Kota Kinabalu: A Sabahan-led animated short, “I Duok Om I Bohuntung, The Owl and The Rainbow,”
(pic) directed by Jo Luping, won the Animated Short Award at the ImagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival in Toronto, Canada, recently.
“The jury awards this film for its deep and tender portrayal of a mother’s love in the face of depression,” said Head of Animation at Blue Ant Media, Stephan Sloane.
“Through rich, textured animation and emotionally resonant imagery, the film captures the gradual dimming of a child’s inner world, while illuminating the care, quiet strength and transformation required to guide her back to the path towards hope,” he said.
The animated short film transforms a deeply personal story into something profoundly universal, marked by emotional honesty and a powerful expression of healing through animation.
The film was produced by LionFish Films. ImagineNATIVE is the world’s largest Indigenous film festival, which celebrated its 25th year in 2025.
The production drew on Sabahan cultural expertise, with the Kadazan Language Foundation and cultural advisor Rita Lasimbang among those credited. The animation crew from Siung Films included several Sabahan contributors.
The New Zealand Film Commission and Script to Screen supported the project, alongside the Pan-Asian Screen Collective and the Miramar Creative Centre.
