"Al Otro Lado" Wins First Prize at Athens Animfest in its International Premiere
The fourth-year animated short Al Otro Lado, developed by students of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Art and Animation at DigiPen Institute of Technology Europe-Bilbao, has been awarded First Prize in the student animation category at the 21st edition of Athens Animfest, held this weekend in Greece.
This recognition represents a particularly significant milestone for the project, as the festival also hosted its international premiere, marking its debut on the festival circuit and earning an award in its category from the outset.
Directed by Leyre Fernández and created under the team name Piparrak, Al Otro Lado tells the story of Rufi, an elderly woman who lives isolated from the world alongside her only companion, a taxidermied dog. Her daily routine, marked by online gaming and voluntary isolation, is disrupted by the arrival of her eccentric neighbor Bob, whose chaotic lifestyle—living in a caravan transformed into a private jungle and behaving unpredictably—gradually transforms Rufi’s apparent calm into an unexpectedly stimulating experience.
The short film is the result of collaborative work by students of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Art and Animation, with contributions across areas such as character and environment modeling, animation, lighting, compositing, and conceptual development. The team is composed of Leyre Fernández, Antton Gorroño, Leire Martínez, June San Sebastián, Irune Aguirreazaldegi, Javier Martínez, and Pablo Esteo, with the collaboration of Íñigo Jiménez in 2D FX.
Leyre Fernandez
BFA in Digital Art and Animation
Role: Character and Background Modelling, Materials, Lighting, Rendering
Antton Gorroño
BFA in Digital Art and Animation
Role: Storyboard, Layout, Animation, Motion Design, Background Modelling
Leire Martínez
BFA in Digital Art and Animation
Role: Background Modelling, Animation, Rendering, Concept Art
June San Sebastian
BFA in Digital Art and Animation
Role: Character and Background Modelling, Texturing, Matte Painting, Concept Art
Irune Aguirreazaldegui
BFA in Digital Art and Animation
Role: Storyboard, Layout, Animation
Javier Martínez
BFA in Digital Art and Animation
Role: Rigging, Animation
Pablo Esteo
BFA in Digital Art and Animation
Role: Character Modelling, Animation
Iñigo Jimenez
Collaborating Artist
Role: 2D FX
Following its international premiere, Al Otro Lado continues its journey through the festival circuit. The short film has been presented at Talentu Gazteak 2025, selected for the Málaga Short Corner at the 2026 Málaga Film Festival, and is part of the official selection of the 15th CHILEMONOS International Animation Festival in Chile, one of the qualifying festivals for the Goya Awards and the Academy Awards.
Awards and Recognition
Official Selections and Screenings
View Artbook
The award at Athens Animfest reinforces the international presence of student productions from DigiPen Europe-Bilbao, consolidating the project’s trajectory within the animation festival circuit and highlighting the global reach of work developed in its digital art and animation programs.
