Fantasia 2025: MOTHER OF FLIES Wins Cheval Noir For Best Film

Fantasia 2025 Juried Awards Announced, with Adams Family’s Mother of Flies Winning Coveted Cheval Noir Award for Best Film

 

Indonesia’s Hadrah Daeng Ratu Wins Best Director for The Book of Sijjin and Illiyyin while Terrestrial Takes Top Screenplay Honors

 

The 29th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival has presented its juried awards this evening, with Mother of Flies from filmmakers John Adams, Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser (collectively known as the Adams Family) taking home the festival’s top honor, its Cheval Noir Award for Best Film. The occult thriller was also bestowed with a Cheval Noir Award for Best Motion Picture Score.

 

Mother of Flies, which World Premiered on July 24th and was acquired by Shudder earlier this month, is the first feature from the United States to win Fantasia’s Cheval Noir Award for Best Film in the festival’s 29-year history.

 

Best Director went to Hadrah Daeng Ratu, for her blood-drenched supernatural shocker The Book of Sijjin and Illiyyin, while Best Screenplay was awarded to Connor Diedrich and Samuel Johnson, for their work on Steve Pink’s Terrestrial.

 

Alexander Ullom’s It Ends took home Best First Feature in the festival’s New Flesh Competition, Malu Janssen’s experimental Barlebas landed Best International Short Film, and Best Animated Feature went to the stylish Chinese reality-bender The Girl Who Stole Time from Yu Ao and Zhou Tienan.

 

Fantasia 2025’s live awards ceremony, hosted by Fantasia’s Artistic Director and Director of International Programming, Mitch Davis, took place this evening at Montreal’s stunning Cinéma du Musée within The Montreal Museum of Fine Art. The festival’s complete 2025 award winners are below, followed by a full listing of jury statements.

 

 

Cheval Noir Competition 2025

 

Best Film - Mother of Flies (d. John Adams, Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser)

 

Statement from Jury President Pascal Plante: “This might not be the film with the most means or the flashiest camerawork, but it’s a film that, in a meta way, reminds us why we even bother to make films in the first place. It’s funny – every time I’m back in this neighborhood, it brings me back to my Concordia days… and one teacher once told us, ‘Don’t just make films with your friends!’ and I was kind of always opposed to that concept. I try to make films with my friends as much as possible. But these filmmakers bring this up a notch: they even keep it in the family! The result is an earnest film; a true indie that feels authentic, vital, and impeccably crafted. The editing – on a laptop on Premiere Pro – and cinematography – with whatever prosumer camera you can get your hands on – are on point, to say the least. In short: it just rocks. Our Cheval Noir Award for Best Film goes to Mother of Flies by Zelda, John, and Toby… aka the Adams Family!”

 

Special Jury Mention (Best Film) - New Group (d. Yuta Shimotsu)

 

 

 

Best Director - Hadrah Daeng Ratu, for The Book of Sijjin and Illiyyin

 

Best Screenplay - Connor Diedrich and Samuel Johnson, for Terrestrial (d. Steve Pink)

 

Best Cinematography - Alex Metcalfe, for Cielo (d. Alberto Sciamma)

 

The Sandro Forte Award for Best Motion Picture Score - H6LLB6ND6R, for Mother of Flies  (d. John Adams, Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser)

 

Outstanding Performance Award - Bakhytzhan Alpeis, for Stinker (d. Yerden Telemissov)

 

Outstanding Performance Award - Ui Mihara, for I Fell in Love with a Z-Grade Director in Brooklyn (d. Kenichi Ugana)

 

2025 Cheval Noir Jury: Pascal Plante (President), Ethan Eng, Alison Foreman, Payton McCarty-Simas, George Schmaltz

 

 

New Flesh Competition for Best First Feature 2025

 

Best First Feature - It Ends (d. Alexander Ullom)

 

Jury Statement: “It Ends is a film that manages to use low budget conventions and tropes to their fullest extent in order to create a film that runs from being an unnerving thriller to a sincere and bittersweet contemplation on time, friendship, and solitude; this would be a difficult task for even the most seasoned filmmaker, but Alexander Ullom succeeds with an uncommon level of grace and delicacy that rewards the audience in ways they wouldn’t initially expect.”

 

Special Jury Mentions - Fucktoys (d. Annapurna Sriram) and Hellcat (d. Brock Bodell)

 

2025 New Flesh Jury: Chris Nash (President), Jim Brunzell, Louise Buckler, Deirdre Crimmins, Anelle Dehghani, Jean-François Leblanc

 

 

International Short Film Competition 2025

 

Best Film - Barlebas (d. Malu Janssen)

 

Jury Statement: “An all too familiar story, fear of the power that women hold. A story of resilience told through beautiful images and a haunting soundtrack. The lead carries the audience along with her unforgettable original voice and songs. Definitely an easy and unanimous decision for the jury.”

 

Best Director - Jo Ba-reun, for Floor

 

Best Screenplay - Dylan Pun, for Shrimp Fried Rice (d. Dylan Pun)

 

Best Cinematography - Barlebas (Sam Du Pon)

 

The Sandro Forte Award for Best Motion Picture Score - Proxy (Christopher Lund) 

 

Outstanding Performance Award - Ruby Zoom, for The Collector and Agnieszka Rajda, for Weird to Be Human

 

Special Jury Mentions - Weird to Be Human (d. Jan Grabowski) and The Rebirth (d. Connie Shi)

 

2025 International Short Film Jury: Kaniehtiio Horn (President), Rémi Fréchette, Evan O’Brien, Carol Nguyen, Wylie Rush 

 

 

Satoshi Kon for Excellence in Animation Competition 2025

Best Animated Feature - The Girl Who Stole Time (d. Yu Ao and Zhou Tienan)

 

Jury Statement: “For its great ambition, its gripping plot twists, its ability to surprise with its variety of tone changes, the risks taken in terms of narrative form, and the richness of its visual presentation, the Satoshi Kon 2025 jury awards the Best Feature Film prize to THE GIRL WHO STOLE TIME by directors Yu Ao and Zhou Tienan.”

 

Special Jury Mention - I Am Frankelda (Soy Frankelda) (d. Arturo Ambriz and Roy Ambriz)

 

Best Animated Short / Bronze - My Organs Lying on The Ground (d. Shinobu Soejima)

 

Best Animated Short / Silver - Éiru (d. Giovanna Ferrari)

 

Best Animated Short / Gold - Off-Time (d. Nata Metlukh )

 

Jury Statement: “For its lively animation, its designs, and its drawn universe that delighted all three of us, its engaging sound design, its reflection on time, accelerationism, and the attention and care required to be in touch with oneself, with others, and with all of life: the Satoshi Kon 2025 Jury awards its Gold Prize for Best Short Film to Off-Time by filmmaker Nata Metlukh.”

 

2025 Satoshi Kon Animation Jury: Rachel Samson (President), Sam Chou, Chimwemwe Miller

 

 

Northern Excellence for Best Canadian Filmmaker 2025

 

Best Director (Feature Film) - Chloé Cinq-Mars, for Peau À Peau (Nesting)

 

Jury Statement: “Anchored by a raw and uncompromising lead performance and immersive direction, this film leads us down an at times terrifying young mother's downward mental spiral. For its unflinching and deeply human exploration of an often-overlooked aspect of motherhood, we give the award for Best Canadian film to writer/director Chloé Cinq-Mars for Peau À Peau (Nesting).”

 

Special Jury Mention - Simon Glassman, for Buffet Infinity

 

2025 Northern Excellence Jury: Elza Kephart (President), Olivia Norquay, Joe Lipsett, Cam Maitland, Alanna Thain

 

 

AQCC Award 2025

 

Best Film - The Virgin of the Quarry Lake (d. Laura Casabe)

 

Jury Statement: “For its judicious balance between the coming-of-age story and everyday horror, for its strong symbolism linked to the crises of 21st-century Argentina and for the excellent performances of all the actresses, we award the Quebec Association of Film Critics (AQCC) prize to the film The Virgin of the Quarry Lake, by Laura Casabe.”

 

Special Jury Mention - Burning (d. Radik Eshimov)

 

2025 AQCC Jury: Miguel de Plante, Louis-Paul Rioux, Elijah Baron

 

Poulain Noir Competition 2025

 

Best Film / Bronze - Christopher and The Bug (d. Vanessa Lynn Esteves)

 

Best Film / Silver - Soap Box (Boîte À Savon) (d. Jimmy Pettigrew)

 

Best Film / Gold - The Sound of Raindrops (d. Max Banse, Julie Blanc, Alvaro Deolio, Elena Forlini, Estelle Jourdan, Gabriel Riera, and Lila Trouvé)

 

Jury Statement: "The Sound of Raindrops is a film of remarkable artistic mastery. Its animation stands out for its originality, the quality of its visual composition, and a formal approach that is both poetic and metaphorical. Through the story of two brothers threatened by a storm, both internal and external, the film addresses a delicate subject with great sensitivity. It resonates with the viewer without ever overstating its message and invites us to reflect on what binds us together. The music and sound design support the narrative with subtlety and consistently thoughtful choices. Congratulations to the entire team for this bold, powerful, and moving work."

 

Special Jury Mentions - The Little One and the Giant (d. Isabela Costa) and A Small Garden by the Window (d. Lee Jong-hoon)

 

2025 Poulain Noir Jury: Ginette Petit (President), Luc Chamberland, Bryan Perro, Alex Parkinson

 

 

Les Fantastiques Week-Ends Du Cinéma Québécois Competition 2025

 

MELS Award for Best Short Film: 

 

1st Place - Molosse (d. Marc-Antoine Lemire)

 

2nd Place - Butter Knife (d. Théophile Mur) 

 

3rd Place - Itty Bitty Betty (d. Laura Buchanan)

 

Special Mention - Girasol (d. Dominic Couturier and Pierre Inglebert)

 

 

 

AQPM Award for Best Emerging Production in a Short Film - Iconic (Adelaide Sokolov, d. April Daneau)

 

Special Mention - Don't Judge a Unicorn by Its Horn (Ellie Charette and Arian Salarian, d. Ellie Charette)

 

 

 

ARRQ Award for Best Direction in a Short Film - Guillaume Boivin and Steve Villeneuve, for The Screaming

 

Special Mention - Théophile Mur, for Butter Knife

 

 

 

EVS Award for Best Emerging Direction in a Short Film - Andrew Cyr-Marcoux, for L'écho Perdu

 

Royal Photo Award for Best Cinematography in a Short Film:

 

1st Place - Liane Paré, for Dumpster Duchess (d. Raphë, Liana Paré)

 

2nd Place - Pierre Inglebert, for Girasol (d. Dominic Couturier and Pierre Inglebert)

 

3rd Place - Martin Reisch, for Island of Forgetfulness (d. Erin Ross)

 

Special Mention - Guillaume Langlois and Raphaël Ouellet, for Greluche (d. Daphnée Côté-Hallé)

 

 

 

Fantasia Award for Best Performance in a Short Film: Stéfanelle Auger, for Envolée (d. Renaud Ouimet)

 

Special Mention: Marguerite Bouchard, for L'explosion, et puis le calme (d. William Tétreault) and Maximilian Isaacs, for Here Comes Kermit Williams (d. Ryan Terk)

 

 

 

Canadian Cinema Editors (CCE) Award for Best Editing in a Short Film - John-Daniel Arauz, for Kitty the Viper (d. John-Daniel Arauz)

 

Special Mention - Marc-Olivier Huard, for Interurbain (d. Marc-Olivier Huard)

 

 

 

Spira Award for Best Regional Short Film - Frères D'armes (d. François Lalonde)

 

Special Mention - Rien Que Du Vent (d. PH Debiès)

 

 

Bam Music Award for Best Sound in a Short Film - Loud (d. Adam Azimov)

 

Toon Boom Award for Best 2D Short Film - Grain (d. Ilana Zackon)

Dragonframe Award for Best Stop Motion Short Film - Songes et étrangetés au jardin (d. Kimm D. and Caroline Hayeur)

 

Special Mention - Exit the Red Room | A David Lynch Tribute (d. Corey Nikolaus)

 

 

 

Coup de Coeur SLA Location Award for a Short Film - A Better Day (d. Scott Cowan)

 

 

Full Fantasia 2025 Jury Statements

 

Cheval Noir Jury Statements

 

Best Film - Mother of Flies (d. John Adams, Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser)

 

Statement from Jury President Pascal Plante: “This might not be the film with the most means or the flashiest camerawork, but it’s a film that, in a meta way, reminds us why we even bother to make films in the first place. It’s funny – every time I’m back in this neighborhood, it brings me back to my Concordia days… and one teacher once told us, ‘Don’t just make films with your friends!’ and I was kind of always opposed to that concept. I try to make films with my friends as much as possible. But these filmmakers bring this up a notch: they even keep it in the family! The result is an earnest film; a true indie that feels authentic, vital, and impeccably crafted. The editing – on a laptop on Premiere Pro – and cinematography – with whatever prosumer camera you can get your hands on – are on point, to say the least. In short: it just rocks. Our Cheval Noir Award for Best Film goes to Mother of Flies by Zelda, John, and Toby… aka the Adams Family!”

 

Special Jury Mention (Best Film) - New Group (d. Yuta Shimotsu)

 

Jury Statement: “We want to start with a special jury mention – we want to acknowledge an idea that – for us – was the best conceived in the entire festival. Fitting a square peg in a round hole, this accordion of a monster movie gets the “top of the pyramid award” – best concept for New Group.”

 

Best Director - Hadrah Daeng Ratu, for The Book of Sijjin and Illiyyin

 

Jury Statement: “For best director, a film stood out particularly between us. It was a powerful exploration of the things that we call power to. It was a thrilling and chaotic time, yet there was true vision in the eye of the storm. And that goes to Hadrah Daeng Ratu for The Book of Sijjin and Illiyyin.”

 

Best Screenplay - Connor Diedrich and Samuel Johnson, for Terrestrial (d. Steve Pink)

 

Jury Statement: “It’s a great privilege to establish a storytelling universe, but in 2025 it seems we have far too many movies about writing stories, and about imagining universes. The smarts of this script start in its title and are drawn out through a cosmic-genre-mashup that questions the core artistry needed to put anything down on paper at all. To a pseudo-sci-fi writing team who is remarkably grounded yet out-of-this-world, our best screenplay award goes to Connor Diedrich and Samuel Johnson for Terrestrial.”

 

Best Cinematography - Alex Metcalfe, for Cielo (d. Alberto Sciamma)

 

Jury Statement: “Our cinematography award goes to someone who practices a masterful use of camera to convey a visceral, spiritual journey across a beautiful natural landscape. The award for best cinematography goes to Alex Metcalfe for Cielo.”

 

The Sandro Forte Award for Best Motion Picture Score - H6LLB6ND6R, for Mother of Flies  (d. John Adams, Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser)

 

Jury Statement: “What’s more punk rock than making art with our family? The score that we decided to highlight is one that I’ll find myself going back to – it’s tender and jammable! The Sandro Forte Award for Best Motion Picture Score goes to H6LLB6ND6R – aka the Adams family – for Mother of Flies.”

 

Outstanding Performance Award - Bakhytzhan Alpeis, for Stinker (d. Yerden Telemissov)

 

Jury Statement: “It’s easy for a role to swallow an actor, particularly for a role in a high-concept genre film, but this performer was able to bring humanity and depth to a part that otherwise could have been a caricature. This is why our first performance award goes to Bakhytzhan Alpeis in Stinker!”

 

Outstanding Performance Award - Ui Mihara, for I Fell in Love with a Z-Grade Director in Brooklyn (d. Kenichi Ugana)

 

Jury Statement: “For our second acting award, we decided to acknowledge another quiet yet powerful performance, of a character that might starts off as unsympathetic, but slowly but surely reveals its flaws in a very touching way. That monologue in a bar even got us emotional. This is why we want to give a performance award to Ui Mihaha in I Fell in Love with a Z-Grade Director in Brooklyn.”

 

2025 Cheval Noir Jury: Pascal Plante (President), Ethan Eng, Alison Foreman, Payton McCarty-Simas, George Schmaltz

 

 

New Flesh Competition Jury Statements

 

Best First Feature - It Ends (d. Alexander Ullom)

 

Jury Statement: “It Ends is a film that manages to use low budget conventions and tropes to their fullest extent in order to create a film that runs from being an unnerving thriller to a sincere and bittersweet contemplation on time, friendship, and solitude; this would be a difficult task for even the most seasoned filmmaker, but Alexander Ullom succeeds with an uncommon level of grace and delicacy that rewards the audience in ways they wouldn’t initially expect.”

 

Special Jury Mention - Fucktoys (d. Annapurna Sriram)

 

Jury Statement: “With Fucktoys, Annapurna Sriram drags her audience through the looking glass into a colorful world of sex, violence, and magic - all the while keeping the shit and grime of the world on full display next to the bright and bombastic settings and characters she introduces us to. It's a wholly original work that never drops its sardonic smile, and we would be remiss to not acknowledge its accomplishments.”

 

Special Jury Mention - Hellcat (d. Brock Bodell)

 

Jury Statement: “A simple but clever premise, deftly directed with sure-footed confidence, HELLCAT is a one-room labyrinth that never gives the audience the comfort of knowing who's good, who's bad, or where they're going - using well-worn creature-feature tropes to blade an original new trail with both intrigue and excitement.”

 

2025 New Flesh Jury: Chris Nash (President), Jim Brunzell, Louise Buckler, Deirdre Crimmins, Anelle Dehghani, Jean-François Leblanc

 

 

International Short Film Jury Statements

 

Best Film - Barlebas (d. Malu Janssen)

 

Jury Statement: “An all too familiar story, fear of the power that women hold. A story of resilience told through beautiful images and a haunting soundtrack. The lead carries the audience along with her unforgettable original voice and songs. Definitely an easy and unanimous decision for the jury.”

 

Best Director - Jo Ba-reun, for Floor

 

Jury Statement: “This satirical, action, thriller film that takes you on a ride in which you won't forget revealing a surprise at every corner. Its cinematic language, sound and cinematography was both masterful and fun. The award for best director goes to Floor.”

 

Best Screenplay - Dylan Pun, for Shrimp Fried Rice (d. Dylan Pun)

 

Jury Statement: “For pushing a completely absurd concept to its most outrageous extremes, and with inventive storytelling that could have been a simple parody but, through sheer commitment, becomes its own unique thing. Add in some wild characters and hilarious dialogue, and the award for Best Screenplay goes to Fried Shrimp Rice, written by Dylan Pun and Michael Turk.”

 

Best Cinematography - Barlebas (Sam Du Pon)

 

Jury Statement: “This film was shot with pristine lighting. In it, characters’ faces were beautifully illuminated, and popped from the darkness of a world that was seemingly lit only by sunlight and fire. With its lustrous, high contrast black and white images, Barlebas wins the award for best cinematography.”

 

The Sandro Forte Award for Best Motion Picture Score - Proxy (Christopher Lund)

 

Jury Statement: “The award for best score goes to a film whose deep synthesized howls and digital feedback took us on a journey through cyberspace, creating a dark, fragmented and industrial world, without which, the film would not have had such a lasting impact. We would like to present Proxy with the award for best score.”

 

Outstanding Performance Award - Ruby Zoom, for The Collector

 

Jury Statement: “This actor's ability to appear so natural and at ease elevated this film to another level. The performance in this piece was so real, as an audience member you didn’t know if you were watching a real doc or a work of fiction.”

 

Outstanding Performance Award - Agnieszka Rajda, for Weird to Be Human

 

Jury Statement: “This actor's nuanced and controlled performance was a pleasure to watch. Just as impressive was the subtle attention to emotional details.”

 

Special Jury Mention - Weird to Be Human (d. Jan Grabowski)

 

Jury Statement: “This short immediately pulled us into its strange, grotesque near future with its incredibly detailed and imaginative sets, costumes, makeup, and props. The jury would like to give a special mention to Weird to be Human for achievement in production design.”

 

Special Jury Mention - The Rebirth (d. Connie Shi)

 

Jury Statement: “This short had a premise that was both thrilling and timely, while hinting at a massive storyworld teeming with possibilities. The jury couldn't wait to see more of The Rebirth, and would like to award it a special mention for Best Proof of Concept.”

 

2025 International Short Film Jury: Kaniehtiio Horn (President), Rémi Fréchette, Evan O’Brien, Carol Nguyen, Wylie Rush 

 

 

Satoshi Kon for Excellence in Animation Jury Statements

 

Best Animated Feature - The Girl Who Stole Time (d. Yu Ao and Zhou Tienan)

 

Jury Statement: “For its great ambition, its gripping plot twists, its ability to surprise with its variety of tone changes, the risks taken in terms of narrative form, and the richness of its visual presentation, the Satoshi Kon 2025 jury awards the Best Feature Film prize to THE GIRL WHO STOLE TIME by directors Yu Ao and Zhou Tienan.”

 

Special Jury Mention - I Am Frankelda (Soy Frankelda) (d. Arturo Ambriz and Roy Ambriz)

 

Jury Statement: “For its contagious enthusiasm for storytelling, for the great generosity of the worlds it creates, because it is one of the most beautifully animated bestiaries we have seen in recent years, and because life, death, nightmares, dreams: all these things speak to us, the Satoshi Kon jury awards a Special Mention to the film I am Frankelda (Soy Frankelda) by Arturo Ambriz and Roy Ambriz.”

 

Best Animated Short / Bronze - My Organs Lying on The Ground (d. Shinobu Soejima)

 

Jury Statement: “The jury was captivated by the richness of the materials and puppets, the tactility of the sound design, and the overall formal research deployed by this experimental stop-motion animated legend: for these reasons, it awards the Bronze Prize for Best Short Film to My Organs Lying on the Ground by director Shinobu Soejima.”

 

Best Animated Short / Silver - Éiru (d. Giovanna Ferrari)

 

Jury Statement: “The jury was compelled by this colorful modern moral tale, which focuses on youth to undertake a most essential reflection on world peace, transmission, the future of the world, and the environment: we award the Silver Prize for Best Short Film to Éiru, by director Giovanna Ferrari.

 

Best Animated Short / Gold - Off-Time (d. Nata Metlukh)

 

Jury Statement: “For its lively animation, its designs, and its drawn universe that delighted all three of us, its engaging sound design, its reflection on time, accelerationism, and the attention and care required to be in touch with oneself, with others, and with all of life: the Satoshi Kon 2025 Jury awards its Gold Prize for Best Short Film to Off-Time by filmmaker Nata Metlukh.”

 

2025 Satoshi Kon Animation Jury: Rachel Samson (President), Sam Chou, Chimwemwe Miller

 

 

Northern Excellence Jury Statements

 

Best Director (Feature Film) - Chloé Cinq-Mars, for Peau À Peau (Nesting)

 

Jury Statement: “Anchored by a raw and uncompromising lead performance and immersive direction, this film leads us down an at times terrifying young mother's downward mental spiral. For its unflinching and deeply human exploration of an often-overlooked aspect of motherhood, we give the award for Best Canadian film to writer/director Chloé Cinq-Mars for Peau À Peau (Nesting).”

 

Special Jury Mention - Simon Glassman, for Buffet Infinity

 

Jury Statement: “In a field of twelve unique Canadian titles, one stood out for its formal, tonal, and narrative ambition, truly embodying ‘l’esprit de Fantasia’. For creating a wide-ranging narrative that is a part surreal comedy, part TV nostalgia, and part cosmic horror tragedy, we applaud writer/director Simon Glassman for gleefully biting off more than he could chew. Our special mention goes to a film that undeniably has ‘got the sauce’, Buffet Infinity.”

 

2025 Northern Excellence Jury: Elza Kephart (President), Olivia Norquay, Joe Lipsett, Cam Maitland, Alanna Thain

 

 

AQCC Award Jury Statements

 

Best Film - The Virgin of the Quarry Lake (d. Laura Casabe)

 

Jury Statement: “For its judicious balance between the coming-of-age story and everyday horror, for its strong symbolism linked to the crises of 21st-century Argentina and for the excellent performances of all the actresses, we award the Quebec Association of Film Critics (AQCC) prize to the film The Virgin of the Quarry Lake, by Laura Casabe.”

 

2025 AQCC Jury: Miguel de Plante, Louis-Paul Rioux, Elijah Baron

 

 

Poulain Noir Jury Statements

 

Best Film / Bronze - Christopher and The Bug (d. Vanessa Lynn Esteves)

 

Jury Statement: “This film’s polished and smooth animation style and appealing design draws you into the world for a story that is thoughtful and emotionally resonant. It’s the kind of film that keeps you engaged throughout, leaving you with a smile and something to ponder as the credits roll. It finds a balance between humor and message that is something animation does best. Plus, a timeless message about reaching out to others. For that reason, we are happy to give the Bronze Poulain Noir to Christopher

and the Bug.”

 

Best Film / Silver - Soap Box (Boîte À Savon) (d. Jimmy Pettigrew)

 

Jury Statement: “The jury happily awards the Silver Poulain Noir to a film that is a wonderful surprise. This all-too-short film literally and figuratively puts its audience in a box. It mercilessly imposes flamboyant fireworks in our heads, accompanied by delirious joy, a concentrate of happiness and inventions at the ends of our imaginations. Fasten your seatbelt and let yourself go on these pleasant roller coaster slopes, we really want to sit in this intense racing car and as soon as we cross the finish line, set off again on this generous journey. The jury enthusiastically awarded the Silver Poulain to Soap Box.”

 

Best Film / Gold - The Sound of Raindrops (d. Max Banse, Julie Blanc, Alvaro Deolio, Elena Forlini, Estelle Jourdan, Gabriel Riera, and Lila Trouvé)

 

Jury Statement: "The Sound of Raindrops is a film of remarkable artistic mastery. Its animation stands out for its originality, the quality of its visual composition, and a formal approach that is both poetic and metaphorical. Through the story of two brothers threatened by a storm, both internal and external, the film addresses a delicate subject with great sensitivity. It resonates with the viewer without ever overstating its message and invites us to reflect on what binds us together. The music and sound design support the narrative with subtlety and consistently thoughtful choices. Congratulations to the entire team for this bold, powerful, and moving work."

 

Special Jury Mention - The Little One and the Giant (d. Isabela Costa)

 

Jury Statement: “This film makes the most of the tangibility offered by stop motion animation, that feeling that you can reach into the screen and touch the characters, to present a story that hits you in the heart; when the Giant cries you really feel it. This film has the kind of charm that only something handcrafted and personal can achieve. It’s a sweet and adorable story. We are happy to give this special mention to The Little One and the

Giant.”

 

Special Jury Mention - A Small Garden by the Window (d. Lee Jong-hoon)

 

Jury Statement: “We have a very special mention for a rare, beautiful film, which generously overflows its small format. Extremely ambitious with a subject that is too vast and which gives the impression of being too complicated, well not at all; with magnificent images, and a keen sense of poetry, this film shows us that the best of our life is within reach. Like a bedside book always at hand, this nugget of cinema full of wisdom and quiet strength gives us confidence in a possible and feasible better future. Like an angel who whispers on our shoulder that life, yes, is very beautiful. A film to see and share throughout the world. The jury offers this special mention to: A Small Garden by the Window.”

 

2025 Poulain Noir Jury: Ginette Petit (President), Luc Chamberland, Bryan Perro, Alex Parkinson