UK’s Manchester Animation Festival awards Best Feature Film to “Flow”, Best Short Film to “I Died in Irpin”
The Manchester Animation Festival (MAF), held in the United Kingdom, concluded its 2024 edition with an awards ceremony on November 14. Hosted by comedian, author, and animation advocate Alasdair Beckett-King, the event celebrated excellence in animated storytelling across various categories, honoring both creative filmmakers and industry professionals.
Film Awards
The festival’s international competition showcased a diverse range of animation styles and stories. The Best Feature Film award went to "Flow" by Gints Zilbalodis (France, Latvia, Belgium), praised for its environmental narrative and captivating animation without dialogue. A special mention was given to "Memoir of a Snail" by Adam Elliot (Australia).
Anastasiia Falileieva’s "I Died in Irpin" (Czechia) won Best Short Film, earning eligibility for the Academy Awards®. The jury commended its poignant depiction of personal loss amidst the horrors of war.
The Best British Animated Short Film was awarded to Maryam Mohajer’s "And Granny Would Dance," a powerful exploration of sisterhood and grief, which the jury described as emotionally resonant.
The Audience Award, voted by festival attendees, went to "The Lost Courier" by Ma ZiDong (China). Other winners included "Bunnyhood" by Mansi Maheshwari (Best Student Film), "Freak of Nature" by Alexandra Lermer (Best Short Film for Children), and "Eyes on Porn" by Joseph Clark (Best Commissioned Film). The Immersive Award was given to "Oto’s Planet" by Gwenael François (France), lauded for its interactive narrative.
Industry Excellence Awards
The Industry Excellence Awards, supported by Maxon, spotlighted individual achievements in animation. Alex Collier won for scriptwriting on "Odo: Once Upon a Camp Leader," Robin Shaw was recognized for storyboarding "Mog’s Christmas," and Andy Fossey received the award for character animation on "Pip & Posey."
Juries and Judging Panels
The selection process involved notable jurors, including writer Myles McLeod, storyboard artist Malachi James, and designer Nila Wood for the Industry Excellence Awards. Film award juries featured British filmmaker Tom Brown, international curator Erik van Drunen, and director Tanya J Scott for the short films category, while children’s films were evaluated by a youth panel aged 9-14.
Festival Highlights
The festival saw a 20% increase in audience attendance, bolstered by high-profile events and panels featuring major industry players such as Aardman, BBC, DreamWorks, ILM, and Netflix.
Film Awards
- Best Feature Film: "Flow" / Gints Zilbalodis / France, Latvia, Belgium
Special Mention: "Memoir of a Snail" / Adam Elliot / Australia - Best Short Film: "I Died in Irpin" / Anastasiia Falileieva / Czechia
- Best British Animated Short Film: "And Granny Would Dance" / Maryam Mohajer / United Kingdom
- Audience Award: "The Lost Courier" / Ma ZiDong / China
- Best Student Film: "Bunnyhood" / Mansi Maheshwari
- Best Short Film for Children: "Freak of Nature" / Alexandra Lermer / Germany
- Best Commissioned Film: "Eyes on Porn" / Joseph Clark / United Kingdom
- Immersive Award: "Oto’s Planet" / Gwenael François / France
Industry Excellence Awards
- Script Writing: Alex Collier for "Odo: Once Upon a Camp Leader"
- Storyboarding: Robin Shaw for "Mog’s Christmas"
- Character Animation: Andy Fossey for "Pip & Posey"