‘Metafear’ Takes Best In Show At Spark Animation 2026: Full Winners List

Spark Computer Graphics Society has announced the award winners for Spark Animation 2026, which will take place September 17-20 in Vancouver.

The festival’s top prize, best in show, goes to Japanese filmmaker Shuhei Morita’s Metafear. The fast-paced fantasy follows a girl haunted by nightmares and the fears that emerge from them. Spark Animation is an Oscar-qualifying festival, so the win qualifies Metafear for consideration in the animated short category at the next Academy Awards.

Ordinary Folk’s Distance, which will premiere at the festival, was named best Canadian short. Other major winners include Jing Rickie Liu and Ellie Grace Colwill’s The Memory Clocksmith for best student short, Tom Prezman’s The Hoop for best commissioned work, and Charlotte Lafossas’ Vice 2 Ouf for best music video.

Spark will also posthumously present its 2026 lifetime achievement award to Canadian animation educator, advocate, and producer Keith P. Blackmore, who died on August 29. Blackmore served for years as a producer and chair of Spark Animation, where he played an important role in connecting Vancouver students and artists with members of the international animation community.

The awards will be presented during Spark Celebration on September 20 at Vancouver’s Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre.

2026 Sark Winners

Best in Show

Metafear, Shuhei Morita (Japan)

Runner-Up, Short Film

Meteoric, Paul Ó Muiris (Ireland)

Best Canadian Short

Distance, Ordinary Folk (Canada)

Director’s Prize

Soul Catcher (Haboolm Ksinaalgat), Amanda Strong and Pamela Post (Canada)

Diversity Award

Whale 52: Suite for Man, Boy, and Whale, Daniel Neiden (U.S.)

Special Mention, Storytelling

Lake Messejana, Diego Maia (Brazil)

Special Mention, Social Message

The Legend of the Hummingbird (La Légende du colibri), Morgan Devos (France)

Best Student Short

The Memory Clocksmith, Jing Rickie Liu and Ellie Grace Colwill (U.S.)

Runner-Up, Student Short

The Panic Inside, Matthias Strasser (Germany/Switzerland)

Best Commissioned Work

The Hoop, Tom Prezman (Spain)

Runner-Up, Commissioned Work

The Storyteller, Paulo Garcia (France/Brazil)

Best Music Video

Vice 2 Ouf, Charlotte Lafossas (France)