2026 NOMINEE – BEST ANIMATED FILM
- Animated Film Competition
Year: 2023
Length: 28 mins
Country: United Kingdom / Poland
Language: English, Polish
Premiere: NYC Premiere
Directed by: Iain Gardner
Produced by: Iain Harvey, Wlodzimierz Matuszewski
Starring: Piotr Baumann (Piotr), Richard Gadd (Dave), Michael Golab (Maciej), Shauna Macdonald (Beryl)
SEE THE FILM
A BEAR NAMED WOJTEK tells the fantastic journey of an orphaned Syrian brown bear who was adopted by Polish soldiers during World War II, becoming a beacon of hope and an emblem of their fate.
About the Director
Award winning animator Iain Gardner was born in Glasgow and studied at both The Glasgow School of Art and The Royal College of Art. He served an apprenticeship at the highly regarded Richard Williams Animation Studio, famed for WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT. In his early career he also worked at TVCartoons, the studio behind YELLOW SUBMARINE and THE SNOWMAN. Currently he is developing BADGER BEATS, starring his gay badgers Mustard & Ketchup. His company, Animation Garden, is based in Edinburgh.
Photos
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Awards
2024 ANNIES – Best Special Production (nominee)
2024 British Animation Awards (UK) – Best Long Form Animation
2024 Harryhausen Awards (UK) – Best Short Film
2024 Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology – Best Score in a Short Animation, Best Screenplay (nominee)
2024 Spokane International Film Festival – Audience Award Best Animation
2024 Venice TV Award (Italy) – Best Animation
2025 British Short Film Awards (UK) Best Animated Short Film