The ancient Hawaiian legend 'Kapaemahu', Grand Prize of the Animayo 2020 International Jury

The fifteenth edition of Animayo Gran Canaria, converted into the First Animation Festival on a 100% virtual platform in the world, ends its virtual phase with more than 22,000 registrations and grants a direct pass to the Oscar preselection to 'Kapaemahu'.

The fifteenth edition of Animayo Gran Canaria, converted into the First Festival of animation, visual effects and video games in the world held on a platform 100% virtual and with more than 22,000 total registrations from numerous countries around the world, has announced its 2020 Awards.

Of among the more than 1,600 works viewed by Animayo, of which 67 were selected, Kapaemahu, of Hinaileimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson under the animation direction of Daniel Sousa (USA, 2020), has been the short film awarded as Grand Jury Prize Animayo Gran Canaria 2020. Kapaemahu thus obtains a direct pass for the Oscar Preselection in the category of Best Animated Short Film, since Animayo is currently the only Spanish animation festival declared a “Qualifying Festival” by the Hollywood Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for three years. In addition, the winning short film receives a cash prize of three thousand euros and an honorary trophy.

The Jury, which due to the situation caused by COVID-19 deliberated virtually and accessing private screenings online, has followed a rigorous selection process for all the sections in the competition based on five pillars that make up the leitmotiv of the program: script, originality, technique, theme and articulation of ideas. As a whole, stories in which the characters captivate the viewer and with themes that enhance values ​​without leaving aside those most committed to society such as oblivion, ecology and climate change, family, friendship, the struggle of women, love, survival and reincarnation, the drama of refugees or the search for happiness. As for the techniques, from stop motion, whether in plasticine, with puppets or digital, to CGI, through 2D, 3D, mixed techniques, watercolor and cel animation.

Los trabajos llegan desde 29 países participantes: Australia, Bélgica, Brasil, Bulgaria, Canadá, China, Colombia, Egipto, Francia, Alemania, India, Irán, Irlanda, México, Moldavia, Noruega, Países Bajos, Palestina, Polonia, Portugal, Rusia, Escocia, Corea del Sur, Suecia, Taiwán, Turquía, Reino Unido y Estados Unidos.

En cuanto al Gran Premio obtenido por el cortometraje Kapaemahu, the jury praised both the enormous quality of the work, the originality of the script, the use of the color palette as well as a traditional animation that delighted everyone. Furthermore, it is an atypical work since it uses an ancient Hawaiian dialect, which increases the magic and particularity of the piece. Its synopsis: Long ago, four extraordinary individuals of dual male and female spirit brought the healing arts from Tahiti to Hawaii. Loved by the natives for their gentle ways and miraculous cures, they imbued four giant rocks with their powers. The stones still remain on what is now Waikiki Beach, but the true story behind them has been hidden until now. Kapaemahu, que significa piedras de la vida en hawaiano nativo, le da vida a esta poderosa leyenda en una vívida animación vista a través de los ojos de un niño muy curioso.

El Jurado Internacional estuvo presidido por Claus Toksvig Kjaer, Animation producer danés con sobresalientes proyectos como la nominada a los Premios Oscar Song of the Sea o Long Way North, ganadora del Premio del Público en Annency. De otra parte, Calamity Jane y Ape Star, son dos de sus largometrajes inéditos de próximo lanzamiento y coproducidos en colaboración con Maybe Movies y Lee Film.

Junto a él, componen este jurado cuatro artistas no menos relevantes: Cecilia Aranovich, Supervising Director, Storyboard artist y Directora en los estudios Warner Bros. Animation. Entre sus trabajos destacan To a Man with a Big Nose, Pink Panther and Pals o Dc SuperHero Girls; Lizzie Nichols, Visual development artist at Sony Pictures Animation and other notable works such as The Smurfs: The Hidden Village, The Emoji Movie, Hotel Transylvania 2 y Home; Carolina Jiménez, VFX supervisor, Lead layout artist at Scanline VFX, Weta Digital, MPC, OK Infografia and Ilion Animation Studios and notable projects such as the trilogy of Hobbit, Justice League or Marvel hits like Antman and the Wasp o Guardians of the Galaxy; and Marcos González P., Animator at DreamWorks Animation, Encore, Duncan Studio, Buck and Psyop, with the titles Mary Poppins Returns o Avengers: Endgame.

Además del Gran Premio del Jurado, otras categorías premiadas por este Jurado Internacional fueron: Mejor 2D: The Tiger who Came to Tea. Judith Kerr, Robin Shaw, Lupus Films, Joanna Harrison. 2019. Reino Unido; Mejor Cortometraje de Estudiante: Wings. Casey McDonald. 2019. Estados Unidos; Mejor Dirección Artística: Wade. Upamanyu Bhattacharyya, Kalp Sanghvi. 2019, India. 2D; Mejor 3D: Maestro. Colectivo Illogic. 2019. Francia. 3D; Mejor Efectos Visuales: 400 MPH. Paul-Eugène Dannaud, Julia Chaix, Lorraine Desserre, Alice Lefort, Natacha Pianeti, Quentin Tireloque. 2019. Francia. 3D; Best Screenplay: Avarya. Gökalp Gönen. 2019, Turquía. CGI; Mejor Stop Motion: Uzi (Ties). Dina Velikovskaya. 2019. Alemania, Rusia. Stop Motion; Mejor Cortometraje de Humor: Mind my mind. Flor Adams, 2019, Netherlands, Belgium. 2D computer, hand-painted animation; Best Short Film for Children: The Most Magnificent Thing. Ashley Spiers, John van Bruggen, 2018, Canada. CGI; Social Awareness: The Office of Missing Children. Michael Schiller, 2018, United States. After Effects; and Best Love Story: Aries. Simon P. Biggs 2018, Escocia. 3D, 2D. (https://vimeo.com/288516360).

https://vimeo.com/386890665