Eight Nordic winners at the world’s largest children’s film festival

by Jorn Rossing Jensen

04/11/2013 - Danish director Kenneth Kainz’s Otto Is a Rhino named Best Animated Feature at the 30th Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, which screened 240 films from 40 countries

Eight Nordic winners at the world’s largest children’s film festival

Danish director Kenneth Kainz’s fully-animated Otto Is a Rhino [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (photo) – the second adaption of Danish author Ole Lund Kirkegaard’s 1972 novel – was named Best Animated Feature at the 30^th Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, which ended Sunday (November 3).

The story of Topper, who finds a magic pencil, and when he draws a rhino on the wall, it comes to life – which was first brought to the screen by Rumle Hammerich in 1983 – was one of eight Nordic films to be awarded at the world’s largest children’s film festival, this year screening 240 films from 40 countries.

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Organised by Facets Multi-Media as the first competitive showcase for kidpics in the US, Chicago is also recognised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences – accordingly short film winners candidate for an Oscar nomination.

FULL LIST OF NORDIC AWARDS IN CHICAGO

Adult Jury Prizes:

Best Animated Feature:

Danish director Kenneth Kainz’s Otto Is a Rhino

Best Short Documentary:

1. Swedish directors Johan Palmgren and Åsa Blanck’s Grandpa and Me and a Helicopter to Heaven

2. Norwegian director Benjamin Ree’s Dreaming of the Golden Eagle

Best Live-Action Short:

Norweigan director Izer Aliu’s To Guard a Mountain

Youth Jury Prizes:

Best Animated Documentary: Swedish directors Hanna Hejlborn and David Aronowitsch’s Sharaf

Best Animated Short:

Norwegian directors Alexander Somma and Oystein Moe’s Alien Repair Guy

Children’s Jury Prizes:

Best Animated Short: Danish director Nils Bisbo’s The Flame and The Cotton Ball

Special Prizes:

Programmer’s Choice Award: Swedish directors Stephen Apelgren’s Eskild & Trinidad

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At the other end of the world, Nordic films also collected prizes: both Norwegian entries in the 7^th Abu Dhabi International Film Festival, (which ended November 1) - Hisham Zaman’s Before Snowfall [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Hanne Myhren’s Love Me – were awarded. Screening in the New Horizons-Afaq Jadida Competition, Before Snowfall was named Best Film from the Arab World, while Love Me won for Best Actress (newcomer Julia Wildschut).