Hulsing’s Junkyard Takes Grand Prize in Ottawa

Dutch animator Hisko Hulsing’s powerful short Junkyard took home the Grand Prize for Best Independent Short Animation at the Ottawa Intl. Animation Festival on Sunday (Sept. 23). The painterly project tells the story of a man who recalls a friendship from his youth in the moments after who is robbed and stabbed by a junkie. Also on the winners’ list was Ignacio Ferreras’ poignant 2D feature Arrugas (Wrinkles), which has already won the Goya for Best Animated Feature (Spanish Academy Award) as well as an Annie nomination. Cartoon Network’s Regular Show, which just picked up an Emmy a week earlier, was the winner of the Best TV animation award. Other fest favorites Don Hertzfeld’s It’s Such a Wonderful Day and Grant Orchard’s Oscar-nominated A Morning Stroll also received honors at the well-attended event.

The 2012 international jury for Short Program, Student and Commissioned Films included: Mike Fallows (USA), J.J. Sedelmaier (USA) and Sarah Muller (U.K.). The international jury for Feature Film Competition and School Showreels included: Barry Purves (UK), Hisko Hulsing (Netherlands) and Izabela Rieben (Switzerland).

Here is the complete list of this year’s winners:


Nelvana Grand Prize for Best Independent Short Animation:
 Junkyard  directed by Hisko Hulsing, Netherlands

Grand Prize for Best Animated Feature: Arrugas (Wrinkles), directed by Ignacio Ferreras, Spain

Walt Disney Grand Prize for Best Student Animation:
 I Am Tom Moody directed by Ainslie Henderson, Edinburgh College of Art, UK

Grand Prize for Best Commissioned Animation: Primus “Lee Van Cleef” – by Chris Smith, USA

Best Animation School Showreel
: Supinfocom (France)

Best Narrative Short
: A Morning Stroll – by Grant Orchard, STUDIO AKA, USA

Best Experimental/Abstract Animation: Rivière au Tonnerre – directed by Pierre Hébert, Canada

Adobe Prize for Best High School Animation: The Bean – by Hae Jin Jung, Gyeonggi Art High School, South Korea

 Honorable Mention:
 La Soif Du Monde (Thirsty Frog) – by a Collective: 12 Children, Camera-etc, Belgium

Best Undergraduate Animation:
 Reizwäsche – by Jelena Walf & Viktor Stickel, Germany

Best Graduate Animation:
 Ballpit – directed by Kyle Mowat, Sheridan College, Canada

Best Promotional Animation
: Red Bull ‘Music Academy World Tour’ – by Pete Candeland, Passion Pictures, UK

Best Music Video:
 The First Time I Ran Away – by Joel Trussell, USA

Best TV Animation for Adults: 
Portlandia: Zero Rats – by Rob Shaw, USA

Best Short Animation Made for Children:
 Beethoven’s Wig, directed by Alex Hawley & Denny Silverthorne, Canada

 Honorable Mentions:
 Au Coeur de L’Hiver – directed by Isabelle Favez, Switzerland
 Why do we Put up with Them? – directed by David Chai, USA

Best Television Animation Made for Children
: Regular Show: Eggscellent – by JC Quintel, Cartoon Network
; Honorable Mention:
 Adventure Time: Jake vs. Me-Mow – by Pendleton Ward, Cartoon Network, U.S.

The National Film Board of Canada Public Prize:
 It’s Such a Beautiful Day – directed by Don Hertzfeldt, USA

Canadian Film Institute Award for Best  Canadian Animationn: Nightingales in December, directed by Theodore Ushev, Canada

 Honorable Mentions
: Ballpit – directed by Kyle Mowat, Sheridan College, Canada
MacPherson – directed by Martine Chartrand, National Film Board of Canada, Canada

Best Canadian Student Animation Award: 
Gum By Noam Sussman, Sheridan College, Canada Honorable Mentions: 
Ballpit – By Kyle Mowat, Sheridan College, Canada
Tengri By Alisi Telengut, Concordia University, Canada

For more info, please visit www.animationfestival.ca.

Junkyard