Sony Future Filmmakers Awards Name Animation Shortlist

It's not easy to break into the entertainment industry. You can go to college or university and get the required qualifications, you can make you own stuff and put it out there- but there's still a great deal of luck involved. And it's as true with animation as with any other form of entertainment. That's one of the reasons that several media organisations run programmes designed to help give a leg up to talented up-and-comers. 

The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards are arranged by Creo and sponsored by Sony Pictures Entertainment. This year's second iteration received over 8,400 films by more than 5,000 filmmakers across 148 countries and territories. Animation is one of  six categories that also includes Fiction, Non-Fiction, Environment, Student and Future Format.

The  8,400 films have been whittled down to a shortlist of 30 films. The filmmakers and animators will be flown own to Los Angeles where they will have the opportunity to attend a week of special events at the Sony Pictures Studio. They will be given a one-of-a-kind opportunity to connect with fellow filmmakers and leaders in the field of cinema and to gain exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the industry. It will all culminate with the glitzy awards ceremony, where six winners will be announced (one per category) and receive a range of cash prizes and equipment.

The animation category includes:

• Eva Louise Hall (USA), Mira – A struggling accordionist busker gets more than she bargained for when her desire to get noticed attracts the attention of a mysterious and enticing competitor; 

• Radheya Jegatheva (Australia), Bird Drone – A lonely seagull looking for love struggles to accept that its newfound object of affection is a human-operated drone with a limited battery life; 

• Lisa Kenney (UK), Mum's Spaghetti – MC mastermind Poppy and her beatboxing border terrier Snoop are the new kids in town – and they’re ready to make their reputation known; 

• Kyle Novak (Czech Republic), Ángulos de la Hora (Hour Angle) – After their flight is grounded, two strangers agree to an anonymous tryst as their new travel plans are arranged; 

• Paul Robinson (USA), Resource:Full – Set in a desiccated landscape, an anthropomorphic machine extracts the energy from a solitary tree bud in an attempt to depart the depleted planet. 

This is the second year the programme has run, but the animation category is new for this year. The judges include cinematographer Robert Primes, Australian filmmaker Unjoo Moon, co-Presidents of Sony Pictures Classic, Michael Barker and Tom Bernard, and cinematographers Rob Hardy and Kate Reid. Both stages of the judging process will be chaired by award-winning director Justin Chadwick.

Chadwick says "The level of submission and the international scope of new voices shortlisted for the Awards is thrilling. Across the 30 chosen filmmakers the perspectives told are manifold and captivating, charged with a passion and authenticity. I am delighted to once again lead this selection of filmmaking; a vision of storytelling and cinematic ingenuity and an aperture into the filmmakers who shall make up the future of our industry."

Added Scott Gray, founder and CEO of Creo "With a staggering 8,400 films submitted this year, the caliber of entries received for this second edition of the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards and the shortlist of filmmakers selected express the exceptional, global stories set to be showcased at this year’s event. We are grateful to Sony for providing this incredible opportunity for emerging filmmakers, and we extend our gratitude to our esteemed panel of judges for their invaluable expertise and insight in selecting the shortlist to join us in Los Angeles this May." 

See the full list of winners here.