Winners of World Festival of Animated Film – Animafest Zagreb 2026
World Festival of Animated Film– Animafest Zagreb 2026 closed tonight with an award ceremony at the SC Cinema.
World Festival of Animated Film– Animafest Zagreb 2026 closed tonight with an award ceremony at the SC Cinema. The Grand Competition Short Film Jury, consisting of Jan Pinkava, Nina Gantz, Sawako Kabuki, Maarten van Gageldonk and Paola Orlić, decided to award the Grand Prix to the Armenian-Estonian film Winter in March (Lumi saadab meid) by director Natalia Mirzoyan, produced by Artstep and Rebel Frame. The jury’s explanation reads: Making imaginative use of its hand-crafted technique not as a gimmick but always in service of the storytelling, this film balances difficult documentary with humour and wit. A story of our times, told with emotional honesty, clearly representing real experience. Every needle stitch on the characters becomes a trace of the wounds and sorrows inscribed on us by history, whether as accidental passers-by or as active protagonists compelled to choose our own path.
The same jury presented the Golden Zagreb Award for Creativity and Innovative Artistic Achievement to Conor Kehelly for the Irish film A Pint of Bitter, which was produced independently. Without exposition or messing about, we’re straight into the discomfort of the situation, the threatening atmosphere brilliantly contrasted by naive cartoonish characters. Things go from bad to worse on a nightmarish trip, beyond our expectation, and back again. Juxtaposing dialogue from life with a disturbingly stylised first-person perspective, this film invites us, in spite of everything, to have another – said the jury.
The Zlatko Grgić Award for Best First Film Made Outside an Educational Institution went to the French film The Shy God (Dieu est timide) by Jocelyn Charles (remembers production). This story is told with authoritative confidence, taking us from the banal to the bizarre, with bold stylistic choices, and distinctive, memorable characters. Leading us into a completely believable alternative reality. We were along for the ride, and are still waiting for the answer to the big question – wrote the jury.
The members of the jury decided to award special prizes as well. Jan Pinkava also awarded the Belgian-French film Autokar by Sylwija Szkiladz (Novanima Production, Ozù Productions, studio amopix, Vivi Film). Nina Gantz was particularly impressed by Markus Tangre’s Ivar (Bacon Pictures). Sawako Kabuki presented her special award to the French-Dutch-Portuguese film Water Girl (Fille de l'eau) by Sandra Desmazières (Animais AVPL, Caïmans Productions, Valk Productions). Maarten van Gageldonk chose the Chinese film A Taste of Beer (啤夫的滋味) by Xie Li (independent production), and Paola Orlić gave her special award to the South Korean film Glasses (An-Gyeong) by Yumi Joung, produced by Match Cut Inc.
According to the decision of the Grand Competition Feature Film Jury, composed of Pierre Yves Drapeau, Mariam Kandelaki and Tina Smrekar, the Grand Prix goes to the Canadian-French film Death Does Not Exist (La mort n’existe pas) by Félix Dufour-Laperrière (Embuscade Films and Miyu Productions). Prey or predator? In a world of inequality the protagonist finds herself in the paradox of wanting to save the world and saving herself. The author’s sobriety and fluid use of colours, transparency and blending, merging backgrounds and characters form the film to become a delicate balance between violence and the tenderness of the protagonist. For the subtle and multilayered reflection on human consciousness – the explanation reads.
The same jury also decided to award a special mention to the Brazilian film Son of a Bitch (O filho da puta) by Erica Maradona, Otto Guerra, Sávi Leite and Tania Anaya (productions: Anaya and Otto Desenhos Animados). The aesthetics of the visuals and the soundtrack inspired by the story and the characters create a refreshing cinematic representation of a universe of misfits. The film demonstrates that even a seemingly reckless approach to use so very few colors can stand the ground in a long format and even contributes to the storyline – they wrote.
The joint jury of the Student Film Competition and the Croatian Film Competition, consisting of Krste Gospodinovski, Marta Magnuska and Annegret Richter, decided to award the Dušan Vukotić Award for Best Student Film to the Japanese film So He Grabbed the Knife (そうしてナイフを手した) by Sam Kuwa, made at the Tokyo University of the Arts. With its evocative exploration of growing up and the weight of inherited expectations, conveyed through immersive visual storytelling and striking shifts in perspective, this film transforms a simple premise into a resonant reflection on choice, responsibility, and the moments that shape us – the jury explained.
According to the decision of the same jury, the first special mention went to the Portuguese-Belgian-Finnish-Italian work Time Flies by Tommaso Zerbi from the European Master’s program RE:ANIMA. Slow down, take a deep breath, enjoy the moment, do a selfcare, don't worry, everything is... out of control. This film is a some kind of awkward carpe diem anthem – said the jury.
The second special mention went to the Finnish-Belgian-Portuguese film Things That I Was Gathering by Ekaterina Zhuzhleva from the same segment. We need films like this—films that remind us that freedom is never guaranteed, but that it is something worth fighting for, no matter the cost. Through powerful storytelling, we are drawn into the emotional reality of standing up for something so essential and facing the consequences, including arrest and repression. This film leaves a lasting impact, and we are pleased to award a Special Mention to it – the explanation says.
The best film of the Croatian Film Competition is Ana Horvat’s School Show, produced by Umjetnička organizacija Anima, drawn in a childlike aesthetic that shows kids being put in the grotesque situation and ideological context they are not capable of understanding. For bringing a disturbing memory to the surface and exposing the cracks beneath a seemingly idyllic reality, revealing the tensions hidden behind familiar images and collective narratives – the jury said. The film also receives a financial award of 1,000 euros, awarded by the Society of Croatian Film Authors and Producers.
A special mention was given to Luka Vucić for Heartwreck from the Kinoteka production company. One of the great strengths of animation lies in its ability to make emotions visible, to translate our complex human feelings into images and characters we can instantly relate to. What particularly stood out is, how the film embraces contradiction in its story. It reminds us that even when you understand the emotion, you still have to get through it. And the process, however painful, is what ultimately allows us to move forward- not looking back but finding courage to continue – says the explanation.
The new Award for the Best Video Game Art Direction, awarded by the jury consisting of Admir Elezović (Croteam), Aleksandar Gavrilović (Gamechuck) and Sara Jurić (Gamepires), went to the Swiss game Time Flies by Michael Frei and the Playables studio.
The winner of the Films for Children and Youth Competition was chosen by the children’s jury consisting of Sven Fras, Rafael Grgić, Leo Kulić Mileta, Una Petković and Ema Šakić. The jury awarded the main prize to the Japanese film On the Other Side… (あの向こうは…) by Mingyu Wang, produced by Tama University of the Arts, a film which made an unforgettable impression. Its technique creatively stands out with the use of different visual media to design the characters and tell the story. Its visual identity gives us an insight into the beauty of our most complex emotion. Animation fluidity has also played a big role in connecting our feelings with the subject of the film. Watching it, we felt different emotions, but we all felt the universal feeling of love. The film asks its viewers the following question: “Where does the passion for love come from?”, but it allows personal interpretation of the answer – explained the jury.
Special mention in the Films for Children Competition went to the South Korean film Battery Grandma (건전지 할머니) by Seungbae Jeon (Toyville Studio), a film that entertained us and drew special attention with the technique that took a lot of effort. Also, the message of the film is very important – our near and dear ones will always find us in the right place and we should stick to our elders who can give us security, care and good advice – the explanation says.
The special recognition in the Films for Youth Competition was decided by the audience, who voted for the Chilean film The Scarlet Tamagotchi (El Tamagochi Escarlata) by Francisco Visceral Rivera (Pista B).
The Mr. M Audience Award for the Best Short Film goes to Anna Mantzaris for the Swedish-French-Czech-Norwegian-Finnish film Please produced by Apparat Filmproduktion AB, Böhle Studios, Film i Väst, Kuli Film, Mikrofilm AS, Passion Paris Production and SVT.
The Mr. M Audience Award for Best Feature Film was won by Samurai Ballerina -L’étoile de Paris en fleur, directed by Goro Taniguchi (ARVO Animation, Tokyo Broadcasting System).
