Award winners of the Computer Animation Festival (CAF) at SIGGRAPH Asia 2019 have been revealed, with the illustrious Best in Show honors going to interactive crowd dynamics meditation KIDS — the second collaboration between filmmaker Michael Frei and game designer Mario Von Rickenbach. CAF celebrates how computer graphics have become a medium for storytelling in animation, visual effects, games, and other applications.
“I can’t wait for you to see this year’s SIGGRAPH Asia Computer Animation Festival. The jury selected amazing works from all over the world that truly represents how computer graphics are being used by students and professionals to create short films, advertising, visual effects, and visualization,” said Pol Jeremias-Vila, SIGGRAPH Asia 2019 Computer Animation Festival Chair.
Across four days in November, CAF will showcase 41 short films and presentations, selected from 524 submissions. With works created by students to professionals, three prizes will be awarded at the festival.
The 12th edition of SIGGRAPH Asia, the region’s premier event for computer graphics and interactive techniques, takes place November 17-20 in Brisbane, Australia.
This year’s winners are:
BEST IN SHOW: KIDS
Co-Created by Michael Frei & Mario von Rickenbach, Playables, Switzerland | Distributor: Wouter Jansen, Some Shorts, The Netherlands
An animated short film that explores group dynamics, and how we define ourselves when we are all equal, asks who is steering the crowd, and what if it is heading in the wrong direction? Along with where does the individual end and the group begin? What is done by choice, and what under duress?
JURY PRIZE: Spring
Director: Andy Goralczyk, Blender Foundation, The Netherlands | Producer: Francesco Siddi, Blender Foundation, The Netherlands
Spring is the story of a shepherd girl and her dog, who face ancient spirits in order to continue the cycle of life. This poetic and visually stunning short film was written and directed by Andy Goralczyk, inspired by his childhood in the mountains of Germany.
BEST STUDENT PROJECT: The Ostrich Politic
Director: Mohammad Houhou, Miyu Distribution, France | Producer: Moira Marguin, Miyu Distribution, France
Ostriches carry on their daily activities burying their heads, believing that it is an Instinctive behavior. However, research by phylogeneticist Dr. Kays proves otherwise.
The Electronic Theater is an overview of the best animations, visual effects, and scientific visualizations produced in the last year. 22 must-see works in computer graphics are presented, handpicked by the CAF 2019 jury. Highlights of the Electronic Theater in 2019 include:
- Maestro Directed by ILLOGIC Collectif, Miyu Distribution, France | Deep into a forest, a gathering of wild animals start a nocturnal opera, conducted by a squirrel.
- Hedgehog Directed by Vaibhav Keswani, Jeanne Laureau, Colombine Majou, Morgane Mattard, Kaisa Pirttinen, Jong-Ha Yoon Vaibhav Keswani, Jeanne Laureau, Colombine Majou, Morgane Mattard, Kaisa Pirttinen, Jong-Ha Yoon, Gobelins, France | A little boy speaks about hedgehogs all the time to everybody.
- Mascot Directed by Leeha Kim, Aniseed, South Korea | The fox who wants to be a mascot for the city goes to a mascot training academy. He lives in a very tiny house and works many part-time jobs. He is still getting many Mascot auditions with taking loans at a high-interest rates for undergoing plastic surgery.
The Animation Theater is an in-depth exploration of the year’s highlights in animation and visual effects. All-day shows will feature 17 outstanding works from across the world. Highlights of the Animation Theater in 2019 include:
- Samsara Directed by Hyunjoon Joo, Korea National University of Arts, South Korea | There was a boy who took care of a fig tree which did not bear any fruit for a long time. One day, he went to another world through his dream and got the fruit he wanted so much. Before long, however, he got tired of the world where everything he wanted was possible. In the end, he came back to the real world to take care of the fig tree.
- Mice, a small story Directed by Jade Baillargeault, Nazli Doale, Dimitri James, Quang Daniel La, Morgane Lau, Mélanie Pango et Manon Pringault, Isart Digital School, France | In a dark subway tunnel, a group of mice find a gold ring-pull that seems to have a mysterious effect on one of them. Not so far from them, an owl and his enslaved rats are watching. The owl sends his rats to get ahold of this strange object…
- Iam Twisq Directed by Red Wong, Ray Mok, School of Creative Media City University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong is known as a concrete jungle and we seek for a different angle to review Hong Kong’s city landscape from the sight of a bird. The music video of “Iam Twisq” re-creates an urban playground by animating shapes, forms and colors extracted from the original buildings.
SIGGRAPH Asia 2019 will offer numerous in-depth, informative and compelling panels, presentations, showcases and experiences. For more information, visit https://sa2019.siggraph.org.
