Published: August 9, 2025
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the finalists for the prestigious Student Academy Awards, with FAMU student Philippe Kastner earning a place in the animation category for his short film Wolfie. The film is one of only seven selected worldwide in the category and will compete for one of the most respected accolades in student filmmaking. Winners of the 52nd edition will be revealed in New York City on October 6, 2025.
This year’s competition features 28 films from 27 film schools across nine countries, divided into four categories: experimental, animated, documentary, and feature films. Wolfie tells the story of a perfectionist illustrator whose animated wolf character, created with an accidental ink blot for a nose, disrupts her meticulous world but ultimately teaches her to embrace imperfections. “The core idea behind my film is accepting one’s own flaws and shortcomings,” said Kastner. “When creating, it’s important to work with errors and accidents that can bring character and ‘soul’ into your work.”
Vice-Dean for Public Relations and Development Vít Schmarc praised the film for its emotional and poetic depth, noting that it reflects the remarkable creativity within FAMU’s Department of Animated Film. “Thanks to Philippe Kastner, we see again how distinctive artistic visions continue to develop here,” he said.
The Student Academy Awards have recognized outstanding student films since 1972, aiming to encourage new talent and foster international creative connections. To date, three Czech films have won the award: Jan Svěrák’s graduation mockumentary Oil Gobblers, Daria Kashcheeva’s animated Daughter in 2019, and The Compatriot by Pavel Sýkora and Viktor Horák from FAMO.
Wolfie was written and directed by Philippe Kastner, with sound design by David Procházka, editing by Prokop Prčík, and production by FAMU. The 13-minute film was completed in 2025 and represents the Czech Republic in this year’s competition.
Source: Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU)
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