by Sarah Saidan and Canary by Pierre-Hugues Dallaire and Benoit Therriault, respectively.
Persona by Sujin Moon won the Jury Prize for a Graduation Film. “It is a unique and creative film with excellent sensuous, realistic description,” the jury remarked.
The Jury Prize for TV & Commissioned Film went to Funny Birds by Charlie Belin.
House of Existence by Yumi Joung won the Jury Prize for a Korean Short Film, and I Am a Horse by Chaerin Im took the Special Distinction Prize.
The jurists for Graduation / TV & Commissioned Film / Korean Short Film were producer Hiromi Seki, director Yantong Zhu and editor Juhyun Lee.
The winner of the Venice Immersive Grand Jury Prize, Main Square by Pedro Harres, won the Jury Prize for a VR Film at BIAF2022 as well.
BIAF2023 will mark the festival’s 25th year. Visit biaf.or.kr for more information.
