Winners announced at RTÉjr Animation Dingle Awards 2025

  • Ireland’s premiere animation festival, with JAM Media announced their winning films of 2025.
  • 137 short, animated films from 17 countries were exhibited on the Dingle Peninsula on the west coast of Ireland. 
  • The winning films were announced at The RTÉjr Animation Dingle Awards on Friday night hosted by the hilarious Irish comedian and writer, Sharon Mannion in The Dingle Skellig Hotel in County Kerry, Ireland.

In its 13th year, Animation Dingle Festival has once again proven to be a resounding success! From early last year, we engaged the animation community, with over 750 registered animators answering the call and participating in the selection process, culminating in a weekend filled with creativity and inspiration in the beautiful setting of Dingle.

The festival wishes to thank our industry partners Screen Ireland and the support from Enterprise Ireland and Coimisiún na Meán, in achieving this festival. 

Special thanks to Jam Media and to our main sponsors RTÉjr and Disney.

We are most grateful for the continued support from: The IDA, Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet and The French Embassy of Ireland.  Together, with the unwavering support of our partners and sponsors, Animation Dingle continues to serve as a platform for nurturing and showcasing the exceptional talent and creativity of Ireland’s animation industry.

“RTÉjr are delighted to be back in 2025 as title sponsor of the Animation Dingle Awards.  Animation Dingle is such a special event.  Not only does it deliver this incredible synergy between Animation industry experts and students it’s also an incredible opportunity to meet inspiring people from all over the world and celebrate the creativity of the next generation coming through.  I cannot wait to see what comes next for all of these inspiring talented young creators and thrilled that RTÉjr can help support them on their journey.“ said Suzanne Kelly,  Head of Children’s & Young People’s Content at RTE from Dingle.

Here is a complete list of winners:

Young Animator of the Year (YAOTY) sponsored by Disney; 

The award went to Athish Srinivasan from St Oliver’s Community College. 

Best Irish Student sponsored by RTÉjr: 

Awarded to Went to Moncha, by Freya Porrittwessman, TUS LSAD 

Best International Student sponsored by BBC CBBC: 

Awarded to Went to The Shyness of Trees by Bingqing Shu, Maud Le Bras, Jiaxin Huang, Simin He,  Lina Han, Loïck Du Plessis D’Argentré, Sofiia ChuikovskaGobelins.

Best Animation Award sponsored by MILKSHAKE! 

Awarded to Cuttlefish by Ciara Walsh, TUS LSAD

Best Stop Motion Award sponsored by Aardman Animations 

Awarded to Detlev by Ferdinand Ehrhardt, Film Academy Baden-Württemberg.

Best 2D, sponsored by Cartoon Saloon

Awarded to CUTTLEFISH, directed by Ciara Walsh, TUS LSAD

Best Director Award, sponsored by Boulder Media

Awarded to Went to The Shyness of Trees by Bingqing Shu, Maud Le Bras, Jiaxin Huang, Simin He, Lina Han, Loïck Du Plessis D’Argentré, Sofiia ChuikovskaGobelins.

The Best Writer, jointly Sponsored by Animation Ireland and National Talent Academy for Animation

Awarded to Went to My Sisters Nature, directed by Bella Quinn, IADT

Best Design/ Art Direction awards sponsored by JAM Media

Awarded to Monchaby Freya Porrittwessman, TUS LSAD 

Best Sound Design sponsored by Turnip & Duck

Awarded to Samhain by Domhnal Cotter, IADT

Best Original Score, sponsored by Screen Composers Guild Ireland

Awarded to You’ve Got This, Allie! By Wren Petkov and Michelle Saal, IADT.

Best Cinematography, sponsored by Lighthouse Studios

Awarded to Of Minds and Terrors by Simas Abrutis and Joseph Catney, University of Ulster. 

Best 3D/CGI, sponsored by DNEG

Awarded to Jour de Vent by Martin Chailloux, Ai Kim Crespin, Elise Golfouse, Chloe Lab, Hugo Taillez , Camille Truding, ENSI. 

Animation Dingle is proud to announce The Best Irish Professional Short 

Retirement Plan by John Kelly

Best International Professional Short sponsored by Nickelodeon

Snow Bear by Aaron Blaise, USA

Best Sting 

Awarded to Star Collector by Daria Hres, ATU

Best Game Sting, sponsored by 2K 

Awarded to The Dingle Mystery by Marcin Zapedowski, BCFE

Best Game Trailer Award, sponsored by 2K was League of Legends – Still Here by UNIT IMAGE. 

The Big Pitcher Winner, Marie Kishchuk with their project Fished & Found, wins a 3 month paid internship with Jam Media and will get to pitch at Cartoon Springboard later this year.

Murakami Award 2025 sponsored by Brown Bag Films was presented to Andrew Fitzpatrick

The Murakami Award, named after the legendary Japanese animator Jimmy Teru Murakami (村上輝明 ) (1933-2014) a founding father of Irish animation, recognises individuals who have demonstrated unparalleled innovation, vision, and impact in the field of animation.