CRAFT International Animation Festival 2025: Winners

After five days of screenings, conferences, workshops, exhibitions, and masterclasses, the winners of the 5th CRAFT International Animation Festival in Yogyakarta, Indonesia (October 28 to November 1, 2025), are here.

The jury of the International Competition of Traditional/Classical & Stop-Motion Animation (Heri Dono (Indonesia), Hassan Muthalib (Malaysia), Nyan Kyal Say (Myanmar)) decided to award the Professional Craft Award for the Best Professional Movie to the stop-motion 'Les Bêtes' (United States 2024, 11:38), directed by Michael Granberry. The film also won the CRAFT Audience Award.

 The Jury Special Award for the Professional Movie in the International Competition went to the hand-painted animation 'Sweeter is the night' (France, 2024, 18:25), directed by Fabienne Wagenaar.

Strong Craft Basis Award for the Best Student Movie went to the puppet animation 'Detlev'(Germany 2024, 12:50), directed by Ferdinand Ehrhardt (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg), while Jury Special Award for the Student Movie in the International Competition went to the stop motion 'Mother of Dawn' (Belgium, Brazil, Finland, Portugal 2024, 08:09), directed by Clara Trevisan (Re:Anima Joint Masters Programme).

Another convergence between the audience and the jury. The Jury of the Southeast Asia Competition (Ekaterina Gardener (Belgium), Julia Hazuka (Poland), Yoshiharu Ashino (Japan))  awarded 'The Bell' (Philippines 2024, 11:01), directed by Mark Mendoza, the Professional Craft Award for the Best Professional Movie; the same film got the respective Audience Award. 

The Strong Craft Basis Award for the Best Student Movie in the Southeast Asia Competition (covering all digital and non-digital animation techniques) went to 'Burger' (Cambodia 2025, 06:57), directed by Seraktepy KANN (Phare Visual & Applied Arts School), which also won the Jury Special Mention for the Best Designed Poster.

In the Shorts for Kids Competition (stop-motion and traditional animation techniques, without dialogues, chosen by the young audience), the winner was puppet animation 'Hoofs on Skates' (Lithuania 2024, 12:24), directed by Ignas Meilūnas.

Watch the trailer for the winning film  'Les Bêtes':

The full list of CRAFT International Animation Festival 2025 Winners:

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION OF TRADITIONAL/CLASSICAL & STOP-MOTION ANIMATION AWARDS

Professional Craft Award for the Best Professional Movie in The International Competition

LES BÊTES | Director: Michael Granberry | United States
Les Bêtes, a work by Michael Grandberry, is very interesting in terms of both content and artistry. The use of stop-motion techniques presents a parody of the tale of the Evil King, which I find to be deeply relevant to the current global conflicts these days. Influenced by the works of Ladislas Starevich, this piece possesses remarkable cinematographic strength and reminds us of the feeling of an absurd theatrical or acrobatic performance featuring strange and fantastical creatures. The 11-minute and 38-second animation is truly mesmerizing, with appealing context between humor, fear, and peculiarity.

Strong Craft Basis Award for the Best Student Movie in The International Competition 

DETLEV | Director: Ferdinand Ehrhardt | Production: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Germany

DETLEV tells a simple story with a deep meaning that reaches straight to the heart through its outstanding presentation, cinematography, visual design, sound, script, stop-motion, and editing. Everything is masterfully crafted in this animated short. Well-deserved. 

• Audience Award in The International Competition:  LES BÊTES | Director: Michael Granberry | United States

Jury Special Award for the Professional Movie in The International Competition

SWEETER IS THE NIGHT | Director: Fabienne Wagenaar | France

SWEETER IS THE NIGHT is an animated film crafted with beautiful paintings and colors, further enhanced by excellent cinematography and script, carrying us along with the flow of its story. The great effort behind this craft is impressive. Well-deserved.

Jury Special Award for the Student Movie in The International Competition

MOTHER OF DAWN | Director: Clara Trevisan | Production: Re:Anima Joint Masters Programme | Belgium, Brazil, Finland, Portugal
Mother of Dawn, a work by Clara Trevisan, is equally compelling. It uses everyday objects from the artist’s personal surroundings in this stop-motion animation. This brings them to life within a context that bridges the microcosm of daily life and the macrocosm of the wider universe. In this transformation, the ordinary objects take on new meanings, becoming constellations in the vast galaxy. The greed of the strange creatures that consume these objects serves as a reminder of human greed—destroying noble cultural values and turning them into something destructive. The animation also presents a metaphor of blood flowing from the wounded objects, rendered with subtleties and tenderness, creating a sorrowful irony.

• Special Mention in 2D Animation of The International Competition: SILENT PANORAMA | Director: Nicolas Piret | Belgium
• Special Mention in Stop-Motion Animation of The International Competition: THE WILD-TEMPERED CLAVIER | Director: Anna Samo | Germany
• Special Mention for Taking Environmental Issues: ECOCIDE | Director: Aldana Loiseau | Argentina
• Special Mention for Taking Social Issues in the International Competition: THE SACRED SOCIETY | Director: Benny Zelkowicz | United States

SOUTHEAST ASIA COMPETITION OF SHORT ANIMATIONS AWARDS (Competition of all animation techniques)

Professional Craft Award for the Best Professional Movie in The Southeast Asia Competition

THE BELL | Director: Mark Mendoza | Philippines

This film stands out for its mature storytelling and professional production quality. It skillfully uses humor as an expressive artistic device, bringing local beliefs to life in an entertaining form that resonates universally.

Strong Craft Basis Award for the Best Student Movie in The Southeast Asia Competition 

BURGER | Director: Seraktepy KANN | Production: Phare Visual & Applied Arts School | Cambodia

The film offers an expressive animated portrayal of the consequences of war, conveyed through the physical and emotional responses of a teenager facing vulnerability and stress. With strong direction and a thoughtful awareness of the connection between simple things and memories, it presents a powerful and poetic vision from a promising young filmmaker.

• Audience Award in The Southeast Asia Competition: THE BELL | Director: Mark Mendoza | Philippines

Special Mention for Taking Social Issues in The Southeast Asia Competition:

THE GIRL WITH BRASS RING (The other data of the film is not published because of the request of the filmmaker)
This film earns a Special Mention for its moving and timely exploration of cultural identity and self-determination. Through an honest and heartfelt story, it powerfully highlights a strong social theme with sincerity and depth.

Special Mention for Animation Technique in The Southeast Asia Competition: ROSE RASH | Director: Thanut Rujitanont | Thailand

Polish Audience Award in Southeast Asia Competition (ex aequo) 
THE GIRL WITH BRASS RINGS (The other data of the film is not published because of the request of the filmmaker)
SHE AND HER GOOD VIBRATIONS | Directors: Olivia Griselda, Sarah Cheok | Singapore

Jury Special Mention for the Best Designed Poster
BURGER | Director: Seraktepy KANN | Production: Phare Visual & Applied Arts School | Cambodia

SHORTS FOR KIDS COMPETITION AWARDS

Best Short Animation for Kids:  HOOFS ON SKATES | Director:  Ignas Meilūnas | Lithuania

The fifth edition of the CRAFT International Animation Festival took place from 28/10 to 01/11/2025 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, for the last time in a biennial format. Henceforth, CRAFT will be an annual event. The 6th edition of CRAFT is scheduled to take place in the second half of 2026.

Want to read more free articles like this?

Keep this professional animation journalism effort relevant and updated. Become our patron