‘Precious,’ ‘Have A Nice Dog!’ Among Winners At Stuttgart 2021

Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS), one of European animation’s major events, has wrapped up its 28th edition — the second in a row to go virtual. The prizewinners were announced at a ceremony on Sunday.

The grand prix for shorts went to Paul Mas’s Precious, a stop-motion film about a misfit schoolkid. It has already picked up several awards, including at Estonia’s PÖFF Shorts, and has now qualified for an Oscar run. The jury said:

Tackling subjects familiar to all of us, that of being othered and misunderstood, of bullying and of friendship, Precious skilfully handles the sensitive narrative with subtlety and a gentleness of expression. The story presents complex layers of social forces in a seemingly simple narrative … Precious is a timeless animation that touched us all and kept us thinking.

Have a Nice Dog!, by the Berlin-based Syrian filmmaker Jalal Maghout, won two awards, for best graduation film and best student film (it was made at the Konrad Wolf Film University of Babelsberg). The film, a hallucinatory portrait of the Syrian War, qualified for this year’s Oscars. Cartoon Saloon’s much-lauded Wolfwalkers was named best feature, with French historical refugee drama Josep earning a special mention in the category.

ITFS handed out €57,500 (USD$70,000) in prize money, including €15,000 to the grand prix winner.

Here is a full list of the winners:

Grand Prix

• Precious (Precieux)
  Paul Mas (France, 2020)

Special Mention

• Only a Child
  Simone Giampaolo (Switzerland, 2020)

Lotte Reiniger Promotion Award (Best Graduation Film)

• Have a Nice Dog!
  Jalal Maghout (Germany/Syria, 2020)

Special Mention

• I’m Here (Jestem tutaj)
  Julia Orlik (Poland, 2020)

Young Animation Award (Best Student Film)

• Have a Nice Dog!
  Jalal Maghout (Germany/Syria, 2020)

Special Mention

• The Song of a Lost Boy
  Daniel Quirke (U.K., 2020)

Animovie Award (Best Feature)

• Wolfwalkers
  Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart (Ireland/Luxembourg/U.S., 2020)

Special Mention

• Josep
  Aurel (France/Spain, 2020)

Trickstar Nature Award

• Migrants
  Hugo Caby, Zoé Devise, Antoine Dupriez, Aubin Kubiak, Lucas Lermytte (France, 2020)

Special Mention

• Haboob
  Mahsa Samani (Iran, 2020)

Fantastic Award (Best Animation Talent)

• Cha
  Gagandeep Kalirai (U.K., 2020)

Special Mention

• My Friend Who Shines in the Night (Mon ami qui brille dans la nuit)
  Grégoire De Bernouis, Jawed Boudaoud, Simon Cadilhac, Hélène Ledevin (France, 2020)

New World Classic Animation Award (Best Music in a Short)

• Flower Duet
  Haemin Ko (U.K., 2020)

Special Mention

• Abadabude
  Kim-Quy Nguyen (Germany, 2020)

Tricks for Kids Award

• Roberto
  Carmen Córdoba González (Spain, 2020)

Special Mention

• The Tomten and the Fox (Reven og Nissen)
  Yaprak Morali, Are Austness (Norway/Sweden/Denmark, 2019)
• Louis’ Shoes (Les Chaussures de Louis)
  Théo Jamin, Kayu Leung, Marion Philippe, Jean-Géraud Blanc (France, 2020)

German Animation Screenplay Award

• Butterfly Tale
  Heidi Foss, Lienne Sawatsky (Germany)

Special Mention

• The Girl in the Flying Washing Machine
  Danielle Bouteille a.k.a. Daniel Reittinger (Austria)

Animated Games Award Germany

• Endzone — A World Apart
  Developer: Gentlymad Studios

Special Mention

• Lost Ember
  Developer: Mooneye

Trickstar Business Award

• Mitmalfilm UG