Piccolo Festival de Animazione 2022: Winners
The winner of the main competition was the Swiss animation short "The record" by Jonathan Laskar.
The events and human tragedies of very different times and places become an instrument of awareness in the present, thanks to the evocative power of sound and music, and to the graphic synthesis of animation which, showing its drawn and handcrafted nature, completes the sense of nostalgia evoked by the film. The formal awareness is powerful, which thinks about black and white, light and shadow, cycles and repeated motifs, without ever becoming academic. It is a film about memory, and about the way in which animation can preserve it for the benefit of the present - Jury Statement
A special mention was given to "Passenger" by Juan Pablo Zaramella, which also won the audience award! The jury words: "A satire of incommunicability in the era of pervasive and invasive communication; a brilliant and profoundly modern comedy, created with a unique skill in playing with the boundaries between two-dimensional and three-dimensional through stop-motion animation in découpage”.
The competitions Anima Kids I and II dedicated to children from 5 to 9 years old and from 9 to 14 years old, respectively, were a hit among the young audience. The winners were voted by the children during numerous screenings that took place throughout Friuli-Venezia-Giulia. The two winning films were "Canary" by P-H Dallaire and Benoit Therriault for the Anima Kids I. And in the Aimakids II competition, the winner was "Piropiro" by Miyoung Baek.
The winner of the Animayoung competition was "Zaguate" by Elisa Turrin, aka Upata, who won a very close votation with "Matapacos" by Karla Riebartsch and Lion Durst. Both films have common elements, for example, both films have canine protagonists, and talk about the desire for freedom and social criticism, which also demonstrate the political awareness of the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia students region that voted for the winner.
The Green Animation section deals with rewarding the best-animated films on ecological matters. The members of the jury Massimo Giacon, Eva Poles, Simone Angelini, and Elisabetta di Sopra decided to give the award to "Airborne" by Andrzej Jobczyk.
What if an astonishing and almost peaceful nature sprouted in response to the wreckage of a war? This is the question that Airborne seems to ask, a story with Carrollian traits that unfolds between oneirism and poetry. Entrusted to an essential style that recalls the Soviet graphics of the early twentieth century, it is a metaphor for war and human action that seems to have the sole objective of destroying. A remarkable journey into the transformation of nature, destined to regain possession of the world of men even during and after a war. 8 minutes that never bore, strike and are a continuous succession of surprises - Jury Statement.
The special mention in the same category was for the Canadian film "The Pioneers" by Simon Cotte.
The jury's statement said: “Obsessive video, with a pounding rhythm. Effective dance of looks with a hypnotic trend, tight and rhythmic direction with a simple but very effective drawing style and with bright colors that contain a message that digs into our greatest senses of guilt and shame. Although the graphics are essential, the eyes of the animals sacrificed for the conquest of Space are a stab in the heart, their meek and astonished gaze reminds us how much innocence we are able to sacrifice for our ambitions, and for our dreams of greatness. Now is the time to celebrate the true pioneers of our scientific and technological progress. Even if they, free to choose, would not have taken part"
The winner of the Visual&Music competition was "Loop" by Argentinian Pablo Polledri.
“An irreverent and bitter representation of our present and an intelligent critique of society. In a city that has made infinity its symbol, we observe the unstoppable loop of existences trapped here, until love, the eternal archetype of the revolution, breaks the mold making us free and dangerous. Remarkable drawings and animations, a convincing and well-structured story. Excellent in style and color choice, it recalls certain animations from the 60s, but at the same time it is a warning to the alienating repetition of everyday gestures typical of our contemporaneity", said the members of the jury.
For this section, the jury decided to give two special mentions. The first was for "How Many" by Bianca Scali. “Poetic, infused in gradations of copier blue, such as night or sadness, almost like in a sentimental notebook figurine curls up melancholy and reflects on existential questions. Essential and well-done animation that aligns with the international trend of intimist illustration, the musical piece and the animation complement and enhance each other. Exquisite”.
The second special mention was given to "Oy, chije zh to zhito" (Oh, whose is the rye) by Anna Shveigolz:
If the author is of Russian origin, the multi-voiced song that accompanies the short film is an example of Ukrainian popular culture. It is the representation of a family of the last century where young couples often lived with their parents. The rhythmic rendering of the video is very effective, and uses the traditional cut-out animation technique, but updated to nowadays - Jury Statement.
The author of the film thanked the jury for the distinction and mentioned "I am very grateful for the decision of the jury and happy to be a part of this festival. Russian authors are isolated nowadays sometimes and it is understandable, so this decision is very important for me and our animation studio.
Congratulations to all of them and stay tuned for the final review of the festival.
contributed by: Kropka
Zaguate
The Record
Canary
Loop
