IIT Guwahati win 24-hr international animation contest beating 3,820 entries
The theme for this year’s contest, ‘Flip Your Perspective’, challenged participants to produce a 30-second animated short film within 24 hours.
Guwahati, Oct 25: Students from IIT Guwahati have clinched the first prize at the 24 hourscontest 2025, an international 24-hour animation challenge organised by Toon Boom Animation. This year’s competition drew entries from 185 institutions across 35 countries.
Under the guidance of Dr Mriganka Madhukaillya, assistant professor in the Department of Design, the team comprising Arin Bandyopadhyay, Aditya Ravi Pawar, Aseel Pasha, and S Balasankar triumphed over 764 teams and 3,820 students worldwide to claim the top honour.
The theme for this year’s contest, ‘Flip Your Perspective’, challenged participants to produce a 30-second animated short film within 24 hours. The IIT Guwahati team impressed the judges with their inventive storytelling and technical mastery, securing the coveted first place among hundreds of international entries.
Congratulating the winners, IIT Guwahati Director Professor Devendra Jalihal said, “This achievement reflects the creativity and hard work of our students and faculty. Winning an international competition of this scale is a testament to the world-class talent nurtured at IIT Guwahati.”
The 24hourscontest is renowned for pushing participants to balance creativity with precision under extreme time pressure. Teams receive the theme at midnight and must complete all stages, from storyboarding to final animation, within the 24-hour window.
Pre-made artwork or models are not allowed, ensuring originality, and AI-generated visuals or sound are strictly prohibited. Late submissions, even by a single second, result in disqualification, underscoring the contest’s professional rigor.
This year’s competition was sponsored by leading studios including Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Sony Pictures Animation, Nickelodeon, Warner Bros. Animation, Bento Box, Netflix, Cartoon Saloon, Illumination, DreamWorks, Wacom, XP-Pen, ASIFA Hollywood, Animation Is Film Festival, and Toon Boom Animation.
As first-prize winners, the IIT Guwahati team will receive student passes to the Toronto Animation Arts Festival International (TAAFI) 2026, along with professional animation software licenses, studio memberships, and mentorship sessions with Disney animators, among other rewards.
By
Staff Reporter