The 19th edition of Animayo Gran Canaria, International Festival of Animation, Visual Effects and Videogames, has the winners of all its official competition categories — 18 Awards and two Special Mentions, including two Academy Awards-qualifying prizes. The news also kicks off the “Animayo Itinerant” global tour, which will take the competition films to Los Angeles, Madrid, Barcelona, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, India, Brussels, Italy, Prague, Chicago, Belgrade, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Korea, Mexico and Portugal.
This year’s festival competition was chosen from 2,309 works from more than 80 countries. A total of 59 films screened in the four Official Competition sections: International; Animation with Ñ; Cinematics, Videogames and Commissioned Films; and the children’s and young people’s section “My First Festival” (Children’s Audience Award).
Animayo is the first and only animation festival in Spain designated a qualifying festival for the Oscars by AMPAS, for both the International Animated Short Film Grand Jury Prize (since 2018) and the Best Short Film of Spanish-Speaking Nationality – Animation with Ñ (since 2022). The Grand Prize winner will be awarded a cash prize of 3,000 euros and an honorary trophy. Last year’s Grand Prize winner, Our Uniform, went on to be nominated for the Best Animated Short Film Oscar, as was the 2018 winner Late Afternoon, while the 2020 Animayo winner Kapaemahu was shortlisted by the Academy.
The 2024 Animayo Grand Jury Prize went to the Iranian film In the Shadow of the Cypress, by screenwriters and directors Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani. The 19’33” 2D-animated short seeks to make visible the after-effects of post-traumatic stress and the complicated family relationships involved in suffering the psychological consequences of war.
The prize was awarded unanimously by the international jury, chaired this year by vaunted animation director John Musker, who praised the quality of In the Shadow of the Cypress, for its stand-out scenography, use of light, script and the story. The film also won the Best 2D Award.
Also unanimously chosen, the winner of the Best Short Film of Spanish-Speaking Nationality – Animation with Ñ this year goes to Remember Us. The 2D film is written and directed by Guatemalan filmmaker Pablo León, co-produced between Colombia and the United States and executive produced by Salvadoran Jonathan Rivas. The 13’36” film follows a journalist documenting the experiences of three different people who lived through the tragic 12-year Salvadoran Civil War in the 1980s, exploring themes of childhood loss, violence against women and the indigenous population, and recovering a sense of hope for the future that spans three generations.
The jury valued not only the visual character of the work but also the director’s commitment to exploring such a delicate and difficult event, which meant the death of more than 75,000 people and more than 15,000 disappeared. With this film, León chose to honor the story of a living history, retold with a mostly Spanish-speaking creative team, a so that this history is not forgotten.
The International Jury was Chaired by John Musker, animator, writer, director and producer, Walt Disney Animation (U.S.A.); joined by Shuzo Shiota, producer, president & CEO of Polygon Pictures (Japan); Elena Ø Alexa, production manager and co-owner of Nørlum Studios (Denmark); Patrick O’Keefe, production designer, Sony Pictures Animation (U.S.A.); and Sara Koppel, director and animator, (Denmark / U.S.A.)
The Animation with Ñ jury comprised Gisela Prunés, creative talent strategist for digital media and human resources specialist (U.S.A. / Spain); Lucía Peralta, environments supervisor / digital matte painting lead, Skydance Animation (Spain); Gustavo Sánchez-Pérez, supervisor, lead & visual effects artist, Rodeo FX (Canada); Ramón Rosa, sr. digital effects compositor / sr. Nuke supervisor, The Core School (Spain); Mercedes Delgado, lighting & compositing supervisor, Cinesite (Canada).
The winners are:
International
Grand Jury Prize – In the Shadow of the Cypress by Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani (Iran)
A former captain suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder lives with his daughter in a humble house by the sea. Together, they live an isolated life and have to face the challenges of a hard life. Despite the captain’s deep desire to be a devoted and loving father, he finds himself unable to fulfill his role and connect with his daughter in the way he longs to. One morning, their lives change forever when an unforeseen event occurs. Whether this event turns out to be a new source of hope or an additional burden remains to be seen.
Best 2D – In the Shadow of the Cypress by Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani (Iran)
Best 3D – Ruthless Blade by Zhang Bo and Nicolas Nemiri (China)
Amidst the turmoil at Six Lantern Palace, the white tiger named Eleven interrupts the impending execution of his brothers, the so-called Five Tigers of Songtang. In the heat of battle, a ruthless opponent named Ruthless Blade, an old acquaintance and a woman he once cherished, appears. As the battle rages, secrets will gradually surface, revealing a connection where love and hate are ever present.
Best Stop Motion – A Rapariga de olhos grandes e o Rapaz de pernas compridas (The Girl with the Big Eyes and the Boy with the Long Legs) by Maria Hespanhol (Portugal)
This is a love story, full of encounters and misunderstandings, in which there is a constant presence in the form of a continuous search for happiness and self-esteem between the two protagonists.
Best Screenplay – Orage by Benoît Michelet (France)
Paul and his older sister Celine fight all the time. Just the normal life of a happy family, with its occasional unpleasantness. Suddenly, a momentary loss of control, an altercation and everything becomes tense and dramatic. The daily harmony is muted leaving only a heavy silence.
Best Art Direction – Summer 96 by Mathilde Bédouet (France)
The eternal “August 15th picnic” on Callot Island. But this year, Paul, his family and friends find themselves trapped by the tide. Paul, disturbed, caught between the world of adults and that of children, becomes aware of his individuality.
Best Student Short Film – The Navel of the Moon by Sara António, Julia Grupińska, Bokang Koatja, Tian Westraad, Ezequiel Garibay (Gobelins School, France)
Chava, a Mexican mechanic, must take his son to the moon in order to fulfill his late mother’s last wish.
Best Comedy – Todo Bien (All Good) by Diana Acién Manzorro (Spain)
A pandemic and two different people under the same roof. The trigger for everything is a sneeze. Anna and Vincent are forced to live with the new reality going beyond the limit of absurdity.
Best VFX – Beauty by Aitana Belda, Aroa Celdrán, Carmen Castrelo, Carla Martinez and Lewis Sánchez (La Salle – Universitat Ramon Llull, Spain)
A deer runs for his life in a forest flooded with death.
Best Independent Short Film – To Bird or Not to Bird by Martín Romero (Spain)
To bird or not to bird, that is the question. A critical and kaleidoscopic look at today’s world told through the tragicomic and grotesque experiences of some birds.
Best New Talent – O Estado de Alma (The State of Alma) by Sara Naves (Portugal / Spain)
Alma wakes up every day with a new condition, suffering the most varied physical transformations that reflect her feelings of maladjustment and prevent her from following a normal daily routine. With each passing day, Alma feels more alone.
Best Social Short Film – Raja by Louisa Maria Würden and Franziska von Holst (Germany)
Darkness pursues young Raja. Overwhelmed by the weight of her shadows, she collapses. A light appears and her journey begins. In search of the end, Raja stumbles upon a wondrous in-between world. There she finds something she thought she had lost forever.
Animation with Ñ
Best Short Film of Spanish-Speaking Nationality – Animation with Ñ – Remember Us by Pablo León (Colombia / Guatemala /
U.S.A.)
A journalist documents the experiences of three different people who lived through the tragic 12-year Salvadoran Civil War in the 1980s, exploring themes of childhood loss, violence against women and the indigenous population, and recovering a sense of hope for the future that spans three generations.
Jury’s Special Mention in Spanish for Best Social Awareness – Daisy by Aditi Dixit, Shecid Domínguez Aguilera and Joffrey Atienza Zamora (Spain)
A girl tied to a music box discovers a company of strange observers and tries to free herself.
Jury’s Special Mention in Spanish for Best Art Direction – Beauty by Aitana Belda, Aroa Celdrán, Carmen Castrelo, Carla Martinez and Lewis Sánchez. ( La Salle – Universitat Ramon Llull, Spain)
A deer runs for his life in a forest flooded with death.
Cinematic, Commissioned Film & Music Video
Best Commercial / Commissioned – G’day, the short film – Director: Michael Gracey; VFX Supervisor: Piotr Oltarzewski; Grading: Piotr Sasim (Vivienne Jaspers, Australia)
When they meet in a gift store on the Great Barrier Reef, souvenir kangaroo Ruby and toy unicorn Louie form an unlikely friendship. Watch as Ruby takes Louie on an incredible adventure around Australia, visiting iconic sites including the backstreets of Melbourne and breathtaking natural landscapes like Nitmiluk Gorge. They’ll discover new experiences, connect with indigenous cultures and, along the way, learn the true meaning of the Australian welcome.
Best Music Video – “Colmillo” – Tainy, J. Balvin, Young Miko, Jowell & Randy – Director: Pau Carreté; Writer: Stillz (We Own The City & CANADA; Spain)
Best Video Game Cinematics – Magic: The Gathering, Dawn of the Phyrexian Invasion – Director: Jon Yeo (Axis Studios, Wizards of the Coast; United Kingdom)
Set on the ancient plane of Dominaria, the evil Phyrexians, through nefarious means, have taken root on Dominaria with deadly sleeper agents. Witness the epic battle between two former friends and allies: Ajani Goldmane, whom the Phyrexians turned into a sleeper agent, and Teferi, a former Planeswalker who has mastered time manipulation.
Audience Awards
Children’s Audience Award – My First Festival – LUKi & the Lights. Directed by Toby Cochran (U.S.A.)
Join LUKi, a cheerful robot living his best life, as he embarks on a transformative journey. Ignoring his bod’s signals until his arm malfunctions during a soccer game, LUKi is forced to go to the doctor. Medical consultations follow, revealing a diagnosis of ALS that shakes his foundation of life and joy. In the midst of this heartbreaking challenge, he bravely chooses to face ALS on his own terms.
Adult Audience Award – The Navel of the Moon by Sara António, Julia Grupińska, Bokang Koatja, Tian Westraad, Ezequiel Garibay (Gobelins School, France)
Chava, a Mexican mechanic, must take his son to the moon in order to fulfill his late mother’s last wish.
