Animation Is Film’s 2025 Competition Winners
The annual Animation Is Film Festival was held for the eighth year at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood, October 17-19, 2025. Over the course of the weekend, 23 screenings and presentations were enjoyed by many sold-out houses and more than 40 filmmakers. Created to help increase exposure to international animation and promote awareness of animation as a medium and not a ghettoized genre, GKIDS presents the festival in partnership with the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and Variety.
The 2025 feature competition lineup included All You Need Is Kill, Arco, ChaO, Decorado, I Am Frankelda, Lesbian Space Princess, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, Nobody, Scarlet, and A Story About Fire.
GRAND JURY PRIZE:
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han
The Features Jury: “Showing us the world from the perspective of a toddler, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain portrays the wonders and pains of being alive like poignant revelations. As it finds whimsy in the everyday through its dazzling style, the film also grapples with the complexity of two cultures clashing, connecting, and simultaneously shaping the young protagonist’s nascent identity.”
AUDIENCE AWARD:
Arco
directed by Ugo Bienvenu
“The year is 2075. Ten-year-old Iris witnesses a mysterious kid crash-land from high in the sky. His name is Arco, and he comes from a far-future colony in the clouds, where time travel is a rite of passage. Iris and her trusted robot caretaker, Mikki, befriend Arco, determined to do whatever it takes to help him return to his own time — all while staying one step ahead of a terrific trio of bad-guys intent on uncovering his secrets.”
FUMI KITAHARA SPECIAL JURY PRIZE:
Decorado
directed by Alberto Vázquez
The Jury: “Set in a dystopian reality where authoritarian forces control every aspect of the individual’s life, Decorado cleverly explores how we adapt and push back against accepted normalcy. Though it unflinchingly tackles timely and mature sociopolitical themes, it does so through satirical humor and fantastical characters — including the protagonist couple, Arnold and Maria — making it a wholly unexpected experience.”
GRAND JURY PRIZE - SHORTS:
“Gigi”
directed by Cynthia Calvi
The Shorts Jury: “A deeply intimate, conversational chronicle of the title character's gender transition. Gigi's strong visual metaphors ably enrich a story of inherent personal authenticity. It is a film that works on every level.”
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE - SHORTS:
“Éiru”
directed by Giovanni Ferrari
The Shorts Jury: “With visually stunning use of light and color, this rousing adventure set in ancient Ireland unfolds as a tale of mortal courage and divine reckoning, elevated by its breathtaking technical execution.”