The 12th Bristol International Short Film Festival (Encounters), announced this year's winners at the city's Watershed Media Centre on Saturday night.
Both established names, such as Aardman, and up and coming filmmakers were among the awards.
The largest cash prize of the night was the BBC New Film-Makers Award. This year's winner was Tom Harper, who won £5,000 for his short drama, Cubs. All the shortlisted films for this award will be transmitted on BBC Three on 8th December.
Aardman Animations picked up the ITV West Award, recognising the wealth of talented film-makers in the region. This year’s prize money of £1000 went to Aardman Animations’ The Adventures of Big Jeff: Bushcraft Alphabet, directed Tom Parkinson, for his irreverent animated short about the "Aussie with no cozzie"!
Director Marisa Zanoti scooped the UK Film Council Audience Award of £500 for her black comedy The End Of The Sentence - voted for by festival-goers.
Rebecca Mark-Lawson, executive producer of Lifesize Pictures, who manages the UK Film Council’s short film scheme said: "Encounters this year offered a platform for a fantastic range of film-making talent, demonstrating the breadth and range of creativity in the world of short film."
Overseas talent was recognised by the International Jury Award, with Czech film Tricko The T-Shirt), directed and written by Hossein Martin Fazeli scooping the £3,000 purse.
Honorable mentions were also given to Rabbit by Run Wrake (UK) and Linerboard by Jens Jonsson (Sweden).
The £2,500 International Newcomer in Animation Award, recognising originality and technical achievement was given to Claude Barras for Swiss short The Genie in a Tin of Ravioli.
The South West Screen Audience Award gave £1,000, plus mentoring from an industry professional from the region to James Breese for his provocative and moving film Benjamin’s Struggle, while Joanna Quinn scooped the £1,000 Best of British Award for Dreams and Desires: Family Ties.
The shortest of short films were also recognised by the DepicT!/Live Action Award, which challenges filmmakers to make a movie in under 90 seconds. This year there were a record number of 370 entries from filmmakers as far afield as Argentina, Iran, Sri Lanka, Australia, Italy, Hungary, Estonia, India and Mexico. This year’s live action winner, And The Red Man Turned Green was directed by Ruth Meehan, while the DepicT! Animation award was scooped by Leigh Hodgkinson, from Flighty. Both won £2,000 and a year’s subscription to LoveFilm.com. Hodgkinson also won the DepicT! Audience Award.
The NAHEMI/KODAK Prize for Creative Film-making was awarded to With Dickinson And I, directed by Miles Carter, while Sadik Ahmed's documentary short filmed in Bangladesh - Tanju Miah - won the NAHEMI/Cinematography Award.
The animate! Artist Award, for innovation in manipulated image, was awarded to Empire directed by Edouard Salier (France), with special mention given Guy 101, directed by Ian Gouldstone (UK).
Cosgrove Hall Films Children’s Jury Award was presented to Coucou Clock directed and animated by Audrey Fobis and Francois Cailleau (France).
Finally, Tom Brown's quirky film t.o.m won a Cartoon D'Or nomation. His film will now go forward for consideration for the European award.
