Winners

This deeply humanistic story of despair and survival is told in a convincing animation technique and makes the viewers submerge in the flow of colours depicting the element of water. Based on real life story, this film conserves a memory, that should not be forgotten.

This film shows human hierarchy in a grotesque and daring artistic expression. Claymation is applied in a new and exciting performance showing the acting in a surprising, sometimes shocking way.

An honest, important and thought-provoking piece of filmmaking. We were particularly impressed by the maturity and boldness in this work by a young filmmaker. The naive aesthetic adds to its impact as it shifts unexpectedly from funny and light-hearted to aggressive. It feels sincere as it challenges the audience to experience this disturbing real-life event in an unflinching way.

This film stood out for its artistic beauty and incredible use of sound – which matches perfectly with the atmospheric imagery to create a powerful and thought-provoking experience for the viewer.

This film demonstrates a perfect relationship between picture and sound. It is energetic, confident and original with a clear and mature artistic vision. Well researched and thought through, it invites interpretation from its viewer and contains an intenseness which we all enjoyed.

This is a mischievous film, playfully chaotic with a great sense of childlike warmth twinned with humour.

We chose this movie as the winner because it builds up the suspense very well. We really wanted to know how the movie ends. The idea is original and funny.

The characters are realistic and brilliantly portrayed: The pigs’ gestures and facial expressions make their emotions particularly recognizable.

The epic music and imposing backdrop stand in contrast to the cute and chubby pigs. The music also lends the animation a sense of adventure.

In addition, the camera angles and perspectives are well chosen and support the story effectively.

We chose this film because it features real everyday objects that are important when traveling. The story is also very amusing and enjoyable.

We can easily relate to what the characters experience on vacation. Each character has their own idea of what it should be like and that makes it entertaining and funny.

Everything is beautifully designed. The music also fits to the situations nicely and supports the story. It’s a real earworm.

Driven by musical score we see the remains of human consumption. This brilliant executed animation manages to bestow these items with new dignity and a second identity.

This film – which cleverly mixes animation and documentary – made us discover Hungary on a personal but also on a broader social and historical level. This felt both dynamic and contemporary. We were guided through the film by distinct and engaging characters, who seduced us and made us complicit in their attempt to find freedom. All this was wrapped up in vibrant sound and visual design, which made the whole experience fun and entertaining.

An explosion of untamed creativity that felt alive with the possibilities of animation. It coherently explores mother relationships, while allowing for creative riffs and cosmic excursions.

In a time of fast, AI-supported productions, Harald Halibut is an analog, edgy alternative: handmade, decelerated, with a strong visual signature. The mixture of game, animation and film creates an immersive atmosphere that impresses with the materiality of its world and classic cinematic staging.
Even if the jury would have liked more gameplay and freedom of decision, the project impresses as an animated narrative with attitude. It poses the question of belonging, the future and humanity – and does so with great style and care.
A game that stands out for its unconventional aesthetic and blurs the boundaries between media.
Congratulations!

Mini Mini Golf Golf is a polarising game, and that makes it also very very interesting interesting. With its bold mix of genres, loud retro aesthetic and complex structure, it offers a gameplay that is not always easy, and where the red fade is not always recognisable.
It plays not only with golf balls, but also with expectations. Special mention must go to the courage to be different!

Who’s afraid of the Shadow Man, the nighttime terror of children? Certainly not Miss December, the most unusual nanny since Mary Poppins. Almost a child herself at 15, she grew up in the circus. When her foster father dies, she must look for work and finds herself at odds with the “normal world.” When she applies for the job as a nanny, she has no idea what kind of family she’ll be dealing with: The Moonlight family. A beautiful name, dark figures: Because Mr. Moonlight is none other than the legendary Shadow Man, the terror of all children, who needs a special nanny for his very special 8-year-old son, Raban. The challenge: Her protégé is never allowed to leave the house! Not so easy, because Raban has a lot of magic behind his ears and can literally vanish into smoke. But equipped with bellows, tongs, and circus acrobatics, she learns to keep her protégé in check and to win his heart. One night, a gang of thieves appears, intent on stealing the very same magical bellows. They want to steal the Moonshine family’s magic—and destroy it… But they don’t count on Miss December!
Miss December is a loving, exciting, and funny Mary Poppins story, paired with magic and scary moments. Based on an Italian children’s book by Antonia Murgo, Lisa Fechner succeeds in crafting the dialogues in a fresh yet profound way. The plot is exciting, humorous, quirky, and has the necessary nostalgic feel, reminiscent of Charles Dickens’ stories and quirky families à la Wednesday and Hotel Transylvania.

The story of the young sea monster Fin, who teams up with 13-year-old Kellina to uncover long-buried secrets about his origins, impresses with emotional depth, narrative strength, and a compelling sense of storytelling. As the two friends embark on their journey, they not only uncover surprising connections between their personal fates but also stumble upon a historical truth surrounding Loch Ness. Jens Opatz and Matthias Drescher tell this tale with sensitivity and dramaturgical finesse.

Nessie Junior addresses universal themes such as friendship, identity, family, and the search for belonging—topics that resonate across cultures and are relevant to audiences worldwide. The legendary figure of Nessie is internationally recognized and sparks curiosity and empathy across generations, especially among family viewers.
The child-focused yet multi-layered plot is driven by strong, lovingly crafted characters. Particularly effective is the parallel resolution of the two protagonists’ conflicts, which touchingly highlights the emotional bond between Fin and Kellina. The mystical setting of the Scottish Highlands, combined with a touch of magic, provides a visually rich and globally appealing backdrop.

The concept is rounded out by warm, family-friendly humor. Early glimpses of the animation design are promising and build anticipation for the finished film. With Nessie Junior, Jens Opatz and Matthias Drescher have crafted a heartfelt, original, and internationally accessible story with the potential to become a beloved favorite among audiences worldwide.

The Trickstar Business Award goes to Jan Hameeuw, CEO of ThePack, for the innovative real-time content creation and workflow management system, SYNK.

Born from practical necessity and successfully deployed in high-profile productions projects, SYNK offers a forward-looking solution to the creative industry’s growing challenges amid the shift to real-time 3D production. With its versatile feature set and seamless integration of real-time technology, the platform significantly reduces rendering times while enabling smooth collaboration across different software environments.
A key innovation lies in SYNK’s ability to let animation artists continue working in their preferred programs. It transforms traditional linear workflows into efficient, parallel processes—without requiring advanced technical expertise or expensive infrastructure. This results in immediate visualization and faster iteration cycles, with multi-purpose applications across the production pipeline.

This groundbreaking approach is relevant for professionals throughout the animation industry—from major studios to independent creators—and enables even smaller teams to compete globally while retaining creative independence.

The jury commends ThePack’s management team for clearly understanding the needs of today’s high-tech production landscape. With SYNK, they have developed a tool that empowers professionals—regardless of their experience with real-time technology—to produce high-quality content faster, more affordably, and with greater creative freedom. This achievement is both timely and remarkable.