Video Art Winner

I was intrigued to imagine where this place was and why people seemed to be having so much fun there. It this a real place, or something conjured up in a digital environment? Each image is so well composed that any single scene could have been developed into a shorter video on its own. The mattes and special effects were clever without being overly self-conscious. There is a subtlety and maturity to the aesthetic choices—the compositions. Although it might appear to some that a story is being told, I wasn't concerned by a story. Indeed, I'm not convinced there is one, nor is a story required. I did, however, FEEL something while watching. Having people 'on holiday' amongst escaping inner Earth gases and human debris, makes for an ominous atmosphere. At times, softly humorous—other times, downright apocalyptic. Does this speak of our apparent acceptance of a deteriorating environment, and have we come to accept it? Continually alternating between a wide shot and a formally composed still life left me sensing a comprehensible scale. So, although a strange environment, it is also an accessible and humanized environment. I don't believe the digital wipes were necessary, although they bothered me less as time passed, and there were some digital super-impositions which could have benefitted from a soft edge on the matte, as well as, the shape of the mattes could have fit the object they were 'projected' against better. But, these are minor concerns when one considers the whole. The title seems almost insignificant when compared with the content. Perhaps a title like, 'The Cellophane Dress' would have been more appropriate (But, how important is a title? I'm not sure.). And, most significant to me was the total vision expressed by one artist. This WAS an art work... using video as its medium.

Honorable Jury Mention

When I first read the background on this work, I questioned the decision to place this within the 'video art' section. Having begun, myself, in the category of documentary film production, I was probably more sensitive to this seeming discrepancy than others. But, I need not have worried. Mr. Villemin has taken 'the documentary' and delivered it to us via a newly designed conduit of emotion. A number of the other video works I'd watched also incorporated the use of image filtering and effects, but the use here takes it to another level of expertise and artistic sensitivity. Listening to the narrative of actual participants, mixed with the slow undulation of melting imagery left me with an understanding of the subject I would never have reached had it been produced in a traditional style. One could, if they wished, watch any segment of this work and appreciate it on a purely aesthetic level. It IS beautiful to watch, almost to the point of hypnosis. But, allowing hypnosis would be denying yourself the deeper emotional impact this video offers. Half way through, I began to question the length: 'This could end now... it's enough—the point has been made.' But, as the evolving frames moved past, I changed my mind. Now, I believe the length actually heightens the message. The sounds and music are perfect. The audio and imagery work seamlessly as conspirators of a working class conscience. The lives of the profiled men touched me. And, experiencing deep emotion for any artwork is the goal of any artist. This was a very disciplined work at every turn. Very intelligent and sensitive decisions were made throughout. The artist established a goal and stayed with it to the last frame. This work demonstrates sophisticated restraint and a continuity of vision, and that is not an easy task to accomplish.

Special Jury Mention

This work is very short. It is also, visually, very simple. It cannot boast an enormous production budget, nor a cast of thousands. It probably didn't even take very long to create. But, what Mr. Wilson HAS achieved is the most difficult of goals: the creation of a very smart, bitingly playful, deceptively simple, elegant work of art. This piece proves the point that a video artist need not compete with the mental requirements of what we consider 'motion imagery' to make us think and, therefore, feel something. He proposes that we simply view, along with him, a curious, but fairly unimportant, phenomenon. This phenomenon doesn't generate an epiphany. But, it does ask us to slow down. To consider. To think. To see. It doesn't ask any more of us than that... and it may not ask anything of us at all. Certainly, he is NOT trying to solve the world's woes, or demand that we understand his pain about the obligatory suffering artist. This work is more direct and honest than that. Represented here is pure, sophisticated restraint. It runs just long enough—not a frame more than is necessary. Yet, it takes the time to repeat the point, but as it does, we're pulled very slowly in—into that traced-out circle. We even question if the image we're seeing might be a photograph. It's not. Those eyes widen and smile along with us as we watch. So many of the other works I'd seen in this process simply went too far. Too long. Too much. Too serious. Too complicated. But, this video serves as a public service announcement for clarity, intelligence, sensitivity, and elegance in video art creation. It's short, and bittersweet.

Animation Winner

In the context of the shorts I evaluated this is the most complete. The 3D animation is extremely cured and atmospheres are realized with a realism that didn't take away space from the research of a style.
The directing is focused on details and the enjoyable events. As I said in its complex this is the short who better gathers the elements of an animation production.

Special Best of Festival Animation Prize

I gave a special festival prize to "Once Upon Christmas Village" by Michael Attardi because I believe it should be a special guest of the festival and not a contestant. The product is extremely remarkable and the participation of Amanda Davis, Tim Curry and Jim Belushi, besides the great consideration of the music soundtrack, makes the work too superior comparing to the average quality of the nevertheless great shorts in the competition

Honorable Jury Mention

The main motivation for the non winning is in the technique used for the realization. Not certainly for the use of the 3D but for the use of the motion capture, even if in this case really well used. I would have avoided also the buzzes and the laughters in the background. For everything else I found this short funny, very well done and with a very refined taste. Grotesque to the right point, never splatter.

Special Jury Mention

Among all the "fictional" shorts this is for sure the one with the most focused style. It reminds me about the novels drawn by Gipi. Great photography and the ambient choice. Beautiful texts and scripts. A pity the animation a bit too cold.