This Ukrainian film had previously been featured in the Perspective Short Films programme at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. It received support and funding from the national film funds of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the German Film Academy.
On September 8, the LINOLEUM International Festival of Contemporary Animation and Media Arts announced the winners across three categories: International, Ukrainian, and Commissioned Films competition.
In the largest international competition at LINOLEUM 2024, 33 remarkable works competed for the top prize. The best were selected by Polish animation director and multi-award winner Marta Magnuska, Annecy "Crystal" winner and Rotterdam-based director Ninke Deutz, and Berlin-based independent animator and Dok Leipzig co-curator Malte Stein.
The LINOLEUM 2023 Grand Prix went to renowned Ukrainian animator Anastasiia Falileieva for her film I Died in Irpin. This intensely personal work reflects on her ten days in the besieged city of Irpin, from which she escaped with the last evacuation column. The film also touches on her experiences of violence in a relationship and her interactions with her boyfriend's parents. The entire film was created using charcoal.
Mansi Maheshwari's Bunnyhood from Great Britain earned a Special mention for "its bold and chaotic imagery, combined with a powerful sound design. The film takes viewers on a dark, confusing, and frightening journey while infusing the narrative with humour and tenderness.” Initially created as a graduation project, the film was also selected for screening in the La Cinèf category at the Cannes Film Festival.
This year's Commissioned Films Competition was judged by a panel including Lei Lei, a member of the American Film Academy for short and feature animation; Sofiia Melnyk, a Ukrainian illustrator and animator known for creating live visuals for theatre; and Luca Tóth, an animation director and illustrator whose diploma film The Age of Curious won the jury prize at the Annecy International Festival of Animated Films.
The prize for Best Film in the Commissioned Films Competition was awarded to Dying for Beginners by Emily Downe from Great Britain. Voiced by palliative care doctor Dr Kathryn Mannix, the film takes a gentle step-by-step journey through the process of dying.
Three more films received Special Mentions from the jury in this category:
- Luca Tóth awarded the music video for the song My Way, directed by Jesica Bianchi from Argentina, for its “magical visuality."
- Lei Lei honoured Miami Jewish Film Festival - Opening, directed by Daphna Awadish Golan (USA, Netherlands), for its "beautiful rotoscoping technique."
- Sofiia Melnyk gave a Special Mention to The Princess of Babylon, a short film by Ukrainian director Mary Yanko, for its "beautiful animation that goes far beyond historical content." The film, based on Voltaire's novel, was commissioned by France Télévisions.
In the Ukrainian competition, animator Hanna Palamarchuk's animated film From the Past won the main prize. This film is filled with melancholy, nostalgia, and the aroma of borscht. Palamarchuk also received a Wacom One 12 graphic display courtesy of Novella Company, Wacom's official distributor in Ukraine and the exclusive partner of the Ukrainian competition.
Another film, Growths by Elina Pupina from Kharkiv, received a Special Mention for its "deep and emancipatory narrative, addressing contemporary issues while inspiring the study of Ukrainian national traditions and self-awareness."
This year's Ukrainian competition was evaluated by festival director and film producer Laura Almantaite, animation films director and producer Mariam Kandelaki, and Aliona Penziy, head of the Dovzhenko Centre Film Archive, film critic, and cultural manager.
The LINOLEUM 2024 festival team extends heartfelt thanks to all guests who attended the event over these five exciting days. Special appreciation goes to the participants, lecturers of the educational programmes, and, of course, to the partners who supported and helped make the festival possible!
All shows were held in the first innovation park UNIT.City in Kyiv.
LINOLEUM 2024 was held with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation, the Austrian Cooperation Office Lviv, Ukraine Office Austria, the Polish Institute in Kyiv, the Ukrainian Institute and the British Council in Ukraine.
Main partner: UNIT.City
Partner of the Ukrainian competition: "Novella" company - the official distributor of Wacom in Ukraine.
Creative partner: mate agency
Media partners: 1+1 Media, Kinowar.com, Klap, ProShoKino
Partners: Dovzhenko Centre, Ukrainian Animation Association, Kyivstar TV film and television platform, Tullamore D.E.W., Vyna Svitu and Avalon
