From France★"Tissue Animals" Wins Top Prize at Annecy International Animation Film Festival; First Japanese Win in Advertising Category

The 54th Annecy International Animation Film Festival awards ceremony was held on June 14 in Annecy, France. In the Advertising Film category, Dentsu Inc.'s production "Tissue Animals" (for Oji Nepia) won the Crystal Award, the top prize. This marks the first time a Japanese entry has won the top award in this category.

"Tissue Animals" is a brand film conveying the sustainable forest conservation activities behind Nepia's paper production. It uses stop-motion animation to depict how a single tissue transforms into various animals. Kazuhito Ochi of Dentsu CDC, who worked on the production, stated: "Good paper comes from good forests. We wanted to convey gratitude for the forests that nurture life. We're happy we could pursue such artistic quality." Creative Director Hitoshi Sato stated, "We achieved this miracle of winning through an exquisite concept and an incredible finish. I want to thank the client for their understanding, and all the staff, starting with the director." Director Fuyu Arai of Robot expressed his joy, saying, "I am truly grateful to have been involved in this project."

View the work here: http://bit.ly /1rmhZyG

Making-of: http://bit.ly/1okZsCE

Other Japanese entries included Mizuho Nishikubo's "Giovanni's Island," which won the Special Jury Prize in the Feature Film category, and Mirai Mizue's "WONDER," which received the Canal+ Creative Aid Award for short films. Furthermore, Director Isao Takahata, known for "Only Yesterday" and "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya," was awarded the Honorary Crystal Prize for his longstanding contributions to the development of animated film.

The Annecy International Animation Film Festival, established in 1960 when the animation section split from the Cannes Film Festival, is the world's largest event dedicated to animated films. Multiple awards are given across five categories: Feature Film, Short Film, Television, Advertising, and Graduation Projects. This year, 7,100 entries were submitted from 73 countries and regions.