Luping and Chanwai-Earle win imagineNATIVE Animated Short Award

Congratulations to DEGANZ members Jo Luping and Lynda Chanwai-Eearle on winning the 2026 imagineNATIVE Animated Short Award with I Duok Om I Bohuntung – The Owl and The Rainbow!

Written by Lynda and directed by Jo, the film tells the story of a mother who transforms herself to bring hope and colour back into the life of her daughter as she navigates depression.

Jo attended the festival in Toronto to accept the award (pictured above, right, alongside Ariāna Osborne, who won Outstanding Performance in a Feature for Mārama).

In announcing the award, jury member Stephan Sloane, Head of Animation at Blue Ant Media, said:

The jury awards this film for its deep and tender portrayal of a Mother’s love in the face of depression. Through rich, textured animation and emotionally resonant imagery, the film captures the gradual dimming of a child’s inner world, while illuminating the care and quiet strength and transformation required to guide her back to the path towards hope. It transforms a deeply personal story into something profoundly universal.

This is a significant achievement for the filmmaking team. imagineNATIVE is the world’s largest presenter of Indigenous screen content and is internationally recognised for its excellence, innovation, and leadership in Indigenous media arts.

Last updated on 18 June 2026