AUT design grads win at WAFF

The animated film More Than Magic by AUT Bachelor of Design graduates Catherine Jiang, Charll Enriquez, Akane Shibata, and Yoxuan Chin won the Jury Prize for outstanding creativity or innovation at the 2026 Wellington Animation Film Festival (WAFF) Student Animation Awards.

The Jury Prize, judged by a panel of animation industry professionals, recognizes a work for its originality, creativity, and excellence in execution.

More Than Magic follows a young girl called Luna and her adoptive mother, a witch called Myradia, as they navigate the complexities of family and love.

_{AUT Bachelor of Design graduates Catherine Jiang, Charll Enriquez and Yoxuan Chin, (Akane Shibata not present) with film maker Kyle Balda, who presented the award.}  

Aimed at families, especially parents and young children, the film explores themes of affection, empathy, and understanding through a cute, minimalistic art style and dynamic frame-by-frame animation.

More than Magic also won the 2025 AUT Animation, Visual Effects and Game Design Major Award for outstanding achievement in animation and will screen in May at the Melbourne International Animation Festival.

_{Akane Shibata.}