Award Winners

We chose “Human Resources” because we felt it created a rich and beautiful world – with stunning attention to detail at every level – from the choice of materials and camera angles to the concise and economical storytelling. With impeccable timing and performances, this film delivers social commentary, wit and humor in a very short amount of time, showcasing that you can create a complete and satisfying narrative in under 4 minutes. Human Resources is a true stand-out film.

“Reprise” is a subtle and nuanced short that expertly uses silence, timing and framing to suggest- rather than show – leaving audiences to interpret the full meaning of this powerful film.

Where people are not heard, animated film can give them a voice. Where society is not looking, animated film can point a finger. Where hardly any jury has awarded a prize before, we are doing so now. With “Le Cri de Silence” we are honouring a film that conveys a difficult subject in a visually impressive way, while maintaining a balance between compassion and wordless rage. Camille Anne, Camille Leroy, Elisa Torris, Julie Vandenbergue, Lucas Foutrier, Martin Laurent, welcome to the Animation Family!

Our Special Mention goes into unknown territory for many, where there is a lot of pressure on the kettle. This is the place to be when laying pipes – Jessica Meier, Kilian Feusi, Sujanth Ravichandran: thanks for the great fun with „Pipes“ in dark times.

Our unanimous choice for Best Animated Feature is a spectacular example of the power of animated storytelling. From the compelling narrative and bold, vivid use of color, to the unique production design, layout and camera work, and sound design and music, this film tells a story that leaves you reeling from it‘s intesity and emotional honesty. A well crafted tapestry of three generations of women and the choices they made to protect and defend their humanity in the face of the horrors and oppressive consequences of a civil war, our winner is…. Nayola.

A lot of issues that are very relevant for our times, presented in a way, that an audience can relate to. The jury’s decision was unanimous.

It was very difficult for us to make a decision – there were so many great films!  After a long discussion and a lot of voting, we were finally able to decide. It is a story about a special friendship. A relationship between human and animal that lasts beyond the end of life. We all felt for this film and were touched by how the story ended. We think it is great that the film was inspired by real experiences. It also contains an important message: if you help the weak in need, they will not forget it. We really liked the animation of the elephants and their environment too. Also, we find it remarkable that the film is almost completely without dialogue and that the message can be understood all over the world.

Do we really like them? These tiny little creatures with a bad bad reputation? After reading the script we must confess: Yes – we do! Please meet Clarissa and her loving cockroach family.

But let’s start from the beginning: Teenager CLARISSA, first daughter of a loving COCKROACH COUPLE, is untypically striving for the stage light and the big wide world. As cockroaches usually avoid the light and the attraction of humans, the family created a safe, cosy home hidden behind a hole in the wall of a clean human household.

Most of all, they fear cockroach enemy number 1: Hoover vacuums, which have caused a lot of tragedy in the family’s life, meaning: dead roaches walking. Therefore, the family only goes out in the shadows of darkness.

The only way to safely keep in touch with the outside world is through a smartphone, which the family can use as TV to watch insect wrestling or a famous music show starring bitchy butterfly singer VLATKA. Clarissa, gifted with an extraordinary voice, then wants to break away from her family ties even more to become a famous singer-songwriter herself.

But – be careful what you wish for: A hoover, a transgender snail agent and a great jazz band finally help Clarissa to fulfil her dreams.

Based on the popular IP and German board game KAKERLAKAK, Clarissa’s journey from hated underdog insect to rising star shows how rewarding it can be to pursue your dreams without fear rather than hiding in the shadows and doing what’s expected of you because it has always been so. The story is also a modern appeal for equality, inclusion, and acceptance of gender diversity, supported by lots of humour, songs, and dance. CLARISSA – The Musical is born.

And the winner is an old friend of the ITFS: John Chambers! John wins for the 4^th time the Award for Best Screenplay in Stuttgart.

Did you know that we can find quite some famous female pirates in history?

Madame Chen for example was one of the most successful pirates of the 19th Century, Ching Shih) commanded well over 300 ships, with 3500 pirate followers – the largest army of any pirate… ever!

When we were kids, we loved stories about strong and independent adventurers, that conquer the seven seas on the search for hidden treasures.

Richie Conroys story starts with an old SEA SHAMAN telling us about the Blood Red Blood Ruby of Doom.

But this is not only a story about a hidden treasure, it is first and foremost the story about a girl, who is brought up as the pirate Mo.  As a baby girl she was wrapped in a tapestry and set in the sea to save her from cruel pirates. But when Pirate Captain Class and his crew find her, they decide to raise the child. As women are supposed to bring bad luck to a ship, they name the baby girl Mo. She grows up on the ship, together with her four dads and a goat. But one day, Mo is kidnapped by the Captain Classes biggest enemy: Olle and the biggest adventure of all begins. With a lot of courage Mo manages to find the famous ruby stone, to free herself and to return the treasure to its rightful owners.

Based on Kirsten Boies children’s book, the script written by Richie Conroy for Ulysses Filmproduktion, is a heart-warming story about a brave and courageous young girl growing up in unconventional surroundings with a very unconventional set of parents.

Who else has ever been raised by a goat and four fathers?

Pirate Mo is a search for her own identity, armed with a strong sense of justice and lots of wit: Mo is a modern pirate, just like Madame Chen and will be loved by kids and parents alike all over the world

Strong and witty characters, an exciting adventure, lots of humour and fun – Pirate Mo and the Legend of the Red Ruby is a fresh and new take on pirate stories – brave, courageous, and funny. The jury is convinced that Mo will be a success internationally and therefore awards Richie Conroy the prize for best international script.

RATKING by Nina Wels and Kristina Yee is the exciting story about Anick (13), a very creative teenager who loves J-Pop and her little dog Pouch. Anick is bullied by her classmates, led by Cedric (13).

On a school field trip to the old municipal library, Cedric causes an incident. Similar to an enormous short circuit, lightning is flashing and Marie (13) is transported into Anick’s cell phone.

Anick then receives strange messages that she does not understand, whereupon she asks Karam for help. They manage to get in touch with the virtual Marie and find out that she lived more than 700 years ago in the times of the black plague. Unfortunately, she has lost her memory, which she needs now, as she did then, in her fight against the Ratking, a very old dark creature.

Since the Ratking can evolve beautifully with digital technology, not only with the help of Cedric, it grows stronger and stronger and draws everyone around it under its dark spell.

When all seems almost lost, Anick courageously stands up to it, in part because of her new friends, and is able to avert this dark threat.

With references to ancient fairy tales and medieval past, this exciting and original story is set in our modern times. It contains a powerful message to all who are bullied or oppressed to courageously stand up to those who try to rule with fear, lies and manipulation and to save the world with love and truth. It’s a message that is desperately needed in these times of hate speech, fake news, and alternative truths.

Pentopix clear business idea is offering a promising tool to bring ideas faster to live allowing more time to focus on story development. It’s generated AI tool transforms texts into 3D animated storyboards saving film or game studios valuable hours in their pre-production phase. Thus it’s groundbreaking relevant for any professional working within the animation industry from studios, advertising agencies, game developers, to film schools, independent creatives and writers. The founders of Pentopix have identified a gap in the market and offer a promising faster way to visualise, market and sell stories – we as a jury think this has a high market potential.

A Special Mention, close to an award, is deserved, in the jury’s opinion, by an entrepreneurial initiative that offers animation producers a comprehensive range of qualifications as well as mentoring in production management and project supervision, thus also optimising recruiting. This way, it not only creates important prerequisites for efficient networking among filmmakers, which, as we all know, is an important prerequisite for successful work in the film industry. Beyond technological innovation, this also provides important impulses against skills shortage, which is a similar challenge in the up-and-coming film industry in South Africa as it is in Germany.

With this commitment, the young company not only sets an important course in the local film industry, but also has an impact on society with an active cultural claim. The consistent focus is on promoting gender equality and social cohesion through economic opportunities for women. Thus, the company is both market- and future-oriented.

With this Special Mention for the company THOSE PRODUCTION GIRLS, the jury would like to express their heartfelt congratulations to the company’s director Kaya Ruth Kuhn on this business model, which is exemplary beyond its own national borders and therefore globally scalable.

First of all, we would like to express our utmost respect to all participants for taking up the challenge.

All films deserved to win, but we had to choose one winning short film. And there was one, which occupied us the most and lingered in our heads the longest.

The winning short film of this year’s Crazy Horse Session – 48 hours Animation Jam is:
“What’s Next?” by Yohann Abdelnour and Nour Haidar from Lebanon.

As the jury, we fell in love with the metamorphosis of the Trixie and the experimental style of this film.

It was like diving into a multiverse of Trixie. Each new scenario gave us a new interpretation of the main character. Even after watching the film multiple times, we discovered new things and perspectives. We wanted to watch it frame by frame to catch every little detail. Amazing work. Thank you for displaying so much passion and talent in your work.

We would also like to give a special mention to the Swiss team, Sarah, Anna-Lena and Lara, and their film “Trixie’s Evolutionary Journey”. This film stood out with its clear message and moving visualisation. Well done.