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Weary of daily life in his native village of Chelm, Shmendrik sets out on a quest for knowledge that brings him to a new Chelm, a place remarkably like the old Chelm, down to the chicken's reminiscent clucks. Based on a Jewish folk tale, adapted by John Lazarus, Village of Idiots is the story of Shmendrik's new life and its uncanny closeness to his old life; offering an extremely funny take on our tendency to romanticize what we don't have.

The animators filmed paper cut-outs on layers of glass to achieve the rich, textured visuals.

1999, 12 min 41 s

Le Village des idiots

Histoires et destinées - DVD/Stories and Destinies - DVD

Mind Games

Grand Prize Audience Award - with a prize of 1,000$US in film stock
International Children's Film Festival
March 1 to 10 2002, New York - USA

Award for Best of International Session 6
International Animation Festival
June 26 to July 1 2001, Melbourne - Australia

Silver Star Award for Best Experimental Animation
California SUN International Animation Festival
March 23 to 24 2001, Beverly Hills - USA

Genie Award for Best Animated Short
Genie Awards
January 29 2001, Toronto - Canada

First Prize - Category: Animation - with a cash prize of 200$US
International Jewish Video Competition of the Judah L. Magnes Museum
October 25 2000, Berkeley - USA

Grand Prize
Int’l Festival of Animated Films / I Castelli Animati
October 4 to 8 2000, Genzano - Italy

Renzo Kinoshita award - with a cash prize of 250,000 yen ($3,450Cdn)
International Animation Festival
August 24 to 28 2000, Hiroshima - Japan

Second Place - Category: Animation Competition - with a cash prize of 500$US
International Short Film Festival
August 1 to 7 2000, Palm Springs - USA

Grand Prize for Animation - with a cash award of 500,000PTE (3,450$Cdn)
International Short Film Festival
July 4 to 9 2000, Vila do Conde - Portugal

Second Prize - Category: B
World Festival of Animated Films
June 21 to 25 2000, Zagreb - Croatia

"Centaur" Award for Best Animation - with a cash prize of 2,000$US
Message to Man
June 15 to 22 2000, St. Petersburg - Russia

Special Jury Award
International Animated Film Festival
June 5 to 10 2000, Annecy - France

Jury Award sponsored by STA Travel - with a cash prize of 1,000$ (AUS)
Brisbane International Animation Festival
April 6 to 9 2000, Brisbane - Australia

Honorable Mention from the Jury RTP (Portuguese State Channel)
International Animated Film Festival / CINANIMA
November 8 to 14 1999, Espinho - Portugal

City of Espinho Award (Jury's Special Award) - with a cash prize of 500,000PTE (3,850$Cdn)
International Animated Film Festival / CINANIMA
November 8 to 14 1999, Espinho - Portugal

Audience Award
International Animated Film Festival / CINANIMA
November 8 to 14 1999, Espinho - Portugal

National Film Board of Canada Award for Best Animated Film - with a cash prize of 1,000$
International Film Festival
September 24 to October 10 1999, Vancouver - Canada

2nd Prize
Montreal World Film Festival
August 27 to September 6 1999, Montréal - Canada

FIPRESCI Award - Prize of the International Film Critics / For expressing the eternal and metaphysical questions of the human condition in a subtile, humorous and concise way.
Montreal World Film Festival
August 27 to September 6 1999, Montréal - Canada