14/05/2025 - Other winners of the Czech animation festival include Gianluigi Toccafondo's The Voice of the Sirens, Mansi Maheshwari's Bunnyhood, Meejin Hong’s Deluge and Jan Saska’s Hurikán

Producer Kamila Dohnalová and director Jan Saska with the Audience Award for Hurikán (© René Volfík, Eva Kořínková)

The sixth edition of the Anifilm International Festival of Animated Films, which was held in Liberec, Czech Republic, from 6 to 11 May, closed on Saturday night with an award ceremony at the Technical University of Liberec.

In the International Competition’s section for feature films, Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass [+see also:
film review
interview: Quay Brothers
film profile] (UK/Poland/Germany), directed by Stephen Quay and Timothy Quay, won Best Feature Film for Adults. The jury comprising Anne Gaschütz (Germany), Mohamed Ghazala (Egypt) and Diego Polieri (Argentina) admired how “through a powerful blend of evocative puppetry and live-action, the directors manage to craft a beautiful yet unique world where time becomes abstract and grief takes shape in the most unexpected forms”.

The same jury awarded Kristina Dufková’s Living Large [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kristina Dufková
film profile] as Best Feature Film for Children & Young Audience, telling us that “the film captivated us with its unique charm, visual imagination and emotional depth”. The jury particularly appreciated the stop-motion animated story that follows a teenager navigating first love, bullying and self-doubt. The feature also won Best Czech Animation on the opening night when the awards of the Czech Horizon competition, voted on by the Council of Animated Films (RAF), were announced. 

In the short films section of the International Competition, The Voice of the Sirens (France/Italy) by Gianluigi Toccafondo took the top prize, while A Night at the Rest Area (Japan) by Saki Muramoto earned a special mention in this category. Mansi Maheshwari’s Bunnyhood (United Kingdom) won Best Student Film with Julie Černá's Stone of Destiny (Czech Republic) picking up a special mention.

The abstract and non-narrative animation awards were dominated by American films: Meejin Hong won with Deluge, while Gina Kamentsky earned a special mention with Gina Kamentsky’s Pinocchio in 70mm, from the jury comprising Thomas Renoldner (Austria), Kriss Sagan (Slovakia) and Josh Shaffner (USA).

The jury also awarded Jesica Bianchi's Siamés: My Way (Argentina) the prize for Best Music Video, while Ito Meikyū (France/Luxembourg) by Boris Labbé took the prize for VR films.

Czech director Jan Saska's short Hurikán received the audience Liberec Region Award, repeating the feat from last year’s Annecy and London International Animation Festival. It also received the Best Czech Short / Feature Film prize in the Czech Horizon competition. 

Finally, in the International Competition’s section for computer games, Studio Odd Meter's third-person adventure game Indika won Best Visual Art in Game. In addition, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley by Studio Hyper Games won Best Game for Children with their musical adventure game based on the popular Moomin franchise. Martin Hromádka and Eliška Kerbachová's turn-based survival strategy game Arctis won Best Student Game.

The full list of Anifilm winners is as follows:

International Competition: Feature Films 

Best Feature Film for Adults
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass [+see also:
film review
interview: Quay Brothers
film profile] – Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay (UK/Poland/Germany) 

Best Feature Film for Children & Young Audience
Living Large [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kristina Dufková
film profile] – Kristina Dufková (Czech Republic/France/Slovakia)

International Competition: Short and Student Films 

Best Short Film
The Voice of the Sirens – Gianluigi Toccafondo (France/Italy) 

Special Mention
A Night at the Rest Area – Saki Muramoto (Japan)

Best Student Film
Bunnyhood – Mansi Maheshwari (UK) 

Special Mention
Stone of Destiny – Julie Černá (Czech Republic)

International Competition: Abstract and Non-narrative Animation, Music Videos and VR Films

Best Abstract and Non-Narrative Animation
Deluge – Meejin Hong (USA) 

Special Mention
Gina Kamentsky’s Pinocchio in 70mm – Gina Kamentsky (Czech Republic)

Best Music Video
Siamés: My Way – Jesica Bianchi (Argentina) 

Special Mention
Laibach: Moral Support – Vuk Jevremović (Croatia/Germany)

Best VR Film
Ito Meikyū – Boris Labbé (France/Luxembourg)

Liberec Region Award - Audience Award
Hurikán – Jan Saska (Czech Republic/France/Slovakia/Bosnia and Herzegovina)

International Competition: Computer Games 

Best Visual Art in Game
Indika – Studio Odd Meter (Spain/Kazakhstan)

Best Game for Children
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley – Studio Hyper Games (Norway)

Best Student Game
Arctis – Martin Hromádka, Eliška Kerbachová (Czech Republic)

Czech Horizon 

Best Czech Animation
Living Large – Kristina Dufková

Best Czech Short / Feature Film
Hurikán – Jan Saska

Best Czech Student Film
Plevel – Pola Kazak (Czech Republic)

Best Czech Series
Bioshorts – Regeneration Tricks – Daniela Hýbnerová (Czech Republic)

Best Czech Music Video
DVA: WOO – Jaromír Plachý (Czech Republic)

Best Czech Commissioned Work
Jan Žižka – Jan Míka (Czech Republic)