The 36th Animafest Zagreb (6-13 June 2026, Zagreb, Croatia) handed out its awards on 13th June. The Canadian/French feature animation film ' Death does not Exist' by Félix Dufour-Laperrière, the story of activist Hélène, an activist who abandons her colleagues after they fail in an armed attack won the festival's Grand Prix for a Competition; whereas the multi-directed Brazilian film 'Son of A Bitch' (world premiere) by Erica Maradona, Otto Guerra, Sávi Leite, and Tania Anaya won a Special Distinction.

In the short film competition, the Armenian/Estonian stop-motion short 'Winter in March' by Natalia Mirzoyan was the big winner in the Grand Competition Short Film. The film details the story of a couple of Russian dissidents moving from Russia to Georgia -in a March climate that promises no spring.

In the student competition, the 12-minute 'So He Grabbed by the Knife' by Japanese animation director Sam Kuwa grabbed the Dušan Vukotić Award for Best Student Film. The film follows a timid boy who, after having his money stolen at an arcade, takes the knife his father once gave him to confront the situation. 

The Croatian Film Competition had Ana Horvat as its winner. Her 6-minute, 2D computer-animated film, 'School Show' narrates an 1980s school show in Tito's Yugoslavia.  

The full winners list of Animafest Zagreb

Grand Competition Short Film

Jury: Jan Pinkava, Nina Gantz, Sawako Kabuki, Maarten van Gageldonk, Paola Orlić

Grand Prix: 'Winter in March' by Natalia Mirzoyan (Armenia/Estonia), produced by Artstep and Rebel Frame.

Jury statement: 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.

Golden Zagreb Award for Creativity and Innovative Artistic Achievement:  A Pint of Bitter by Conor Kehelly (Ireland), independent production

Jury statement: 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 

The Zlatko Grgić Award for Best First Film Made Outside an Educational Institution:
The Shy God (Dieu est timide) by Jocelyn Charles (France, remembers production).

Jury statement: 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.

Winter in March, Natalia Mirzoyan

A Pint of Bitter, Conor Kehelly

Special Prizes

• Jan Pinkava Special Prize:  Autokar by Sylwija Szkiladz (Belgian/France, Novanima Production, Ozù Productions, studio amopix, Vivi Film).
• Sawako Kabuki Special Prize: Water Girl (Fille de l'eau) by Sandra Desmazières (France/The Netherlands,/Portugal,  Animais AVPL, Caïmans Productions, Valk Productions).
• Nina Gantz Special Prize: Ivar by Markus Tangre (Bacon Pictures)
• Maarten van Gageldonk Special Prize: A Taste of Beer (啤夫的滋味) by Xie Li (China, independent production)
• Paola Orlić Special Prize: Glasses (An-Gyeong) by Yumi Joung (South Korea, Match Cut Inc)

Grand Competition Feature Film

Jury: Pierre Yves Drapeau, Mariam Kandelaki, Tina Smrekar

Grand Prix: Death Does Not Exist (La mort n’existe pas) by Félix Dufour-Laperrière (Canada/France), Embuscade Films and Miyu Productions).

Jury statement: 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.

Special Mention: Son of a Bitch (O filho da puta) by Erica Maradona, Otto Guerra, Sávi Leite, and Tania Anaya (Brazil, production: Anaya and Otto Desenhos Animados).

Jury statement: 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 

Death Does Not Exist, Félix Dufour-Laperrière

Student Film Competition and the Croatian Film Competition

Jury: Krste Gospodinovski, Marta Magnuska, Annegret Richter

Dušan Vukotić Award for Best Student Film: So He Grabbed the Knife (そうしてナイフを手した) by Sam Kuwa (Japan, Tokyo University of the Arts)

Jury Statement: 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.

Special mention:  Time Flies by Tommaso Zerbi (Portugal/Belgium/Finland/Italy, European Master’s program RE:ANIMA)

Jury Statement: Slow down, take a deep breath, enjoy the moment, do some self-care, don't worry, everything is... out of control. This film is some kind of awkward carpe diem anthem.

Special mention: Things That I Was Gathering by Ekaterina Zhuzhleva (Finland/Belgium/Portugal, European Master’s program RE:ANIMA).

Jury Statement: 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.

So He Grabbed the Knife, Sam Kuwa

Croatian Film Competition

Best Film: School Show by Ana Hovat (Umjetnička organizacija Anima). 
The film also received a financial award of 1,000 euros, awarded by the Society of Croatian Film Authors and Producers.

Jury Statement: 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.

Special Mention: Heartwreck, Luka Vucić (Kinoteka production company)

Jury Statement: 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.

School Snow, Ana Horvat

 Award for the Best Video Game Art Direction
Jury: Admir Elezović (Croteam), Aleksandar Gavrilović (Gamechuck) and Sara Jurić (Gamepires)

Time Flies by Michael Frei  (Switzerland, Playables studio)

Children and Youth Competition

Children Jury: Sven Fras, Rafael Grgić, Leo Kulić Mileta, Una Petković, Ema Šakić.

Main Prize: On the Other Side… (あの向こうは…) by Mingyu Wang (Japan, Tama University of the Arts)

Jury Statement: A film that 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.

Special Mention: Battery Grandma (건전지 할머니) by Seungbae Jeon (South Korea, Toyville Studio)
Jury Statement: 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.

Audience Awards

• Audience Award (Films for Youth Competition): The Scarlet Tamagotchi (El Tamagochi Escarlata) by Francisco Visceral Rivera (Chile / Pista B).
• The Mr. M Audience Award for the Best Short Film: 'Please' by Anna Mantzaris (Sweden/France/Czechia/Norway/Finland), 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: 'Samurai Ballerina -L’étoile de Paris en fleur' by Goro Taniguchi (Japan, ARVO Animation, Tokyo Broadcasting System).

The 37th World Festival of Animated Film – Animafest Zagreb 2027 will be held from 7 to 12 June 2027.

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