Short animation Junkyard by Hisko Hulsing has won the Nelvana Grand Prize for Best Independent Short Animation at the Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF, 19-23 September). The animation festival is the largest event of its kind in North America.
Junkyard had its international premiere last June at the Annecy International Animation Festival. Recently the film was also selected as the Dutch submission for the Academy Awards Best Animated Shorts category. Meanwhile, the short has been confirmed for festivals such as the Fantoche International Animation Film Festival in Switzerland, BFI London Film Festival in the UK and Göteborg International Film Festival in Sweden.
Junkyard is a Belgo-Dutch co-production directed and scripted by Hisko Hulsing. The short focuses on two friends from very different backgrounds, who grow up together and then slowly drift apart while all the time keeping in touch. The film was produced by Willem Thijssen for Antwerp-based CinéTé, in partnership with Il Luster Productions from The Netherlands.
Director Hulsing worked for nearly seven years on the 17-minute short, which is a mix of 2D and 3D animation techniques. 25,000 drawings and 130 hand painted oil canvasses were used for the film. The film was made with the support of amongst others the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF).