Winning works
The winners of the ISCA2025 have been announced, and their comments and films are now available!
We were also presenting the Sónar Award as a special prize this year!
Domestic Video Content Category
Grand Prize
Q
Graduate School, Tama Art University
Masataka Kihara
In the middle of the night, a man crashed his motorcycle alone on a mountain road. That was the trigger.
Footage that followed the man who should have appeared as a ghost, but was not a ghost.
Footage that followed the man who should have appeared as a ghost, but was not a ghost.
Comment by the winner
I am deeply honored to have received the Grand Prize at ISCA2025. I am delighted that my work has been selected for this award. Thank you very much.
Matsumoto Toshio Prize
I
Graduate School, Tokyo University of the Arts
HSU, Chih-Chen
The candle burns. In a dark, endless dream, where am I? Memories, emotions, and desires condense in time-spaces, metamorphosing into shifting forms.
Comment by the winner
I am deeply honored to receive the Toshio Matsumoto Award.
I also express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone at ISCA for cherishing the spirit of experimentation.
It was a great pleasure to see diverse works from around the world and to interact with their creators!
I intend to continue creating, striving to expand new possibilities for animation expression.
I also express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone at ISCA for cherishing the spirit of experimentation.
It was a great pleasure to see diverse works from around the world and to interact with their creators!
I intend to continue creating, striving to expand new possibilities for animation expression.
1st Prize
Mountains are alive
Image Forum Institute of Moving Image
Hinako Kikkawa
A mountain-loving grandmother spent more time lying down. When facing something changing, a sense of the unknown sticks to you. When realizing the eyes gazing at the scenery and at her are the same, it turns to relief.
Comment by the winner
I am truly grateful to receive this award. It was an invaluable experience to connect with the other winners and judges. I look forward to continuing my exploration of the landscapes of mountains and the body.
1st Prize
Trans
Graduate School, Tokyo University of the Arts
Nizi
This work is a journey through the inner and outer worlds I have experienced over the past decade or so. The dialogue is woven together by my multiple personalities; it is both a diary for them and a documentary record.
Comment by the winner
Wow~~~, I've earned money for my creative work.
I hope to continue interacting with everyone I meet from now on.
I hope to continue interacting with everyone I meet from now on.
2nd Prize
dipolar bipolar
Graduate School, Tokyo Zokei University
li quankai
The title of this work is "dipolar bipolar," meaning "two extremes," symbolizing the two extreme states of bipolar disorder. The story is about having many stones, a cat, and a dog inside my head.
Comment by the winner
I feel honoured that this work has been recognised and cherished by so many. During its creation, I found myself torn between the themes of "liking and disliking". Yet imperfection is part of our human nature. Not being overly critical of ourselves and accepting our flaws is surely a lifelong challenge we all face. May everything be gently protected.
2nd Prize
GOOD-MOURNING
Graduate School, Tokyo University of the Arts
Nina Tsuji
Keiko Hasegawa (34) was living a ordinary life working at a funeral home in countryside. One day, she was in charge of a strange funeral. Will she manage to get through today's job without incident?
Comment by the winner
Thank you very much for this valuable opportunity.
I was able to interact with people pursuing various directions and gained good inspiration.
I was able to interact with people pursuing various directions and gained good inspiration.
2nd Prize
Sónar Prize
8
Osaka University of Arts
Reo Shimotani
Hachi, 27, feels lonely as days rush by, his heart unsatisfied. In dreams, his life flashes before him. A short film that realistically portrays his inner questioning.
Comment by the winner
Thank you for awarding me the 2nd prize and the Sónar Prize.
I am truly delighted that the feelings I put into this work have reached you.
Life is full of moments where you feel like you're being swallowed up by a whirlpool of negativity, but each time I face this work, I somehow feel it helps me.
I am truly delighted that the feelings I put into this work have reached you.
Life is full of moments where you feel like you're being swallowed up by a whirlpool of negativity, but each time I face this work, I somehow feel it helps me.
3rd Prize
Today's traveler～katatebukuro～
Nihon Kogakuin College
Team kyoutabi Itsuki Goto
Everyone has seen a single lost glove before. This program follows a traveler who has spent 20 years searching for such gloves—over 5,000 of them. Who is this one-of-a-kind "single-glove researcher"?
Comment by the winner
I am truly delighted that the work I created with my friends as my graduation project has been recognized in this way.
This work is a trilogy consisting of "One Glove," "Chair," and "Moss," all of which can be found in the city. I hope that these things, which we usually see as "ordinary," can become "irreplaceable" for someone, and that a small change might occur in what everyone takes for granted.
This work is a trilogy consisting of "One Glove," "Chair," and "Moss," all of which can be found in the city. I hope that these things, which we usually see as "ordinary," can become "irreplaceable" for someone, and that a small change might occur in what everyone takes for granted.
3rd Prize
Ms.Understoned
Nagoya University of Arts and Sciences
Yuki Buma
Health and Physical Education textbooks say, "Women become more rounded," evoking stones shaping in a river. Words and acts confined to boundaries scratch the mirror, blocking emotional reflection.
Comment by the winner
Thank you for selecting my work as an award winner.
I would be delighted if audiences viewing it find it a chance to reexamine the "boundaries" within themselves.
Thank you for this precious and wonderful opportunity.
I would be delighted if audiences viewing it find it a chance to reexamine the "boundaries" within themselves.
Thank you for this precious and wonderful opportunity.
3rd Prize
Mackerel-man
Kobe Design University
Rintaro Uekawa
Mail carrier Momo receives a letter every time she delivers a package to Mackerel Man's house. One day, Momo finds Mackerel Man runnings an ice cream stand by the roadside.
Comment by the winner
To create "Mackerel-man" began as a challenge to create a Hong Kong noir using CG.
Made with barely enough money or time, it was created purely out of the desire to shoot it.
I'm truly happy that the story of an ordinary person—neither a hero nor a genius, just someone a little messed up—has been received in such a special way. My deepest gratitude to everyone who supported us.
Made with barely enough money or time, it was created purely out of the desire to shoot it.
I'm truly happy that the story of an ordinary person—neither a hero nor a genius, just someone a little messed up—has been received in such a special way. My deepest gratitude to everyone who supported us.
International Video Content Category
Grand Prize
Wormwood
by Matthieu Dupille
from Les Gobelins Paris
(France)
The day the radiation disappears, Simon rushes to the heart of the zone, taking his colleague Agathe with him, in the hope of rediscovering a lost past.
Comment by the winner
Thanks to the festival for the invitation and the award.
These three days have been such a great opportunity to connect with various filmmakers and discover their works.
These three days have been such a great opportunity to connect with various filmmakers and discover their works.
1st Prize
Sónar Prize
The Shyness of Trees
by Simin He
from Les Gobelins Paris
(France)
Hélène visits her aging mother in the French countryside, only to find she's formed a mysterious bond with plants, insects, and an old oak tree.
Comment by the winner
We are truly honored to be one of the international awards winners at ISCA2025. Our film was jointly created by seven directors. Coming to Osaka, Japan to participate in the film festival and exchange ideas with talented people from all over the world has been an invaluable experience. We sincerely thank ISCA for organizing the event and for their support.
1st Prize
MIRROR
by Lee Cui
from University of California, Santa Barbara
(USA)
Lost in a shifting nightmare of mirrors, Naraka searches for the truth. As reflections distort, she uncovers a haunting reality: she is merely a brain suspended in water, trapped in an unreal reality.
Comment by the winner
Thank you so much ISCA2025. It's such an honor to receive this amazing award and I'm so excited to continue my creative journey! I'll remember ISCA2025 forever and thank you so much again for everything! Such a great opportunity to learn and meet with other fantastic artists! Shout out to everyone that works so hard to make this happen!
2nd Prize
Breaking Language
by Sofía Castro
from Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero
(Argentina)
Breaking Language follows four Deaf artists exploring identity, resistance, and feminism through Argentinian Sign Language, dance, and documentary.
Comment by the winner
Thanks to the ISCA team for selecting and awarding my short film. It's wonderful to have come this far and to have been able to share it with their extraordinary audience of colleagues and mentors. The festival was a very warm and enriching experience.
2nd Prize
Imagine Another Life
by Yi Zhao
from China Academy of Art
(China)
Welcome, snail shell! Let's go find snails in plant landscapes and take a peek inside their shells. Imagine the first slug leaving the snail shell.
Comment by the winner
I'm truly delighted that my graduation animated short film has brought me to Osaka for this event. This work was born during a time of deep uncertainty in my life yet here and now, I can truly feel its power. I would like to thank the event for giving this very personal piece the opportunity to reach so many viewers and for allowing me to connect and share with fellow creators.
2nd Prize
Taxidermist
by Sousan Salamat
from Iran University of Art
(Iran)
Shahbaz, a taxidermist and animal smuggler, takes a road trip to deliver a strange order to a client. A series of unexpected events turns Shahbaz from predator to prey.
Comment by the winner
Being recognized in this creative gathering is both inspiring and humbling.
I am grateful to knowledge Capital for providing this film and contributed to the bringing it to life.
I am grateful to knowledge Capital for providing this film and contributed to the bringing it to life.
Digital Content Category (Japan Domestic Only)
Grand Prize
SENSHO
Tokyo Metropolitan University
Ryuichi Ono
An interactive work that generates real-time visual effects—color shifts and glitches—on a sculpture, which further change when touched, extending the experience into the viewer's body.
Comment by the winner
I am delighted that my daily explorations and attempts have been evaluated in this way.
With gratitude to everyone who has supported me, I intend to continue deepening my own unique expression.
With gratitude to everyone who has supported me, I intend to continue deepening my own unique expression.
1st Prize
Glow-shapes (flowers)
Graduate School, Waseda University
Yuta Okuno
Behind arranged flowers lie cut, discarded stems. Using florist scraps and "Glow-shapes," we illuminate them, making the flowers bloom one final time.
Comment by the winner
I am truly delighted to receive this award.
At the venue, many people peered intently at the work. If it touched anyone's heart even a little, and if the stems were happy, I would be very pleased.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who supported me. Thank you very much!
At the venue, many people peered intently at the work. If it touched anyone's heart even a little, and if the stems were happy, I would be very pleased.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who supported me. Thank you very much!
1st Prize
Archive of Vitality
Ritsumeikan University
Kizuki Imai
This work reimagines human-object relationships by giving objects renewed vitality and visualizing their real-world impact. The noise-distorted reality reveals the world as it should be.
Comment by the winner
I am deeply honored to receive this award and the wonderful opportunity to exhibit.
With the experience gained over these three days and the positive feedback from the judges, I will continue to dedicate myself to my creative work.
I extend my gratitude to the professor who provided this opportunity and to everyone involved in organizing the event.
With the experience gained over these three days and the positive feedback from the judges, I will continue to dedicate myself to my creative work.
I extend my gratitude to the professor who provided this opportunity and to everyone involved in organizing the event.
2nd Prize
InThread
Keio University Graduate School of Media Design (KMD)
Innamia Indriani
InThread is an interactive fabrication tools that designed to bring digital augmentation to the traditional handloom. This approach considers the desire of weavers to benefit from the control and efficiency of digital tools while maintaining the hands-on freedom and adaptability inherent in traditional weaving practices.
Comment by the winner
I am extremely grateful for the opportunity given to me by ISCA2025. I was able to introduce my project, meet and receive feedbacks from other participants and judges.
I feel incredibly grateful and thankful to everyone involved.
I feel incredibly grateful and thankful to everyone involved.
2nd Prize
InfinityGames
Osaka University of Arts
Kento Kusumoto
This interactive art explores recursive structures—a game within a game within a game—and presents successive appearances of various game genres, including the player.
Comment by the winner
Thank you very much for selecting my work as the 2nd prize.
I would like to express my gratitude to everyone involved who assisted me in creating this piece.
I will take the feedback provided in the judging comments into consideration for my future work.
Thank you.
I would like to express my gratitude to everyone involved who assisted me in creating this piece.
I will take the feedback provided in the judging comments into consideration for my future work.
Thank you.
3rd Prize
The Lab. Prize
YOKAI MOJIATSUME
SAPPORO CITY UNIVERSITY
NIHONGO DESIGN LAB SHIRO Ogawa Kohina
"Monster Font Collector" is a project where monsters that "eat" handwritten characters generate fonts, visualizing the joy of writing and the individuality of characters.
Comment by the winner
We are deeply honored and grateful to have been selected for the winning entry and the The Lab. The world's best laboratory for everyone by everyone Prize. All members of our research group are immensely delighted and feel truly privileged.
We sincerely hope that through "YOKAI MOJIATSUME" you have experienced the fascinating aspects of the Japanese language.
We will continue to explore Japanese from multiple perspectives and strive diligently in our creative endeavors.
We sincerely hope that through "YOKAI MOJIATSUME" you have experienced the fascinating aspects of the Japanese language.
We will continue to explore Japanese from multiple perspectives and strive diligently in our creative endeavors.
3rd Prize
Element
Graduate School of Tokyo University of the Arts
Yuki Kimura
Watching moving objects with your eyes is fun. <Element> is a small specimen of animation focused on primal experiences.
Comment by the winner
Thank you very much for this opportunity to exhibit my work.
Surrounded by such diverse pieces, I was also inspired by the scale of the award.
I also had encounters that provided valuable insights for future projects, making it a truly rewarding experience.
Surrounded by such diverse pieces, I was also inspired by the scale of the award.
I also had encounters that provided valuable insights for future projects, making it a truly rewarding experience.
3rd Prize
Sónar Prize
Breathing the Chaos
Graduate School, Musashino Art University
WANG XI
An installation that visualizes the process by which life and order emerge through human intent, achieved through the interplay of soft robotics and generative AI imagery.
Comment by the winner
I am truly grateful to receive such a wonderful award.
Through my work "Breathing the Chaos," I attempted to give form to the theme of how human intent and small physical movements can momentarily establish order and life within chaos.
I will take this experience as encouragement and continue to explore the possibilities of expression.
Through my work "Breathing the Chaos," I attempted to give form to the theme of how human intent and small physical movements can momentarily establish order and life within chaos.
I will take this experience as encouragement and continue to explore the possibilities of expression.
3rd Prize
Performing catch
Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences
Asuka Ishii
Three people use a chat app where past posts are hidden, tasked to "make the conversation succeed." Their attempts reveal how dialogue drifts from ideal to mere formality.
Comment by the winner
Thank you for selecting my work for a finalist.
I am deeply honored that this piece was selected from among the submissions, and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in its performance.
I will continue my creative and research endeavors, guided by the valuable feedback I have received.
I am deeply honored that this piece was selected from among the submissions, and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in its performance.
I will continue my creative and research endeavors, guided by the valuable feedback I have received.
3rd Prize
"" feat. AI, Artist
Kwansei Gakuin University
Shin Hirayama
To address the loss of "aura" in AI-generated works, we propose human-AI co-creation via improvisation, showing that a new aura emerges precisely through this collaborative process.
Comment by the winner
I am truly grateful to have received this award.
I am deeply appreciative of the valuable feedback from the judges and will strive to apply it to my future creative endeavors.
I am deeply appreciative of the valuable feedback from the judges and will strive to apply it to my future creative endeavors.
The Lab. Prize
The Lab. The World's Best Laboratory for Everyone by Everyone Award was newly established last year, and one work will be selected from the Digital Content Category winners.
The selected work will be exhibited for a limited time at The Lab. in Knowledge Capital in 2026.
Click here for more information about The Lab.
The Lab. Prize
YOKAI MOJIATSUME
SAPPORO CITY UNIVERSITY
NIHONGO DESIGN LAB SHIRO Ogawa Kohina
"Monster Font Collector" is a project where monsters that "eat" handwritten characters generate fonts, visualizing the joy of writing and the individuality of characters.
Comment by the winner
We are deeply honored and grateful to have been selected for the winning entry and the The Lab. The world's best laboratory for everyone by everyone Prize. All members of our research group are immensely delighted and feel truly privileged.
We sincerely hope that through "YOKAI MOJIATSUME" you have experienced the fascinating aspects of the Japanese language.
We will continue to explore Japanese from multiple perspectives and strive diligently in our creative endeavors.
We sincerely hope that through "YOKAI MOJIATSUME" you have experienced the fascinating aspects of the Japanese language.
We will continue to explore Japanese from multiple perspectives and strive diligently in our creative endeavors.
Sónar Prize
At ISCA2025, we presented a special talk program featuring Sónar, a renowned urban music festival based in Barcelona with a global reach.
Additionally, one work from each category was selected for the Sónar Award as a special prize.
The winners received Sónar novelty items and VIP passes to the 2026 event!
This initiative created opportunities for ISCA award winners to venture overseas.
Sónar Prize
8
Osaka University of Arts
Reo Shimotani
Hachi, 27, feels lonely as days rush by, his heart unsatisfied. In dreams, his life flashes before him. A short film that realistically portrays his inner questioning.
Comment by the winner
Thank you for awarding me the 2nd prize and the Sónar Prize.
I am truly delighted that the feelings I put into this work have reached you.
Life is full of moments where you feel like you're being swallowed up by a whirlpool of negativity, but each time I face this work, I somehow feel it helps me.
I am truly delighted that the feelings I put into this work have reached you.
Life is full of moments where you feel like you're being swallowed up by a whirlpool of negativity, but each time I face this work, I somehow feel it helps me.
Sónar Prize
The Shyness of Trees
by Simin He
from Les Gobelins Paris
(France)
Hélène visits her aging mother in the French countryside, only to find she's formed a mysterious bond with plants, insects, and an old oak tree.
Comment by the winner
We are truly honored to be one of the international awards winners at ISCA2025. Our film was jointly created by seven directors. Coming to Osaka, Japan to participate in the film festival and exchange ideas with talented people from all over the world has been an invaluable experience. We sincerely thank ISCA for organizing the event and for their support.
Sónar Prize
Breathing the Chaos
Graduate School, Musashino Art University
WANG XI
An installation that visualizes the process by which life and order emerge through human intent, achieved through the interplay of soft robotics and generative AI imagery.
Comment by the winner
I am truly grateful to receive such a wonderful award.
Through my work "Breathing the Chaos," I attempted to give form to the theme of how human intent and small physical movements can momentarily establish order and life within chaos.
I will take this experience as encouragement and continue to explore the possibilities of expression.
Through my work "Breathing the Chaos," I attempted to give form to the theme of how human intent and small physical movements can momentarily establish order and life within chaos.
I will take this experience as encouragement and continue to explore the possibilities of expression.
