In addition, while attending the festival, he was awarded a special mention along with other selected short films from underrepresented countries and institutions.
Set in a semi-dystopian world, the short film *Dare: The Lion's Den* centers on a young, mute bounty hunter named Dare, who is attacked by a more experienced bounty hunter.
This is how they face off in a fight, during which the young man relives his dark past.
The short film was previously selected for screening at 20 festivals around the world and also won an award at the International Animation Festival at its 18th edition in theBest Uruguayan Short Film – Student Category.
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The festival was organized by Hong Kong Metropolitan University (China) on September 15 and 16.
Experience in Hong Kong
The student of Animation and Video Games learned about the festival through Film Freeway, a website that allows anyone to discover and apply to the world’s leading film festivals and screenwriting competitions, as well as providing access to tickets and events.
Without hesitation, he entered the festival to try his luck, just as he had done with the 97 other festivals to which he had submitted his short film.
A few months later, he received an email from the Chinese university announcing that his short film had been selected for screening and inviting him to visit the country.
It was amazing to have received that recognition there. It was surreal; I thought I was dreaming.
The trip, which lasted more than a week, gave Magnone the opportunity to take part in a wide variety of activities.
During his stay in Hong Kong, he visited various parts of the city, took part in experimental workshops, and interacted with students from around the world.
At the festival, he had the opportunity to meet educators from prestigious schools and leading figures in the world of animation.
Among them was Alexander Wu, an associate editor at DreamWorks Animation, who hosted the ceremony. Also in attendance wasKoji Morimoto, the animator who worked on the anime film Akira (1988).
"There were many opportunities for direct contact with those mentors; they weren't far away or out of reach—we talked to them as if they were just other students," the student explained.
At the end of the ceremony, he was invited onto the stage by the organizers, who presented him with a certificate of special recognition for his short film, along with other student projects from countries and institutions that are underrepresented.
I arrived completely exhausted from the trip, but with the feeling that if you give it your all, if you push yourself smartly and give it absolutely everything you’ve got, you can do it.
Vocational Journey
From an early age, Andrés Magnone showed a genuine interest in the world of 3D. At age 11, he came across a video about Blender (open-source software for 3D creation).
“I fell in love with it; it was like having an infinite number of worlds at my fingertips,”he recalls.
His initial involvement with animation began as a game, a form of creative exploration. At that stage, he modeled and animated characters, some of which he created himself and others he downloaded from the internet.
Fascinated by movement and action, he was drawn to dynamic action animations, fights, and stealth sequences.
When he began studying Animation and Video Games, the animated projects he created were the result of a more personal and expressive exploration.
For the course Film Narrative and Screenwriting he wrote the first draft of his short film Dare: The Lion's Den as a way to channel his emotions.
“There was a time when I was seething inside, really angry at myself and at the things I couldn’t do. Without even realizing it, I found a way to release that energy.”
His influences come mainly from contemporary animationthat combines 2D and 3D techniques, such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and Arcane (2019).
When using these techniques, the goal is not to combine them haphazardly, but to evoke a specific mood and emotions with each image without relying on additional elements.
The Impact of ORT on His Professional Career
Regarding his undergraduate studies at Universidad ORT Uruguay, he highlights the well-rounded education the program offers.
According to the student and animator, the combination of courses such as animation, design, photography, editing, and visual communication provides a solid foundation from the very beginning, allowing students to develop a critical and technical eye.
In addition, the support of teachers and classmates, along with the opportunity to experiment, make mistakes, and try again, fosters a deep and enriching learning process.
What are the World University Animation Awards?
The animation festival was held in the city's West Kowloon Cultural District, and both finalists and the jury had the opportunity to participate in masterclasses, professional workshops, and student exchange sessions organized by the university.
The event also featured pitching sessions with professionals from the animation industry and a special screening of the finalist short films, culminating in the awards ceremony on the evening of the second day.
Learn more about the
's Bachelor's Degree in Animation and Video Games