Overview

• Eckerlin took the top Animation honor at the 52nd Student Academy Awards in New York, selected from more than 3,000 entries submitted by nearly 1,000 schools worldwide.
• The approximately nine-minute film portrays a London air-raid warden who finds hope while caring for an injured sparrow during the Second World War.
• The story draws on the wartime diaries of Clare Kipps, who documented raising a sparrow named Clarence.
• The director spent about three years on the production with a team exceeding 50 collaborators, crafting a dialogue-free narrative that leans on music, light and intricate feather animation.
• All winners are now eligible to enter the Academy Awards short-film categories in 2026, underscoring the Student Academy Awards’ reputation as a career springboard.