"pained reaction to his psychorealistic portrayal", stating that he was not fond of his "skeleton image". Landreth stated that Larkin first found his character's appearance in the film disturbing, but came to like it after realizing that all the characters in the film had a "disconnected, distorted appearance". Accolades By 2007, the film had won over 60 awards, including: Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film (77th Academy Awards, 2004) Annecy International Animated Film Festival Jury's Special Award (2004) CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival Best Canadian Short (2004) Cannes Film Festival Kodak Discovery Award (2004) Cannes Film Festival Canal+ Award (2004) Cannes Film Festival Young Critics Award Best Short Film (2004) Columbus International Film & Video Festival The Arts Silver Chris Award (2004) Cork Film Festival Audience Award for Best International Short Film (2005) Dok Leipzig Golden Dove, Animated Film (47th International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film, 2004) Genie Award Best Animated Short (25th Genie Awards, 2005) ION International Animation, Games and Short Film Festival "Animation of the Year" Award (2004) Ottawa International Animation Festival Nelvana Grand Prix for Independent Short Film (2004) Prix Ars Electronica Golden Nica for Computer Animation/Visual Effects (2004) Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival Grand Prize for Short Film (2005) San Francisco International Film Festival Golden Gate Award, Animated Short (2005) SIGGRAPH Jury Award (2004) Tampere Film Festival Best Animation (2005) Uppsala International Short Film Festival Special Jury Prize (2004) Valladolid International Film Festival Golden Spike, Short Film (2004) Victoria Film Festival Best Short Animation (2005) The film also received honourable mention at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival for short filmmaking. It was one of Canada's Top Ten features of 2004 compiled by the Toronto International Film Festival. Larkin attended the Ottawa International Animation Festival, and when it was announced as the grand prize winner, accompanied Landreth to the stage and "took a bow". The NFB invited Larkin to attend the Academy Awards, but he declined the offer. The NFB sent staff to Los Angeles one month before the Academy Awards in order to promote Ryan, the "most aggressive Oscar campaign" it had ever undertaken. Landreth dedicated the Academy Award to Larkin, stating in his acceptance speech that receiving the award was made possible because of "the grace and humility of one guy watching in Montreal". Larkin was watching the Academy Awards with friends at Copacabana, his favourite Montreal bar which he also referred