Euganea Film Festival

Duo de volailles, sauce chasseur

by Pascale Hecquet
(Belgium - France 2011)

Motivation:
This film has been given the best short animation film prize for its inspired and original combination of music, rhythm and dance, and also for the symbolic value of the light/shadow dualism, solved with an alliance rather than with a conflict, and expressively rendered through the use of black and white. The minimalistic style of the film endows it with refreshing expressiveness, depicted with simple but strong graphic images and an excellent choreography.

Blik

by Bastiaan Schravendeel
(Netherlands 2010)

Motivation:
The jury awards BLIK with a special mention for the expressive strength of the design and editing which tells the universal story of first love. 'Faceless' characters with an excellent use of body language allow viewers to easily understand and recognize the characters and their emotions: the meeting, the discovery, jealousy and a separation.

A morning stroll

by Grant Orchard
(UK 2011)

Motivation:
A special mention from the jury goes to A morning stroll, which, in three different episodes, solves a story in an intelligent and effective way through the use of three animation techniques, each of which is representative of the depicted age. The mystery of the chicken and the door is revealed in a simple stroke which sums up the various epochs and styles and brings a nice "time-lapse" close to the narrative plot.

Glasgow

by Piotr Subbotko
(Poland 2010)

Motivation:
For the originality of this story where the protagonist has to act like an adult but can not help being a boy. For the ability to describe all the characters just by few, effective strokes. For the narrative pace, always in the service of the story and feelings without self-complacency.

Letter of thanks from the director:
First of all I’d like to say thank you for selecting my film and screening at your wonderful festival, in such a magical place! There is something mystical there, I mean this screen surrounded by old walls of the castle. Each movie is a dream. I believe that in such a special place we can dream it intensively. Thank you the jury for this prize, it's great honour for me, and many thanks to the audience for the possibility to be with you through my film. Unfortunately I’m not able to be here in person because of my work. I really hope to be at the Euganea Film Festival with my new film. I wish you a wonderful evening.
Thanks and good luck.
Piotr Subbotko

Mon amoureux

by Daniel Metge
(France 2011)

Motivation:
For the ability to express sensitively and carefully such a complex matter; for the naturalness of the two protagonists; for an ending that brings back the heart of the plot: the telling of a lovestory.

Solo noi tre

by Giampietro Balia
(Italy 2011)

Planete Kirsan

by Magdalena Pieta
(Poland 2010)

Motivation:
Chess as war. Magdalena Pieta takes us by the hand and leads us gently to the discovery of the Autonomous Republic of Kalmykia in the Russian Federation: its rules, its atrocities and its melancholic outlook. With a great narrative intuition, she portraits the people in the story as if coming from a different planet, in which the absurd language of propaganda lives side by side with the war, the strife for freedom and safety, the involuntary ability to infuse life and emotion despite the forced rationalization. She whispers in our ears the painful dream of an impossible childhood in a world of adults forever-at-war. Even when playing.

The last chapter

by Maximilian Haslberger
(Germany 2012)

Motivation:
Special Mention to The Last Chapter by Maximilian Halsberger for the courage and the non-religious sensitivity with which he manages to explore the concept of the extreme border of existence, giving voice and images to the inexpressible human condition in sickness. A merciless and moving portrait of the ending point of a life.

Le perle di ritorno, Odissea di un vetraio africano

by Franco Basaglia
(Italy 2011)

Piccola Terra

by Michele Trentini
(Italy 2012)

Freakbeat

by Luca Pastore
(Italy 2011)