Swiss Competition
Fantoche launched the “Swiss Competition” in 2009 to give home-grown animators a chance to gain a prominent footing on an international festival stage. All Swiss film productions entered in the “International Competition” are automatically entered in the “Swiss Competition” too. They can be nominated simultaneously for both competitions.
SELECTION
As for the “International Competition”, submission is open to films of all kinds of animation techniques, including combinations of live action and animation, which last a maximum of forty minutes. Student films, free compositions, films by well-known directors and art-film commissions are given equal consideration and evaluated together. Commercial advertising films are excluded from the competition.
The selection criteria for the “Swiss Competition” correspond to those of the “International Competition”: We want to see new trends, fresh talents and interesting experiments, alongside established auteur films and animation. All Swiss productions which are entered in the “International Competition” are also added to the selection for the “Swiss Competition” and can be nominated for both competitions at the same time.
The entries in the “Swiss Competition” are selected by experts who are not involved in Swiss animated film production, which means that the films can be judged from outside the local scene, without bias.
PRIZE CONCEPT
An international three-person jury will select films for awards in the categories:
- Best Swiss: Donated by SUISSIMAGE / SSA. For a convincing combination of idea and implementation, content and form.
- High Swiss Risk: Donated by the Fantoche founding team. For visionary originality and the uncompromising exploration of the art of animation.
- New Swiss Talent: For the best Swiss film by a student or for a first film.
- Fantastic Swiss: Donated by NIFFF – Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival & XPPen. For the best fantastic Swiss film.
A Swiss Jury of six young Swiss cineasts from various provinces and language regions will select the winner of the Swiss Youth Award, donated by the Castellinaria – Festival internazionale del cinema giovane and XPPen.
The winner of the Swiss Audience Award, donated by SRG SSR, will be selected by the viewers.
A total prize fund of CHF 21,000 is awarded in the Swiss competition.
The Fantoche “Swiss Competition” is the only animated film competition in the country which has an international dimension and which is judged by an international jury.