GOLDEN GUNNAR AWARD 2009

Fredrikstad Animation Festival 2009 has come to an end and on Saturday November 14th the award show was held honoring the winning films.


Happy lady: Anita Killi with the award she won for her short film Angry Man

The heart and soul of the festival is the Nordic-Baltic Competition and the Golden Gunnar Award. The Norwegian Animation Forum honored the Norwegian animator Inni Karine Melbye with a Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Estonian film Crocodile/Krokodill by Kaspar Jancis was awarded the festivals Grand Prix. Fredrikstad Animation Festival also nominate this film to Cartoon d´Or 2010. The international jury at the festival wasAntti Laakso (Finland) Jessica Laurén (Sweden) and Max Hattler (Germany).

Best Nordic-Baltic Student Film
Space Monkeys by Jan Rahbek, Denmark
Jury statement:
”Action packed, full of humor and with a warm ending. A really impressing student film!”

Best Nordic-Baltic Commissioned Film
Jenkki Professional Tooth by Jalmari Helander, Finland
Jury statement:
”A fun and sympathetic commercial about taking care of your teeth as if they were your pets. For an original idea and and good execution.”

Best Nordic-Baltic Shortfilm
Angry Man by Anita Killi, Norway
Jury statement:
 “A heavy subject told in a naive but very wise way. An important film for all ages that gives a solution.”
 
Special mentioning
Birth by Signe Baumane, Latvia
Jury statement:
 “Thoughts and fears of giving birth and motherhood illustrated by clever use of animation.”
 
Special mentioning
Consoul by Lasse Gjertsen, Norway
Jury statement:
 “Counsol cleverly used the limitations and conventions of 8-bit computer games to reflect on the limitations and conventions of life itself. Funny and poignant throughout, the film gives a new meaning to multiple lives and other dimensions.”

Golden Gunnar Grand Prix
Crocodile by Kaspar Jancis, Estonia
Jury statement:
 “A fun film about loss and pain with a reptile theme. The innovative animation takes the every day life to a higher level.”

Audience Award
Angry Man by Anita Killi, Norway

Innovation Award
Fanthomas by Qvisten Animation, Norway
A new Norwegian animated series have inspired the board of Norwegian Animation Forum to hand out a award for innovation in animation. The prize goes to Qvisten Animation for the webserie Fanthomas.
 
Life Time Achievement
Inni Karine Melbye, Norway
The lifetime achievment award was handed out at the opening of the festival.

Norwegian Animation Forum statement:
“As a modern Niels Klim you have explored the worlds of Nazar. You have been essential in bringing international animation to the Nordic countries and Nordic animation to the world. And your art and films have pleased us all for decades. Thank you!”

Read more news stories from the festival