The 13th Animation Dingle Festival put the spotlight on up-and-coming creatives in animation on Friday at its annual RTÉjr Animation Dingle Awards ceremony. 

The student film Cuttlefish from Ciara Walsh (Technological University of the Shannon – Limerick School of Art & Design) took home two awards: Best Animation (sponsored by Milkshake!) and Best 2D (sponsored by Cartoon Saloon). The five-minute short follows a hybrid human/sea creature’s journey to the bottom of the ocean in a quest to find where they belong. 

The Best International Professional Short award (sponsored by Nickelodeon) went to US short Snow Bear, directed by Aaron Blaise. The 11-minute effort features a polar bear on a quest to find a friend. 

Out of six new projects that competed for The Big Pitcher award, the winner was Canadian Marie Kishchuk (Vancouver Institute of Media Arts) for her TV series concept Fished & Found (pictured). In this comedy/mystery, a pair of fish detectives run a lost and found business, reuniting people with their lost items—and dealing with bizarre cases such as criminals stealing thoughts. Kishchuk’s prize is a three-month paid internship with JAM Media and the opportunity to pitch her project at Cartoon Springboard in October. 

Sitting on the judges panel were buyers from major platforms: Suzanne Kelly (RTÉ), Rick Clodfelter (Disney), Billy Wee (Netflix), Patricia Hidalgo (BBC) Louise Burgess (Milkshake!) and Lucy Murphy (Sky Kids). 

Monster Entertainment chairman Andrew Fitzpatrick received the Murakami Award (sponsored by Brown Bag Films). Named after Japanese animator Jimmy Teru Murakami, who helped found Ireland’s animation industry, the award recognizes individuals who have shown innovation and supported animation. Some of Monster’s flagship titles include the children’s series Jungle Beat (sold in 196 countries) and The Day Henry Met (sold in 193 countries). 

This year’s Animation Dingle attracted more than 750 delegates and screened 137 animated short films from 17 countries over the course of the two-day event (March 21 to 22) held on the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland. 

Here’s the complete list of winners.

Young Animator of the Year, sponsored by Disney: 

Athish Srinivasan (St. Oliver’s Community College) 

Best Irish Student, sponsored by RTÉjr: 

Moncha, by Freya Porrittwessman (TUS LSAD) 

Best International Student, sponsored by BBC/CBBC: 

The Shyness of Trees, by Bingqing Shu, Maud Le Bras, Jiaxin Huang, Simin He,  Lina Han, Loïck Du Plessis D’Argentré, Sofiia Chuikovska (Gobelins)

Best Animation Award, sponsored by MILKSHAKE!:

Cuttlefish, by Ciara Walsh (TUS LSAD)

Best Stop Motion Award, sponsored by Aardman Animations: 

Detlev, by Ferdinand Ehrhardt, Film Academy Baden-Württemberg

Best 2D, sponsored by Cartoon Saloon:

Cuttlefish, directed by Ciara Walsh (TUS LSAD)

Best Director Award, sponsored by Boulder Media:

The Shyness of Trees, by Bingqing Shu, Maud Le Bras, Jiaxin Huang, Simin He, Lina Han, Loïck Du Plessis D’Argentré, Sofiia Chuikovska (Gobelins)

Best Writer, sponsored by Animation Ireland and National Talent Academy for Animation:

My Sisters Nature, directed by Bella Quinn (IADT)

Best Design/Art Direction, sponsored by JAM Media:

Moncha, by Freya Porrittwessman (TUS LSAD) 

Best Sound Design sponsored by Turnip & Duck:

Samhain, by Domhnal Cotter (IADT)

Best Original Score, sponsored by Screen Composers Guild Ireland:

You’ve Got This, Allie!, by Wren Petkov and Michelle Saal (IADT)

Best Cinematography, sponsored by Lighthouse Studios:

Of Minds and Terrors, by Simas Abrutis and Joseph Catney, University of Ulster

Best 3D/CGI, sponsored by DNEG:

Jour de Vent, by Martin Chailloux, Ai Kim Crespin, Elise Golfouse, Chloe Lab, Hugo Taillez , Camille Truding (ENSI)

Best Irish Professional Short: 

Retirement Plan, by John Kelly

Best International Professional Short, sponsored by Nickelodeon:

Snow Bear, by Aaron Blaise (USA)

Best Sting: 

Star Collector, by Daria Hres (ATU)

Best Game Sting, sponsored by 2K: 

The Dingle Mystery, by Marcin Zapedowski (BCFE)

Best Game Trailer Award, sponsored by 2K:

League of Legends – Still Here, by UNIT IMAGE 

The Big Pitcher Award:

Fished & Found, by Marie Kishchuk 

Murakami Award, sponsored by Brown Bag Films:

Andrew Fitzpatrick, Monster Entertainment