SIGGRAPH has announced the prize winners for its 2025 juried Computer Animation Festival awards. In a unique scenario, students took home all three prizes. SIGGRAPH will be presenting these animated shorts and other animations selected to appear in the Animation Theater or the Electronic Theater programs at this year’s conference.

For years, we have heard that students are the future of our industry. Well, students have shown that future is now.

Three student groups from a trio of animation schools competed toe to toe against many established professionals for the top prizes at this year’s SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival and actually swept all three awards categories. (The future of the CG industry is in good hands.)

The annual Computer Animation Festival comprises two programs, the Animation Theater and prestigious Electronic Theater, the latter of which showcases the best of the best. Submissions are reviewed by a jury, and a only a small percentage are selected to appear in one of the two programs. Additionally, three prizes are awarded in the following categories: Best in Show, Best Student Project, and Jury’s Choice.

This year’s winners are:

Best in Show: “Trash“

École Supérieure Des Métiers Artistiques (ESMA)

Maxime Crançon, Fanny Vecchie, Margaux Lutz, Romain Fleischer, Alexis Le Ral, Grégory Bouzid, Robin Delaporte, and Mattéo Durant

In a dark alley, a scrawny rat has no choice but to fight with a pigeon for a small slice of pizza. Without a second thought, they throw themselves in a vertiginous chase from the top to the bottom of the street.

Best Student Project: “The Mooning“

Ringling College of Art and Design

Mason Klesch and Vivian Osness

“The Mooning” is an animated mockumentary that reveals the truth behind the 1969 moon landing.

Jury’s Choice: “Jour de vent“

École des Nouvelles Images (ENSI)

Martin Chailloux, Ai Kim Crespin, Elise Golfouse, Chloé Lab, Hugo Taillez, and Camille Truding

Wind appears in a park. People fly away.

“These projects don’t just meet professional standards, they redefine them,” said Dawn Fidrick, SIGGRAPH 2025 Computer Animation Festival director. “It’s inspiring to see student filmmakers leading the charge in both storytelling and innovation. This year’s winners reflect a global future of animation that is fearless, inventive, and deeply human.”

The Animation Festival includes animated content spanning films, games, immersive realities, scientific visualization, and other genres.

Supplementing the festival screenings are Production Sessions, with each session featuring a panel of contributors as they detail their ambitious and cutting-edge entertainment projects.

These include:

• A Journey Through Dystopia: “The Last of Us” from DNeg and Weta FX
• The VFX of “The Penguin” by HBO
• “Superman”: Harnessing Numeric Power for Cinematic Magic by Weta FX
• Sand, Light, and Holograms: Image Engine’s VFX in “Dune: Prophecy” by Image Engine
• Time-Traveling VFX: AI-Driven De-Aging in “Here” by Kevin Baillie and Metaphysic
• You Can Fly! The Making of “Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure” by Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Bringing NASA Data to Life: The Power of Visualizing Science by NASA’s multidisciplinary team
• Developing the Stylized World of “The Wild Robot” by DreamWorks Animation
• “South of Midnight”: Crafting a Stop Motion Southern Gothic Game by Compulsion Games
• Exploring the Novel Real-Time Pipeline of Nickelodeon’s “Max & the Midknights” by Nickelodeon Animation

Also, there will be Animation Theater in Conversation sessions with the team behind particular projects as they provide a behind-the-scenes look at their work. These include “In Your Dreams,” with a sneak peek at the upcoming Netflix feature animation, along with a Q&A and poster signing, and “Inkwo for When the Starving Return,” which will feature a screening and in-person conversation with the creators.

Schedules for the Computer Animation Festival events can be found on the SIGGRAPH website. A separate ticket is required for the Electronic Theater.

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