The Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc. (ACPI), in partnership with SM, recently held the Animahenasyon 13: Philippine Animation Festival at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier.
Animahenasyon, which is a combination of the words “animation” and “imagination” in Filipino, is an annual animation festival that aims to promote the country’s animation industry by showcasing works of both aspiring and professional animators locally and internationally.
Hundreds of animation professionals, students, and enthusiasts gathered at this year’s Animahenasyon conference, which featured prominent international and local guest speakers. These included Kitaro Kosaka, director of the Japanese animated feature film Okko’s Inn, whose portfolio includes work at Studio Ghibli, MADHOUSE Productions, Oh! Productions and more; Mikki Crisostomo, a staff writer at Disney TV Animation; Pancho Burgos-Goizueta, a film score composer who has worked on High School Musical 2 and 3, Wheels, and God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness, among several other films; and Carl Papa, an IT professional whose films, The Unforgetting and Manang Biring, have been recognized locally and internationally.
Filipino content creators who also shared their insights and expertise in the animation industry included Magoo del Mundo, Marketing & Strategy and Sales Manager of Toast & Brew Studios which specializes in 3D animation and game development; and Avid Liongoren, award-winning director of 2016 Metro Manila Film Fest (MMFF) blockbuster live-action animated film Saving Sally.
During the festival’s awards night, Pass by Kinn Arden Galdones and Christian Lemuel Ibong garnered the Grand Prize and Best in Storytelling Award in the student division. Other winners in the student’s division were Cotton Cloud by Kristine Joi Gonzales for the Best Non-Narrative Animation Award; and Proud by Are Jay Peralta for the Best Production Design Award and The John Martin Award, a special award honoring John Alexander Martin’s contribution to the local animation industry.
Billy & Bonnie in All Shapes & Sizes by Ian Tamara, Karla Circe Consolacion, and John Cyrolle Vendivil, on the other hand, won the Grand Prize and the Jury’s Special Citation for Production Design and Overall Excellence.
In the professional division, Magical Holiday by Sofia Dominique Abellera received the Best Non-Narrative Animation Award, while Rip Rollerz: Episode 1 by Johanna Kaye Boncodin, Marvin Paracuelles, and Deborah Tudtud won the Best Production Design Award. Rivelle Mallari’s Iced Gem Biscuits: Fun in Every Bite won him the Best in Technical Award. The Best in Storytelling Award was given to Kirk Daren Hiwatig for his film Little Boy Blue.
In addition, Owo by Jessamyne Roux Ado, Jed Mañago, and Kathryn Bernalisa D. Canoso got the Audience Choice Award, while Pula by Dominic James Barrios won the Best in Technical Award in Student Division and Best Regional Entry.
The Animahenasyon Festival is one of the many exciting creative events at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier.