Encounters Festival presents a prestigious annual International Competition, featuring the best new short and animated films from around the world.
Filmmakers in competition are eligible for some of the world’s most prestigious short film and animation awards: the Oscars®, the BAFTAs, the European Film Awards and the Cartoon d’Or.
Over 2, 300 films are submitted each year, and our select around 200 to screen in competition during the festival. Our short film and animation Juries are comprised of international film and industry professionals who select the award winning films.
Encounters Festival takes great pride in the impressive selection of short films being screened in competition during the festival.
Awards are given at an Awards Ceremony on Saturday 19th September 2015.
The festival presents the Award Winners Film Screening at Watershed on the closing day of the festival (Sun 20 Sept) at 12 noon and 17:00.
Encounters Festival Awards 2015
MAIN AWARDS
BRIEF AND ANIMATED GRAND PRIX
The Grand Prix winners are considered to be the best in their category by our international jury – and they are names to watch out for.
The winning film is eligible for Academy Award Nomination and will receive €2, 500 cash prize.
BRIEF AND ANIMATED UWE EUROPEAN NEW TALENT AWARD
This award celebrates European films produced within an educational institute or directorial debuts, supported by the University of the West of England.
€1, 000 cash prize
Chris Collins Best of British Award – Live Action
NextGen Skills Academy Best of British Award – Animation
These awards are offered to the British film judged to be the best in all areas of production, direction and story.
£1, 000 cash prize
Winner of the Chris Collins Best of British Award is eligible for the Critics’ Circle British Short Film of the Year*.
MIXED AWARDS
MUSIC VIDEO
€500 Cash prize
DOCUMENTARY
€500 Cash prize
CHILDREN’S AWARD
€500 Cash prize
AUDIENCE AWARD
€500 Cash prize
NOMINATIONS
Alongside eligibility for Academy Award Nomination for Grand Prix Winners, other festival nominations awarded at the festival include the EFA (European Film Award) nomination, the Cartoon D’or Nomination, and the Critics Circle Nomination*.
Awards Ceremony
The 21st Encounters Festival Awards Ceremony will take place on Saturday 19 September 2015.
The Awards Ceremony will take place at Watershed Cinema 1. It will run from 6 – 7.30pm. The Awards Ceremony is for filmmakers in competition, Juries, Festival artists, speakers, team, event partners and special guests. For ticket requests for this event please visit the Festival Office on Saturday morning after 10am.
*Critics Circle Award for British Short Film of the Year
In 2015 the Film Section of the Critics’ Circle will inaugurate a new award for British Short Film of the Year. The nominees will provided by five partner festivals (London Short Film Festival, Glasgow Short Film Festival, Encounters, Leeds International Film Festival and Aesthetica). Members of the Film Section will vote for the best film from the nominees provided by these festivals.
The winner of the BEST OF BRITISH award at Encounters will also receive a nomination for the Critics’ Circle British Short Film of the Year. Full details about the award and nominees will be available in late 2015.
The Critics’ Circle is composed of six sections: Drama, Music, Film, Dance, Visual Arts and Literary criticism. The Circle’s aims are to promote the art of criticism, to uphold its integrity in practice, to foster and safeguard members’ professional interests, to provide opportunities to meet, and to support the advancement of the arts. Find out more at www.criticscircle.org.uk
