Announcing 2022 Taichung International Animation Festival Short Films Competition Awardees

Announcing 2022 Taichung International Animation Festival Short Films Competition Awardees. YU Yu's "The Island of Us" Taking Home This Year's Taiwanese Short Film Grand Prix

The winners of the "2022 Taichung International Animation Festival (TIAF)" were announced on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, by Taichung City Government Information Bureau Director-General CHENG Chao-Hsin, Taichung Film Development Foundation CEO LIN Shiau-Chi, with the selections committee, and the festival's ambassador Roro HUANG. The competition was fierce. Through hours of discussion focusing on story structures, art styles, media use, sound design, and animation techniques, the selections committee selected eight especially outstanding works among the 61 nominees. The Grand Prix in the Short Films Competition went to Chilean director Hugo COVARRUBIAS' "Bestia"; the Grand Prix in the Student Films Competition went to the French film "The Soloists." The Grand Prix of the Taiwanese Short Films and Taiwanese Student Short Films Competition, the most anticipated award in the local animation industry, went to "The Island of Us" by YU Yu and "Ant Hotel" by Winston Tang.

Taichung City Government Information Bureau Director-General CHENG Chao-Hsin presented the Taiwanese Short Films and Taiwanese Student Short Films Grand Prix. He pointed out the record-high number of submissions this year and the Taiwanese filmmakers' active participation in presenting works they've spent years cultivating. They also emphasized the Taichung City Government will continue to support TIAF. To make Taichung a vital channel for local and foreign animators to propel and expose their work.

"The Island of Us" director YU Yu is an Academy Student Silver Award winner and was a jury of TIAF in 2021. She said she was delighted her new film won the Grand Prix in the Taiwanese Short Films Competition. She mentioned that while most filmmakers produce their work using poetry or prose, she challenged herself to use a "prose-like" format this time. The story is one of healing and reincarnation, told through Seed, a character learning how to persist in their love in a group society despite the influence of others. 

The winner of the Grand Prix in the Short Films Competition, awarded by award jury CHIU Li-Wei, is "Bestia" by Chilean director Hugo COVARRUBIAS. Based on a true story, depicts the life of a secret police officer during the Chilean military dictatorship. Her relationship with her dog, body, fears, and frustrations reveal a broken heart and reflect the country's fragmentation. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and the focus of major animated film festivals, the film's unique approach and heart-wrenching plot have captured the attention of the juries, making it a worthy winner of the Grand Prix. Israeli films "One Last Wish, Based on 'What, Of this Goldfish, Would You Wish?' by Etgar Keret" and "The Blind Writer" won the Jury Distinction and Outstanding Work Award.

The Grand Prix of the Student Short Films Competition was awarded to the French animation "The Soloists." It won the Grand Prix for its clean and simple style, complete story structure, and smooth and natural music design. The Australian-directed "An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It," a film described by the juries as an animated rendition of "The Truman Show," won the Jury Distinction award for its unique creativity of "animation within an animation." The 3D animated "Yallah!" won the Outstanding Work award with its humorous approach to telling a story of war and chaos.

The "Audience Choice Award" was presented to the Portuguese film "Ice Merchants" by the CEO of Taichung Film Development Foundation, LIN Shiau-Chi. The Children's Choice Award, voted by 105 mini juries, went to "Mezosoïque Alternatif" by overwhelmingly winning children's hearts with its colorful and amusing dinosaur characters.

Koji YAMAMURA, one of the juries and a master of Japanese animation, said that the quality of the works in this year's competition is beyond expectation and presents the latest animation trends from around the world. Professor Jack SHIH and Hong Kong director Tommy NG, both juries of the festival, emphasized that many of the entries this year are very sophisticated in terms of creative media usage and application techniques and are full of innovative ideas. Professor Catherine DIAMOND, who specializes in drama and literature, said the entries not only reflected the culture, creative spirit, and strength of the animation industry of different countries but also conveyed the animator's observation of contemporary society and international situations, which is a tremendously valuable exchange for the festival.

The awarding ceremony on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, brought the filmmakers together and invited the guests and populace to enjoy this year's award-winning works. The closing film "Inu-Oh" was a success with no empty seats in the theatre, smoothly drawing the curtains to this year's events. The festival attracted many people during its run this year, including many familiar faces who have supported it for many years and promising to meet again next year! For more information about the awards and related events, please stay tuned to the official Taichung International Animation Festival website twtiaf.com and the official Facebook fan page facebook.com/tiaf.taichung.

 

2022 Taichung International Animation Festival Short Films Competition Awardees