In Sickness - The Animation School

We are proud to announce that The New York Festivals International Television & Film Awards has rewarded graduates of The Animation School the 2011 GOLD WORLD MEDAL, recognising their entry "In Sickness" as the world's best in the Short Animation Film category.

This Short Film Animation Project has been created by students of The Animation School to gain vital work experience. They study more about scripting, on-set production which includes post production where such skills
as editing, sound recording, special effects creation and compositing are learnt.

ANIMATORS: Ian Van Heerden, Benito Kok, Johan Combrink, Chris Eloff, Peter Backeberg.

[CheeseRaT]

It was about the struggle to survive that a sick man has. The little monsters signified the disease, the man in white who fights the monsters, is the medicine (or doctors), but they failed, and as a result the monsters turned into death itself. That ghost thing, afterwords becoming that woman, was probably his wife. In the end the Death touched him, and he died, he lost the battle. In the final part in the hospital, the doctor notes the time of death of that man. Very touching and sad...

[SarrasiHope]

Everyone runs from sickness... you run and run and the doctors fight to save you but sometimes Death is inevitable. But when he comes, although you can run, the best thing and sometimes only thing you can do is treasure those precious moments with your loved ones

[Loki-mfjs]

I can see why this animation won, it was amazing! The animation had great music and the movements of the characters was amazing! The story was sad yet beautiful at the same time. The wife trying to take him away from death and giving him one last kiss was so emotional. I know people say " why does it have to be sad? Make it happy" but this animation is showing something people can connect to and really feel for it

[helloresa]

I understood is this way: the creatures that attack the man are viruses/sickness. At the onset of the attack of the sickness the man goes to the doctor, whom he does not initially trust. Nevertheless, the doctor does his best to battle his patient's sickness using medicine as his weapon, denoted by the two needles/syringes he wields. Despite the doctor's best efforts and initial success, the sickness proves too much for him to handle (and he is defeated). The viruses/sickness converge on the patient and manifest as Death. The man shares a moment with his wife and finds peace before he passes away.

[Chillazilla]

It's nice to see that someone can show beauty in sadness. He felt alone and afraid until the woman that he loved was in his arms once more. His final thoughts were of peace and comfort- how is that depressing?

[hlastyanto]

So in the sickman's realm those dogs are the disease, the woman is his wife, the ninja is his doctor. But at the end the death came to him and its the best end for him because he doesnt need to be suffer anymore, thats why the surroundings turns bright. I think thats the message I catch from the story. Good job.

[guidosilva]

To aqui por causa da musica de Catedral-estações

[BirdBrownMRB]

I've never cried so hard at a short film. Truly beautiful.

[TinkerBri]

oh my, that part when death touched him tugged my heart a little, that was such a beautiful moment :)

[elvisnguyen]

It's be pretty cool if doctors actually fought death like that.

[grayfoxfive]

This is a great piece of work. At 2:55 you can see that his wife knew at that point it was over, and it's hard to fully understand unless you've been there. My dad died from cancer, and there by his side my mom would have given anything for it to be her instead of him, but that's just not the way it is. We all die. Nothing can change that. Live life while you can.

[TheSnorlax]

I dislike that people display Death as evil.  Death is a neutral being... a natural being.  There can be no life without death.

One of the most... if not the most misunderstood entity in existence.

[canginero]

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

[airensantiago]

That's why It won the award...

- Beautiful animation
- Beautiful music
- Beautiful message

So that's I like

[siberianhuskybud]

i think it was better with the dark scary music... with the "every time we say goodbye" music it made it into one of those sappy stories... i think the dark scarry music pulled it all together and helped express his strugle with death and his letting go of life

[danielmartin]

To my aunt who pass away, who didnt fear the reaper . Gonna miss you xox

[lupettasolitaria]

This is amazing and...touching...I lost my father for a terrible sickness, and this animation made me cry a lot...it was exactly like this...since the miss him too much... =(
Wonderful work, really...

[ivyq]

For some reason, this animation made me smile an laugh the whole time...

[mostafask]

One of the greatest shortflim i ever saw.

[BetangaX]

My best wishes to you! With love and faith, everything that affects our body can be healed! I'l pray for your wellness!