During the IFFR 2008 Awards Ceremony for Short Films on Monday, January 28, 2008 in Theatre Lantaren / Venster in Rotterdam, the winning short films of the 37th International Film Festival Rotterdam were announced. The three Tiger Awards for Short Film were granted to AH, LIBERTY! by Ben Rivers (United Kingdom), AS I LAY DYING by Ho Yuhang (Malaysia) and OBSERVANDO EL CIELO by Jeanne Liotta (United States). The Prix UIP Rotterdam Short Film Nominee for the European Film Awards was given to JOY by Joe Lawlor & Christine Molloy (United Kingdom)
The Prix UIP Jury gave a Special Mention to UNLITH van Mihai Grecu (France).


Tiger Awards Competition for Short Film
For the fourth edition of the Tiger Awards Competition for Short Film, twenty films of up to sixty minutes in length were selected, having their world, international or European premiere during IFFR 2008. Each of the three Tiger Awards for Short Film comes with a prize of 3,000 Euro. The jury for Tiger Awards for Short Film comprised Ms. Moniek Toebosch (The Netherlands), visual artist, Ms. Katia Rossini (Belgium), curator of Brussels-based film theatre and film distributor Cinema Nova and Mr. Mike Hoolboom (Canada).


The jury statements on the three winners:
AH, LIBERTY! by Ben Rivers (United Kingdom)
“For its compassion, its refusal of the sentimental, its quick witted montage and dramaturgy of the everyday.”

AS I LAY DYING by Ho Yuhang (Malaysia)
“For its picture perfect framings, its smooth and sure handed embrace.”

OBSERVANDO EL CIELO by Jeanne Liotta (United States)
“For its quest narrative of seeing, unafraid of beauty.”

Prix UIP Rotterdam 2008
For the third edition of the ‘Prix UIP Rotterdam Short Film Nominee for the European Film Awards’ fifteen European fiction films, of up to fifteen minutes, have been selected. The ‘Prix UIP Rotterdam Short Film Nominee for the European Film Awards’ jury comprised Dutch filmmakers Ms. Coco Schrijber and Ms. Sietske Tjallingii and Director of the Cork Film Festival Mr. Michael Hannigan (Ireland).The European Film Academy and UIP present a Prix UIP at fourteen film festivals across Europe. The prize includes 2,000 Euro and an automatic nomination for the European Film Awards. The 1,600 members of the European Film Academy then vote for the winner.

The jury statement on the winner:
JOY by Joe Lawlor & Christine Molloy (United Kingdom)

“This is a wonderfully cinematic short film where content and form are in perfect balance. With its deliberate slow-motion and skilfully choreographed construction, Joy takes us on a journey not just across the public park of its setting but on an intriguing imaginative journey.”

The jury statement on the Special Mention:
UNLITH by Mihai Grecu (France)

“An enchanting film that, with its strong visuals and hypnotic soundtrack, transports you into its own mysterious world and leaves you speechless.”