The awards are listed below in the order they were presented.
Nordic-baltic Commissioned Film Competition
Winner: WTF?! - 16th Anibar Animation Festival Trailer (directed by Joni Männistö)
Amongst a great variety of work, one film stood out to the jury with its creativity, craft and condensed storytelling. Through unique character design, confident, stylized art direction and inspired imagination, it touches on major issues facing our society today, with an original, humorous twist. The jury would like to honor best commissioned film at FAF 2026 to Joni Männistö for WTF?! - 16th Anibar Animation Festival Trailer.
Nordic-baltic Children’s Film Competition
Special Mention: Nora's Ark (directed by Endre Lund Eriksen & Isak Gjertsen)
Special Mention goes to a film with super nice animation – really smooth. We really liked the story and the message that insects are good for nature. Good dialogue. Special Mention goes to “Nora’s Ark” Special Mention går til en film som har kjempesmidig animasjon – veldigsmooth. Vi likte veldig godt historien og budskapet om at insekter erbra for naturen. God dialog.Special Mention går til «Noras Ark»
Winner: Woollen Sock (directed by Katariina Haukka)
This year’s winner in the children’s competition program goes to a film that “We liked was so expressive without a face” “A concept that had my personal vibe” “Funny animation, really good flow, especially for stop motion.” Impressive. The winner is: Woolensock Årets vinner i konkurranseprogrammet for barn går til en film som «Vilikte var så uttrykksfull uten ansikt»«Et konsept som hadde min personlig vibe»«Morsom animasjon, veldig bra flyt, spesielt for stop motion.»Imponerende.Vinneren er: Woollensock
Nordic-baltic Young Audience Competition
Special Mention: The wolf has come (directed by Brian Christopher Hawkins)
Special Mention goes to a film with an interesting message. Has a poetic rhythm. We love that it’s hand-drawn and artistically made. The music is gorgeous. We get totally into the pictures and want more. Special Mention goes to “The wolf has come” Special Mention går til en film med interessant budskap. Har en poetiskrytme. Vi elsker at den er håndtegnet og kunstnerisk laget. Musikken ernydelig. Vi lever oss inn i bildene og vil ha mer.Special Mention går til «The wolf has come»
Winner: 9 Million Colors (directed by Bára Anna)
This year’s winner. The jury was unanimous. The film is artistic, colorful, vulnerable and surprising. Lovely rhythm and playful. We love it. It’s just plain digg-able. The winner and the prize goes to “9 Million Colors” Årets vinner. Juryen var enstemmig. Filmen er kunstnerisk, fargerik,sårbar og overraskende. Herlig rytme og leken. Vi elsker den. Den erdiggbar rett og slett.Vinneren og prisen går til «9 Million Colors»
Lifetime Achievement
Winner Eija Saarinen
Nordic-baltic Feature Film Competition
Winner: Dante (directed by Linda Hambäck)
We have chosen a film that feels fresh, fun and original.A film that strikes a wonderful balance between excitement and humor.A multi layered story that entertained us from beginning to end, while reminding us of something important: the value of friendship, and the difference between what we have and who we are.The animation was excellent, and the film’s outstanding voice performances elevated the experience.We fell in love with a wonderful puzzle detective adventure, which literally showed us that sometimes you have to go through some shit to discover what really matters.
Audience Award
Winner: PLEASE (directed by Anna Mantzaris)
FIPRESCI Award
Winner: Uka-uka (directed by Henri Veermäe)
The film is a powerful black comedy that seamlessly blends a wide range of techniques, from 3D animation to puppetry, bringing its characters to life across diverse settings through compelling cinematography. Its dark humour is delivered with impeccable timing, embracing the absurd to striking effect.
Nordic-baltic Student Film Competition
Winner: things that i was gathering (directed by Ekaterina Zhuzhleva)
The award goes to a film we found deeply moving, urgent, human and most of all brave. It explores an extremely di[icult life decision, that a young person has to make. And following that decision, the film elaborates on the shame of giving up, the shame of choosing to escape, and the shame of violence committed in your name. Using an imaginative visual and auditive language, the film is incredibly densely but e[iciently told. In its very short running time of six minutes, this little film says a lot, and continues to stay with us. The Best Nordic-Baltic Student Film Award of 2026 goes to things that I was gathering directed by Ekaterina Zhuzhleva
Global Short Film Competition
Special Mention: Eri (directed by Honami Yano)
The jury would like to recognize an additional film from the Global Shorts programme that explores unrequited love, and the magical thinking that comes from it. Using a fluid and surreal technique we are taken into the interior world of a young cow in a field, experiencing her first love. But also struggling with how to deal with it. The film’s poetic visual and auditive language is transportive and beautiful. A Special Mention for the Global Short Film programme goes to Eri, directed by Honami Yano
Winner: God is shy (directed by Jocelyn Charles)
With a fantastic script as a foundation, this film evolves into a truly creepy and fascinating tale of fear, obsession and the search for the meaning of life. The film’s esthetic choices support the vision all the way. The unnatural and ever-shifting color palate gives even everyday conversations a sense of discomfort. Evolving proportions and narrative perspectives, intense close-ups and lots of bodily fluids make this film a roller coaster ride you can’t get o[, but also that you don’t want to. The Best Global Short Film Award of 2026 goes to God is shy, directed by Jocelyn Charles
Nordic-baltic Short Film Competition
Winner: Uka-uka (directed by Henri Veermäe)
The winning film is quite twisted, and has a lot of unexpected twists. It is an expertly told story, and a very funny and brutal film. But carrying us through all of it is the filmmaker’s big heart for all his characters. Particularly of course for the young boy who is coming of age in his own curious way. The coming of age theme also resonnates in the setting of the film, which depicts a society on a bridge between its past and its future. The film has exquisite stop motion technique, production design and character design. And unforgettable sound design of that one, crucial moment no-one could see coming! The little boy ends up fine in the end, and we hope all the best for him. Perhaps we can get to see his films in the future, now that he has such a great new camera. The Best Nordic-Baltic Short Film Award of 2026 goes to Uka-uka directed by Erik Heinsalu
Grand Prix
Winner: KYIV CAKE (directed by Mykyta Lyskov)
At first, we had no idea what we were watching – but we loved it from the first second. This unique film grabbed us and then introduced us to the everyday life of a very particular family, living in an apartment building and struggling to get by. But the film also takes a turn for the surreal, grotesque and often comical, as we learn more about this strange trio. At the same time the real world comes into focus as it becomes apparent that the family are targets of Russian attacks, and tragedy strikes not only their city and their building, but also the family itself. With boundless creativity and wild swings between humor and brutality, this film leaves us with a powerful message about the cost of war. The Fredrikstad Animation Festival Grand Prix Award of 2026 goes to Kyiv cake directed by Mykyta Lyskov