Hiroshima Animation Season 2024 Awards: Nicolas Keppens Wins Grand Prix in Short Competition
The Hiroshima Animation Season 2024 concluded with the announcement of its prestigious awards, highlighting exceptional talent in animation from around the world. Held annually in Japan, the festival is a major international event, showcasing both short and feature-length animated films.
In the Short Competition, the Grand Prix was awarded to Nicolas Keppens for his film "Beautiful Men," a standout work among the numerous submissions. This recognition places Keppens among the festival's notable winners, underscoring the international scope of the competition.
The "A Slice of Society" Award went to "Butterfly" by French director Florence Miailhe. Her distinctive animation style and narrative focus on social issues have earned her global recognition.
Nina Gantz's "Wander to Wonder" won the "Contemporary Tale" Award, while Zhang Xu zhan's "Compound Eyes of Tropical" received the "Fictive World" Award for its imaginative approach to storytelling. Milly Yencken’s poetic film "The Eastern Rain" was honored with the "Visual Poetry" Award.
In the Feature Competition, the top honor, the Grand Prix, was awarded to "SIROCCO AND THE KINGDOM OF THE WINDS," directed by Benoit Chieux. Chieux’s work captivated the jury with its rich narrative and stunning visuals.
The Pan-Pacific and Asia Youth Competition awarded its Grand Prix to "me, me, me, me" by Rina Ito. Other awards in this category include the "Stéphane Aubier" Award for "Mold" by Shi Shengxue, and Sam Kuwa’s "Shape of the Elephant" was also recognized.
The "Koyo Yamashita" Award went to "The Posthuman Hospital," directed by Junha Kim, reflecting the festival’s strong support for innovative and experimental works from emerging filmmakers.
The Japanese Commissioned Film Competition saw Takeshi Yashiro's "Tiny Tales: Haru-tsuge Fish and Fu-rai Boy" win the Grand Prix. In this category, the "Masashi Kawamura" Award was presented to "HOSHIMIYA TOTO+TEMPLIME: Mind Replacer" by Tarafu Otani, while the "Kotomi Deai" Award went to "Pass49e: White Devil" by Saya Endo. Finally, Sijia Luo’s "Knivesrain: Be Gone" received the "ShiShi Yamazaki" Award.
The festival’s Audience Award, chosen by popular vote from across three categories, was given to "Croak Show" directed by Suresh Eriyat. The film's reception from viewers underscores its universal appeal.
Full List of Awarded Films:
- Short Competition Grand Prix:
"Beautiful Men" / Nicolas Keppens - A Slice of Society Award:
"Butterfly" / Florence Miailhe - Contemporary Tale Award:
"Wander to Wonder" / Nina Gantz - Fictive World Award:
"Compound Eyes of Tropical" / Zhang Xu zhan - Visual Poetry Award:
"The Eastern Rain" / Milly Yencken - Feature Competition Grand Prix:
"SIROCCO AND THE KINGDOM OF THE WINDS" / Benoit Chieux - Pan-Pacific and Asia Youth Competition Grand Prix:
"me, me, me, me" / Rina Ito - Stéphane Aubier Award:
"Mold" / Shi Shengxue - Shape of the Elephant:
Sam Kuwa - Koyo Yamashita Award:
"The Posthuman Hospital" / Junha Kim - Japanese Commissioned Film Competition Grand Prix:
"Tiny Tales: Haru-tsuge Fish and Fu-rai Boy" / Takeshi Yashiro - Masashi Kawamura Award:
"HOSHIMIYA TOTO+TEMPLIME: Mind Replacer" / Tarafu Otani - Kotomi Deai Award:
"Pass49e: White Devil" / Saya Endo - ShiShi Yamazaki Award:
"Knivesrain: Be Gone" / Sijia Luo - Audience Award:
"Croak Show" / Suresh Eriyat
The Hiroshima Animation Season 2024 highlights the creative vitality and international nature of contemporary animation, celebrating a diverse array of talent and vision across the globe.