SIGGRAPH 2019 has revealed the award winners and lineup of 24 short films, breakdowns, scientific visualizations, advertisements, and more, set to appear in the Computer Animation Festival Electronic Theater next month. Showcasing the latest in computer graphics, the one-night-only Electronic Theater event will premiere on Monday, July 29, at Microsoft Theater, located in L.A. LIVE.
“The Computer Animation Festival celebrates the power of telling stories, whether emotional or educational, through computer graphics,” said SIGGRAPH 2019 Computer Animation Festival director Emily Hsu. “As a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards®, I am thrilled to present the lineup that our jury has selected in a venue as spectacular as Microsoft Theater. The range of work being displayed is truly unique, but also reflects themes that are universal: How do we define ourselves in the world? How does the world define us? How can we overcome daily struggles and experiences that often unite or divide us? What does it mean to be human, even if portrayed through non-human characters? I am as excited about the thought-provoking conversations that will follow the screening as I am about the show itself.”’
Each year, the SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival exhibits how industries are pushing the boundaries of computer-generated storytelling for film, games, advertising, visual effects, and science, and 2019 is no exception. This summer’s show presents a vision for the limitless possibilities of storytelling, with 24 works–selected by an expert jury from nearly 400 submissions–that honor diverse narratives, celebrate the human condition, and cater to this year’s conference theme: Thrive. An international show, featured works hail from Serbia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Germany, Denmark, Canada, Singapore, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States.
“Participating in the jury this year was a real treat. I was truly inspired by the talent displayed through the submissions and the fellow jurors beside me in the room. The quality and diverse perspectives in the work we saw–especially from students!–was incredible, and made for some tough decisions. Honestly, if all of us had our way, the show would be three hours instead of two. The experience definitely reinforced my enthusiasm for storytelling through animation,” noted SIGGRAPH 2019 Computer Animation Festival juror Everett Downing, Jr., of Netflix Animation.
Out of 10 student and 14 professional studio productions, including work from Sony Pictures Imageworks, NASA, Ringling College of Art and Design, Industrial Light & Magic, Weta Digital, DreamWorks Animation, and more, the 2019 award winners are:
Best in Show
“Purl”
Kristen Lester
Pixar Animation Studios
(United States)
Synopsis: “Purl” features an earnest ball of yarn named Purl who gets a job in a fast-paced, high energy, bro-tastic startup. Yarn hijinks ensue as she tries to fit in, but how far is she willing to go to get the acceptance she yearns for, and in the end, is it worth it?
Jury’s Choice
“The Stained Club”
Mélanie Lopez
Supinfocom Rubika
(France)
Synopsis: Finn has stains on his skin. One day, he meets a group of cool kids with different stains on their bodies. One day, he understands that these stains aren’t just pretty.
Best Student Project
“Stuffed”
Élise Simoulin
Supinfocom Rubika
(France)
Synopsis: An emotionally unstable cat makes a strange encounter that helps him to grow up and learn to overcome his anger.
Click here for the full lineup.
