{"id":239195,"date":"2025-05-13T04:31:23","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T04:31:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/animation\/quay-brothers-the-voice-of-the-sirenes-bunnyhood\/"},"modified":"2025-05-13T04:31:23","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T04:31:23","slug":"quay-brothers-the-voice-of-the-sirenes-bunnyhood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=239195","title":{"rendered":"Quay Brothers, ‘The Voice of the Sirenes’, ‘Bunnyhood’"},"content":{"rendered":"


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36.000 animation viewers,<\/strong> six days of independent animation and an environment where the Quay Brothers co-exist with young Czech animation talents are some of the outcomes of the 2025 Anifilm Festival<\/a> (6-11 May, Liberec, Czech Republic).<\/p>\n

The international animation festival, which has become a staple in the international festival circuit, offered a varied programme (check some of the festival highlights) focused on sci-fi and animation and awarded its winners.\u00a0
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The Quay Brothers<\/strong> were the indisputable winners in the feature film competition category (films for adult audiences) with their third feature, ‘Sanatorium under the Sign of an Hourglass’. This surreal story (inspired by the work of Polish writer Bruno Schulz) is about young Josef, who’s visiting his dying father at the Carpathian Mountains.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The children’s corresponding feature film category had a Czech film win. In ‘Living Large’, Kristina Dufkov\u00e1 tells (in a 4-country European co-production) the story of Benjamin, a 12-year-old overweight teenager and his romantic troubles.<\/p>\n

Italian victory in the short film section, with the painted on paper ‘The voice of the sirenes’\u00a0 by Gianluigi Toccafondo,<\/strong> a 20-minute film on the world of mermaids and predators. Meejin Hong’<\/strong>s experimental, ever-evolving landscape of\u00a0 ‘Deluge’ (drawn on only 24 pieces of paper) won the main prize in the festival’s Non-Narrative & Abstract Animation Competition. <\/p>\n

In the student section, the tragicomic story of the mother and her daughter in ‘Bunnyhood’ by Mansi Maheswari <\/strong>(UK) won the main prize. The festival’s Audience Award was awarded to ‘Hurikan’ by the Czech director Jan Saska.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The full Anifilm 2025 Awardees and jury statements<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

International Competition: Feature Films<\/em><\/p>\n

Jury: Diego Polieri (Argentina), Anne Gasch\u00fctz (Germany), Mohamed Ghazala (Egypt)
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Best Feature Film for Adults<\/span>
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass<\/strong>, Directors: Stephen & Timothy Quay \/ UK \/ Poland \/ Germany 2024<\/p>\n

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Jury Statement: Mysterious and masterfully told, this film is a haunting meditation on grief, memory, and the passage of time. Meandering between reality and dreams, it brings two worlds into collision – one grounded in a historical, desolate mountain landscape, the other a dystopian realm where time slips and reality blurs. Through a powerful blend of evocative puppetry and live action, the directors manage to create a beautiful yet eerie world, where time becomes abstract and grief takes shape in the most unexpected forms – continuing their distinctive artistic vision, crafting a universe that is both unsettling and mesmerising. With wonderful editing and a deeply atmospheric tone, the film leaves us with a lingering sense of loss and wonder. It is a cinematic journey that not only draws us into its corridors of mystery, but also gently nudges us to wander through our own.<\/em><\/p>\n

Best Feature Film for Children & Young Audience<\/span>
Living Large,\u00a0<\/strong>Director: Kristina Dufkov\u00e1 \/ Czech Republic \/ Slovakia \/ France 2024<\/p>\n

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Jury Statement: From the very first frame, this film captivated us with its unique charm, visual imagination, and emotional depth. Told through beautifully crafted stop-motion animation, we follow a witty and talented teenager navigating first love, bullying, and self-doubt. In a world that persistently tells him to change, the film gently but powerfully reminds us that true transformation begins within oneself. With its uplifting message, joyful spirit, and loving ending, it is a celebration of self-acceptance and resilience. The director, supported by an exceptionally talented team of animators, has created a vivid universe full of distinctive characters and imaginative storytelling. It is not only a delight to watch, but an important reminder that the journey to embracing oneself is one worth taking.<\/em><\/p>\n

International Competition: Short Films<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0Jury: Xavier Kawa-Topor (France), Diana Cam Van Nguyen (Czech Republic), Tomek Popakul (Poland)<\/p>\n

Best Short Film<\/span>
The Voice of the Sirens<\/strong>,\u00a0Director: Gianluigi Toccafondo \/ France \/ Italy 2024<\/p>\n

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Jury statement: In this dreamlike dive into the confines of fantasies, the director mixes ghostly images with an incredible palette of colours that blend into a single choregraphic moving painting with strange sounds and the fascinating song of his free and wild sirens.<\/em><\/p>\n

Special mention for short film
A Night at the Rest Area<\/strong>,\u00a0Director: Saki Muramoto \/ Japan 2024<\/p>\n

Jury Statement: An atmospheric observational documentary noticing the subtle but universal poetry of rituals in transportation infrastructures, done with a mastery of animation and craft. A meditation about space and time.<\/em><\/p>\n

International Competition: Student Films
<\/em>\u00a0Jury: Xavier Kawa-Topor (France), Diana Cam Van Nguyen (Czech Republic), Tomek Popakul (Poland)<\/p>\n

Best Student Film
<\/span>Bunnyhood<\/strong>,\u00a0Director: Mansi Maheshwari \/ United Kingdom 2024<\/p>\n

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Jury Statement: Based on a true story, an energetic movie with wild aesthetics and crisp narration about lies, trust and a relationship that will never be the same again.<\/em><\/p>\n

Special mention for student film<\/span>
Stone of Destiny<\/strong>,\u00a0Director: Julie \u010cern\u00e1 \/ Czech Republic 2024<\/p>\n

Jury statement: We all need a bit of light to brighten our lonely lives – and sometimes that light comes through singing songs. The film touched us with its sincerity and emotional resonance.<\/em><\/p>\n

International Competition: Abstract and Non-Narrative Animation
<\/em>Jury: Josh Shaffner (USA), Kriss Sagan (Slovakia), Thomas Renoldner (Austria)<\/p>\n

Best Abstract and Non-Narrative animation<\/span>
Deluge<\/strong>,\u00a0Director: Meejin Hong \/ USA 2024<\/p>\n

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Jury Statement: Animated on just 24 sheets of paper, this astounding short film captivates and hypnotizes its audience for 12 minutes. Spanning almost a decade in its creation; time is felt, images are born, space is divided then distorted and ultimately darkness ensues. It is a testimony of resilience in the creative process and a monumental contribution to the tradition of compound animated cycles.<\/em><\/p>\n

Special mention for Abstract and Non-Narrative animation:
Pinocchio Giny Kamentsk\u00e9 na 70 mm<\/strong>,\u00a0Director: Gina Kamentsky \/ USA, 2024<\/p>\n

Jury Statement: \u201cFunny Avantgarde\u201d could be used as a term for this impressive artistic work, in which, in a playfully improvisational manner, visual and acoustic elements from both the tradition of experimental animation film and US-American pop culture are combined in a collage-like manner and using 70mm film material.<\/em><\/p>\n

International Competition: Music Videos<\/em>
Jury: Josh Shaffner (USA), Kriss Sagan (Slovakia), Thomas Renoldner (Austria)<\/p>\n

Best Music Video<\/span>
Siam\u00e9s: My Way,\u00a0<\/strong>Director: Jesica Bianchi \/ Argentine 2024<\/p>\n

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