The 35th edition of the World Festival of Animated Film – Animafest Zagreb (2-7 June) closed on Saturday night at the festival hub SC Cinema, wrapping up a week of over 300 animated films that showcased formal risk, emotional depth and global reach. This year’s edition leaned into hybrid aesthetics and intimate storytelling, awarding both conceptual ambition and technical mastery.

The jury of the Grand Competition Short Film, comprising Osman Cerfon, Špela Čadež, Erwin Gomez, Sarina Nihei and Ivana Volda, awarded the Grand Prix to the German film Dull Spots of Greenish Colours, directed by Sasha Svirsky, for its “skillful blend of techniques” and “philosophical and organic” reflection on media’s impact on our societal, personal and physical experience of the world. Last month, this Locarno title won the ASIFA Austria award at Vienna Shorts.

The same jury presented the Golden Zagreb Award for Creativity and Innovative Artistic Achievement to Anu-Laura Tuttelberg for the Estonian-Lithuanian film On Weary Wings Go By, co-produced by Fork Film, Art Shot and Moon Birds Studios. Meanwhile, the Zlatko Grgić Award for Best First Film Made Outside an Educational Institution went to the Montenegrin film Uroš by Mato Uljarević. Each of the jury members also awarded special mentions, details of which can be found below. 

The Jury of the Feature Films Grand Competition, comprising Miljana Dragičević, Carolina López Caballero and Martin Vandas, awarded the Grand Prix to Memoir of a Snail by Australia’s Adam Elliot, while a special mention went to the Quay Brothers’ Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass. [+lire aussi :
critique
interview : Les frères Quay
fiche film]

The combined Student and Croatian Film Competition Jury, consisting of Michał Bobrowski, Waltraud Grausgruber and Jin Woo, awarded the Dušan Vukotić Award for Best Student Film to Naomi Noir’s Mother’s Child (Netherlands), while Psychonauts by Niko Radas received Best Croatian Film and Oscar candidacy.

Audience awards went to Hurikán by Jan Saska and Living Large [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Kristina Dufková
fiche film] by Kristina Dufkova, marking a strong showing for Czech animation. The Children’s Jury recognised Aaron Blaise’s Snow Bear (USA) for its emotional resonance and environmental urgency.

With its bold mix of personal, political and poetic works, Animafest Zagreb reaffirmed its position as one of the global centres for the art of animation.

The full list of Animafest Zagreb award winners is below:

Grand Competition Short Film

Grand Prix
Dull Spots of Greenish Colours – Sasha Svirsky (Germany)

Golden Zagreb Award for Creativity and Innovative Artistic Achievement
On Weary Wings Go By – Anu-Laura Tuttelberg (Estonia/Lithuania)

The Zlatko Grgić Award for Best First Film Made Outside an Educational Institution
Uroš – Mato Uljarević (Montenegro)

Osman Cerfon’s Special Mention
A Night at the Rest Area – Saki Muramoto (Japan)

Špela Čadež’s Special Mention
Deluge – Meejin Hong (USA)

Erwin Gomez’s Special Mention
Scars We Love – Raphaël Jouzeau (France)

Sarina Nihei’s Special Mention
Dog Alone – Marta Reis Andrade (Portugal/France)

Ivana Volda’s Special Mention
How – Marko Meštrović (Croatia)

Mr. M Audience Award for Best Short Film
Hurikán – Jan Saska (Czech Republic/France/Slovakia/Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Grand Competition Feature Film

Grand Prix
Memoir of a Snail – Adam Elliot (Australia)

Special Mention
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass. [+lire aussi :
critique
interview : Les frères Quay
fiche film] – Quay Brothers (UK/Poland/Germany)

Mr. M Audience Award for Best Feature Film
Living Large [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Kristina Dufková
fiche film] – Kristina Dufkova (Czech Republic/Slovakia/France)

Student Film Competition

Dušan Vukotić Award for Best Student Film
Mother’s Child – Naomi Noir (Netherlands, short film)

Special Mention
Poppy Flowers – Evridiki Papaiakovou (Estonia, short film)

Special Mention
Sh (嘘) – Qi Duan (China, short film)

Croatian Film Competition

Best Film
Psychonauts – Niko Radas (Croatia, short film)

Special Mention
Moral Support – Vuk Jevremović (Germany/Croatia, short film)

Special Mention
Floating – Jelena Milunović (Serbia/Croatia/Germany, short film)

Films for Children and Youth Competition

Best Film
Snow Bear – Aaron Blaise (USA, short film)

Special Mention
Bobel’s Kitchen – Fiona Rolland (Belgium, short film)

Special Mention
S The Wolf – Sameh Alaae (France, short film)