Kyle Novak’s ‘Ángulos de la Hora’ scores first animation award in this year’s newly added category;’ winners were chosen in 6 categories from over 8,400 film submissions received from more than 5,000 filmmakers across 148 countries and territories.
Art event and programming company Creo has announced the six winners of the second edition of the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards, an annual award program for short films established by Creo and sponsored by Sony. The competition provides a gateway for the development of exceptional cinematic talent and champions filmmakers with an original perspective on storytelling.
Winners were selected from over 8,400 films by more than 5,000 filmmakers across 148 countries and territories and submitted across six categories: Fiction, non-fiction, environment, animation (new category for 2024), student, and future format.
Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2024 Winners:
- Katie Blair (USA, Fiction) – Imogene
- Olawunmi Hassan & Adaobi Samson (Nigeria, Non-Fiction) - Ìrún Dídì
- Solmund MacPherson (Canada, Environment) - Wildmen of the Greater Toronto Area
- Kyle Novak (Czech Republic, Animation) - Ángulos de la Hora (Hour Angle)
- Raheem Razak (South Africa, Student) - Anguish
- Cristian Daniel (Uruguay, Future Format) - Parasomnia
This year’s winners, along with the wider shortlist, took part in a week-long industry immersion program. The prize provides filmmakers the opportunity to connect with peers and industry leaders and gain behind-the-scenes access. The program includes workshops led by Sony Pictures executives, covering a range of topics from keynotes by cinematographers, screenings, and Q&A sessions to insights into working with talent agencies and using cutting-edge technologies and animation, film scoring, and music rights. In addition, the six winners receive a range of cash prizes and Sony camera equipment.
Sony Pictures Classics (Call Me By Your Name, The Father, Whiplash) co-founders and co-presidents Michael Barker and Tom Bernard; BAFTA award-winning cinematographer Rob Hardy ASC, BSC (Civil War, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Ex-Machina); and British cinematographer Kate Reid BSC (Game of Thrones, Great Expectations, Silo) chose the winners selected from 30 shortlisted filmmakers. Australian filmmaker Unjoo Moon and Emmy Award-winning cinematographer Robert Primes ASC selected the longlist. Award-winning director Justin Chadwick (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, The Other Boleyn Girl, Tulip Fever, Shardlake) chaired both stages of judging.
The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards jury stated, “This year’s winners traverse borders and cultures, a global gathering of creative talent set to make their mark in our industry. The winners each approach their stories with originality; from a portent of an eroding society to a surreal take on family pressures to an animated love story suspended in time: we were struck by the ingenuity of these filmmakers and their fresh perspective on the world. It is with great pleasure we celebrate the winners, as well as the wider cohort of 30 filmmakers who comprised this year’s shortlist, and we look forward to watching as they take their next steps in cinema.”
Following its successful sophomore edition, the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards will return for a third edition in spring 2025 with submissions opening later this year.
Source: Sony Future Filmmaker Awards
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
