Iranian filmmakers Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani’s film, about a captain suffering from PTSD who lives with his daughter, wants to be a caring father, but struggles with a harsh life, has now qualified for consideration in the upcoming Academy Awards with the win; festival runs October 31 – November 3.
The Spark Computer Graphics Society (Spark CG) has just announced the winners of its 2024 Spark Animation Festival, including the highly anticipated Lifetime Achievement Award. This year’s celebration of animation excellence includes global and Canadian talent, showcasing diverse storytelling and innovative filmmaking. The festival runs October 31 – November 3 in Vancouver, Canada.
Festival Director Marina Antunes commented, “This year’s award winners highlight the exceptional creativity, diversity, and global reach of animation as an art form.”
In the Shadow of the Cypress, Iranian filmmakers Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani’s animated short about a captain suffering from PTSD who lives with his daughter, wants to be a caring father, but struggles with a harsh life, has been named Best in Show. The win means the filmmakers and their film are now eligible for consideration at the upcoming Academy Awards.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is being presented to Torill Kove, the acclaimed Canadian animator and filmmaker, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field of animation. Kove, known for her Oscar-winning short film The Danish Poet, continues to inspire new generations of animators with her storytelling mastery. She is also the recipient of this year’s Canadian Film prize for her latest short film Maybe Elephants.
Other winners include:
- Diversity Award (Film) – Hairy Legs directed by Andrea Dorfman (Canada)
- Diversity Award (Organization) – Zombie Studio (Brazil)
- Jury Prize – The Ones Who Never See the Moon (France) from ECOLE MoPA students Solène Marché, Lou Thoby, Tom Saurel, Evelyne Philippart, Marie Fantini, Amélie Soto
- Director’s Prize – Razor Ruckus (Canada) directed by APPI
- Student Film – Mum’s Spaghetti (UK) directed by Lisa Kenney
- Music Video – Hero (Brazil) directed by Paulo Garcia
- Student Music Video – Rabbits Have Red Eyes (South Korea) from Kaywon University students Yoonsun Lee and Jiwon Choi
- GameVerse – Control - Juno Hero Trailer (USA) directed by Brian Horn
The full list of winners can be found here.
The award-winning films were selected by the festival’s jury during deliberations on September 28 and 29 in Vancouver. The official awards will be presented at the Spark Animation Celebration on Sunday, November 3, 2024, in Vancouver. Following the event, the award-winning films will be available on demand through Spark Animation Online from November 4 to December 31.
Tickets for in-person programming are available now at sparkanimation.ca.
Founded in 2008, Spark Computer Graphics Society (SPARK CG) is a non-profit organization based in Vancouver, dedicated to advancing the computer graphics and animation industries. Through festivals like Spark Animation and Spark FX, Spark CG brings together leading artists, professionals, and emerging talent to celebrate and explore the art and technology of animation. Spark Animation is presented in partnership with Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH.
Source: Spark CG
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
