Anima Festival announced a constant increase in attendance, with 46,000 festivalgoers during the festival days. Its Grand Prix was awarded to Rosto Reruns, who passed away just two days before the closing ceremony, leaving a body of work unparalleled in its pursuit of subconscious themes in the animation medium.

The Anima Festival dedicated its closing ceremony to this great artist, whose career had been closely tied to the Festival through his innovative and original works.

The French graduation film a little delight- Grand Bassin by Héloïse Courtois, Victori Jalabert, Chloé Plat, Adèle Raigneau won the Creative Revelation Award (Korean Cultural Center).

Another French victory with Je sors acheter des cigarettes by Osman Cerfon (Jury Prize). Jonathan, twelve years old, lives with his sister, his mother, and some men. They all have the same face and nest in closets, drawers, TV set…

Funan by Denis Do won the Audience Award for Best Animation Feature for adults, whereas Best Student Film was reserved for Bloem? (Flower Found!) by the Dutch  Jorn Leeuwerink (HKU University of the Arts Utrecht)

A pretty red flower is in the middle of the forest. One day, it disappears, much to the disappointment of the little mouse. A bird takes the mouse and other animals to look for the flower. Thinking they have finally found it, they quickly lose control of the situation.

Lia Bertels won the National Competition for the Best Belgian short film for her sweet but calculated study of nighty creatures in Nuit Cherie. 

Bruno Tondeur (also an Anima Brussels winner for his Deep Space in 2015) won the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles award for his hypochondriac satire, Sous le cartilage des côtes.  

Full Anima 2019 Awards list:

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

Jury Awards (Maureen Furniss (US), Hisko Hulsing (NL) and Jakob Schuh (DE)

• Grand Prix Anima 2019 for Best International Short Film, provided by the Brussels-Capital Region (2.500€): RERUNS, Rosto (France/Netherlands/Belgium)
• Creative Revelation Award (2.500 € provided by the Korean Cultural Centre): GRAND BASSIN, Héloïse Courtois, Victori Jalabert, Chloé Plat, Adèle Raigneau (France)
• Special Jury Award: JE SORS ACHETER DES CIGARETTES, Osman Cerfon (France)
• Award for Best Student Short Film: BLOEM ?, Jorn Leeuwerink (Netherlands)
• Special mention: SISTER, Siqi Song (China)

Youth jury (Ceci n’est pas un Buzz and Ouftivi)

• Award for Best Short Film for Children: ONE SMALL STEP, Andrew Chesworth, Bobby Pontillas (United States/China)
• Special mention: ROBOTEN OCH VALEN, Jonas Forsman (Sweden)

Audience Awards

• Audience Award for Best Animated Feature: FUNAN, Denis Do (France/Belgium/Luxemburg/Cambodia)
• Audience Award for Best Animated Feature for Children: STUBBY, Richard Lanni (France/Canada/United States/Ireland)
• Audience Award for Best Short Film: MIND MY MIND, Floor Adams (Netherlands/Belgium)
• Audience Award for Short Film for Children: ONE SMALL STEP, Andrew Chesworth, Bobby Pontillas (United States/China)
• Animation Night Audience Award for Best Short Film: BLOODY FAIRY TALES, Tereza Kovandová (Czech Republic)

Partner Awards

• BeTV Award for Best Animated Feature of the official selection (acquisition of broadcasting rights): RUBEN BRANDT, A GYUJTO (RUBEN BRANDT, COLLECTOR), Milorad Krstić (Hungary)
• Press Award for Best Short Film (UPCB and UCC): IMPOSSIBLE FIGURES AND OTHER STORIES III, Marta Pajek (Poland)

NATIONAL COMPETITION

Jury Awards (Anders Narverud Moen (NO), Julia Ocker (DE) and Ron Dyens (Fr)

• Award for Best Belgian Short Film, provided by Sabam (2.500€): NUIT CHERIE, Lia Bertels (Belgium)
• Grand Prix for Best Short of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, provided by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (2.500€): SOUS LE CARTILAGE DES CÔTES, Bruno Tondeur (Belgium)
• Author Award provided by SACD (2.500€): ROBO, Leo Becker (Belgium)
• Partner Awards
• BeTV Award (acquisition of broadcasting rights): SOUS LE CARTILAGE DES CÔTES, Bruno Tondeur (Belgium)
• RTBF – La Trois Award (acquisition of broadcasting rights): FROM THE SNOW-COVERED HILL, Matty Jorissen & Wijnand Driessen (Belgium/Netherlands)
• Cinergie Award (Electronic Press Kit): ROBO, Leo Becker (Belgium)

VR COMPETITION

• Best VR Short Film Award: GLOOMY EYES, Fernando Maldonado & Jorge Tereso (France/Argentina)
• Audience Award for Best VR Short Film: LE CRI, Sandra Paugam & Charles Ayats (France)

Anima Festival welcomed 763 badge-holders this year, along with over 60 international guests coming from 20 different countries including the USA, Japan and Egypt, who were visiting to present their films or take part in the Futuranima professional conferencesNext year's Anima Brussels  is set to take place in Brussels from Friday 21^st February to Sunday 1^st March 2020.

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