Become an animated Animex voter

A Canadian animation film-maker is celebrating success in a competition organised by the University of Teesside.

Jacques Khouri, 30, who studied at Savannah in Georgia, in the US, travelled to Middlesbrough to attend the eighth Animex International Festival of Animation & Computer Games.

The festival, organised by the University, celebrates creativity in animation and computer games and attracts animators, directors, students, artists, designers, writers and educators from all over the world.

An annual awards ceremony is part of the festival and Jacques won the Animex Visualisation Award for his short film called Homage, about two arrows trying to fill their world with colour. The Visualisation Award this year was sponsored by the Brighton based Animazoo who flew Jacques over to receive his award and gave him a free motion capture suit.

Justin Greetham, head of Animex Awards said:“I am really pleased for Jacques and for everyone else who walked away with an award on the night. Where else can you find the best new student talent emerging from the world's foremost seats of learning, in one place?”

Jacques, who has just finished a course at the Savannah College of Art and Design, is trying to build a film career and believes his trip to Middlesbrough helped. He said: “My impression of Animex was great. I had a lot of fun and It was very humbling to be among great artists all around the world.

“Winning gives me extra credibility. It is always an honour to be recognised by your peers. It also encourages me to pursue my next ventures in filmmaking.”

Jacques is currently working on another short animated film that depicts the relationship between nature and urban living. The public can vote for this and other films in the Animex Audience Awards.

Films can be viewed, and voted for, on the Animex site with prizes available for one lucky voter and one overall winner, courtesy of CG Society. The Deadline for votes is 1 July.

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