Organised with the aim of bringing together animation creators from all across Asia, Tokyo Broadcasting System‘s DIGICON Awards honor the best animation films and their creators every year. The Awards Grand Prix is held in Japan annualy with winning film makers from each of the participating countries being flown in and hosted courtesy TBS.
The 2007 DIGICON Awards (India Leg) has added more thrust to its activities in the sense that from 07, the top 14 winning films and their makers will be honored at a special ceremony in the country in addition to the top winner being flown to Tokyo.
The Indian support partner for DIGICON is AnimationXpress.com and the best films from 2007 were honored at a special function which was held at METRO Adlabs as part of the Mumbai Film Festival. The same was made possible with the support of the Consulate General of Japan, the organisers of the Mumbai Film Festival and TBS.
The list of the winning films is thus:-
1st Prize –
The Rain Dance, Vijaykumar Armugam (NID)
2nd Prize
Printed Rainbow, Gitanjali Rao
3rd Prize –
Happy Planet, Dhimant Vyas
4th Prize
Maaa, Chetan Sharma, Animagic India
HP Special Honor
Krishna Makhan Chor title track, Greengold
Certificates of merit were awarded to
Katputli, by Charmi Chedda
V4 Song by Mayabimbham
The Mall on top of my House, by Aditi Chitre
Wrong Delivery, by Picasso College
One Fine Friday, NID
Bald & the Beautiful, NID
In winter Still, Auryn
Adventures of Chulbuli, Vaibhav Studios
Santa Banta in Goa, Uttam Pal Singh Chawla
Tatwa, MAAC
India‘s leading animation film makers who are the role models for most of today‘s animation generation were there, having flown down from all parts of the country.
(We at AnimationXpress.com regret that most of the pics taken at the ceremony got deleted due to a technical mishap, we apologise to our readers and the esteemed film makers who came there…. it would have been one of the most interesting slideshows in recent times)
Here‘s what some of them had to say about the event…
Vijaykumar Arumugam:
“It was like an unexpected refreshing rain on a sunny day. Loved the feeling of appreciation from the audience and the Digicon committee. I did what I could to bring out one of the feathers from my dreams. And the response for my expression from the audience and the animation festivals has been really encouraging. Winning the Digicon award is a true catalyst for my future endeavors. My sincere thanks to the TBS Digicon awards committee and Animation Xpress for their incredible efforts in making this film festival a stupendous success.”
Synopsis of The Rain Dance:
When there is nothing to cling on to, there is one thing that keeps on ticking along the trails of life…that is faith! the monsoon fails to show up! Mannargudi and the farms have dried leaving cracks on the periphery. People suffer for everyday food. Karuppaiya with his wife Ponnamma and a six year old little daughter Chittu are also suffering the play of the nature in Mannargudi. Though most of the people belonging to the village have left the place seeking for hope outside, Karuppaiya believed that one day his land will become prosperous in nature as it was once. When the hunger highlights the reality of the situation, Karuppaiya and ponnamma find themselves helpless. Meanwhile, a dream shows to innocent little Chittu. And the reality shatters it all when she tries to find the traces of the dream in the reality. she waits with anticipation and the nature is yet to reply…..
ABRP Reddy, Picasso Animation College:
“Our faculty as well as students are very delighted on this award. We feel our efforts to bring in international quality animation education to India has been widely acknowledged by the industry. This award makes our commitment become even stronger to carry our mission forward. The award winning movie was produced under the supervision of our Canadian faculty Prof Ben McEvoy as part of curriculum. Our students are required to spend two months during the project starting from concept to completion and hence fully responsible for each aspect of the movie. All the students who participated in this project are well placed and working in top animation studios like Crest and DQ.”
Synopsis of Wrong Delivery:
The one minute movie is a parody on a popular courier company. By mistake a package of “gas stove lighters” is delivered by the courier company to a cave man. The cave man who is used to create fire by rubbing two stone is overwhelmed by seeing fire from the “lighter” delivered by the courier company. However his excitement is short lived as the courier company sends a helicopter to take back the “Wrong delivery”
Sridevi:
“Any Award or any recognition given to any maker/creator is the boost which moves them ahead with more confidence and energy. We never expected any award from Digicon 6+, since our video was not in their basic theme. But influence of Anand Gurnani and his Team from Animation xpress made us send the entry. So the credit has to go to Anand and his team.”
Synopsis of INIMEY NANGATHAAN (V4) – 3D ANIMATED TAMIL FEATURE:
The storyline is based on adventure and comedy. Vicchu, Varathu, Vaithi and Venkat Govind; four friends from a small village, earn their livelihood from “Kathakalakshepam” (a form of story telling).
Like all of us they have some ‘Wishes‘ and they are guided by an old lady to meet a Swamiji in his abode deep in the mountains to fulfill these wishes. After overcoming some interesting obstacles on their way, they meet the Swamiji. To their surprise the Swamiji has a problem helping them as he needs to get back his Holy Maala which is guarded by a Rakshas in a Cave.
The Big Adventure starts with interesting creative themes like:
– Colorful sea-life characters
– A dancing Fakir
– Gold palace
– the Rakshas
– Deep water magic
– and other interesting characters.
The glittering gold house in the mysterious cave evokes greed in friends. In the motive of killing their friends for taking sole possession of the complete fortune, the three Varathu, Vaithi and Govind, get themselves caught in exciting and funny incidents in the cave. Vicchu, who conquers his greed, wins the Swamiji‘s blessings.
Aditi Chitre:
“For me-The mall on top was an experiment from start to finish. Putting aside the absence of animation or film training- I approached the medium full on as a painter who loves films-moving pictures and sound. The greatest thrill was learning how utterly approachable animation is! and how perfectly it marries my passion for illustration, movies and documentaries.
That was my take. But what has surprised me, every single time The mall on top got selected for a festival, was how open minded the audience is. While I myself now wince at the things I could have done better in the film. My audience is able to see beyond the mistakes and enjoy my effort.
The award- was a fantastic pat on the back, convincing me that I‘m on the right track; while sharing the stage with people whose work I admire so much was an inspiring indication of the many miles to cover ahead.”
Synopsis of The mall on top of my house:
Coastal Bombay, the fish, the fishing community and their homes get buried under concrete, from which emerge tall monoliths – shopping malls, golf clubs, luxury housing, etc. The protagonist, a pale, vigilant fisherman reminisces about a small house near the sea when he is brought back to a threatening present.
The film tells one of many stories of Bombay‘s fisher-folk. The sons and daughters of the soil who have been choked into smaller and smaller spaces in their coastal home to make way for progress i.e. bigger buildings and more malls. The protagonist is pale and wide-eyed from living underground, a place away from the sun and fresh air. Through his long walk from his underground house, across the city and to the pile of industrial waste called ‘sea‘ he encounters blaring horns, monumental malls and road maps and signs that tell him where he can and cannot step.
Dhimant Vyas:
Whole team of ‘Happy Planet‘ at Tata Interactive System is very happy to receive
TBS DIGICON Japan award! Thanks to TBS Digicon Japan, the Consulate general of Japan, Mumbai Festival 2008 and AnimationXpress.com for organizing such event.
It is a great honor and encouragement for us.
Synopsis of The Happy Planet:
Within man‘s hectic, mundane, and stressful life, nature and all things natural continues to signify happiness. Happy Planet gives us a glimpse into that simple yet breathtaking beauty of the planet we evolved from. It evokes the need to conserve the environment and save it from extinction.
Vaibhav Kumaresh:
It‘s a big honor to have our film among the selected Indian films.
Synopsis of Clinic Plus Chulbuli:
Chulbuli the bubbly little girl explains how Clinic Plus shampoo is her secret for long, clean, glossy, hair.
The communication is designed to target young girls primarily in rural India. It encourages them to use the product everyday to get clean and hygienic hair.
The design is bold and bright with a peppy jingle. The first half of the film is visually action-packed while the latter part stresses on performance and body language to drive home the point.
The animation is hand drawn with bold markers. The drawings are then scanned, and digitally coloured and composited.
Rajiv Quote:
“It‘s an honor to receive a special award at TBS DigiCon 6+3 awards ceremony. Japan is a country that we look up to in terms of their innovation in Animation and special effects. Japan has relentlessly created outstanding animation content over the last many decades, and continue to be world leaders in Animation. We often get inspired by watching Japanese content and hence this award is very very close to our heart. We thank the TBS DIGICON Jury for promoting Indian Animation and we are look forward to the next Digicon awards.”
Krishna -Makhan Chor – Brief Synopsis:
About five thousand years ago, Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu was born on Earth to destroy all evil. Born to Devaki and mothered by Yashoda in Gokul, Krishna was a lovable and mischievous child. Krishna- Makhaan Chor shows the lovable Krishna growing up in Gokul under the love and care of his foster parents, Nand-Lal and Yashoda, to become the popular, mischievous but lovable KANHA of Gokul. Krishna, along with his brother, Balaram and friends is always having fun: be it Playing pranks on the unsuspecting gopi‘s, stealing Butter (Makhan) or destroying any demon sent to kill him by his evil uncle, Kansa.
