FEINAKI BEIJING ANIMATION WEEK 2023
Event Date: 2023.11.10 - 11.13
Animation: Zhiheng Wang
Music: Keju Luo
Font Design: Dandelion
Neco Lo Che Ying
Born in 1960, Hong Kong. He started his prolific career in the late 1970s when he began creating animation and short films as an independent artist. He has produced more than thirty works and won numerous accolades. Between 1978 and 1993, he worked as an animator at Radio Television Hong Kong's TV department and also made animation for commercial films. Since the 1980s, he has engaged in animation criticism and Hong Kong pop culture research, penning commentaries and teaching animation at the Hong Kong Arts Centre, University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His key publications include "A Selection of Hong Kong Movie Posters", "Frame After Frame", "My Quest for A and C", "Chinese Animation and Hong Kong Animation Newcomers". Having recently completed the restoration of twelve of his early-career animation works, Lo is preparing to produce a book about the experience.
Dahee Jeong
A South Korean animation director. After earning a degree in Communication Design in Seoul and a stint in advertising, she relocated to France to study animation at the ENSAD in Paris at the graduate level. Her first film, "Man on the Chair" (2014), was presented at the Directors' Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival and won the Crystal Grand Prix at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. "The Empty" (2016) has been screened at over 100 film festivals around the world, and won 17 awards. "Movements" (2019), was presented at the Directors' Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and teaches in the department of Visual Communication Design at Hongik University.
Alexandre Siqueira
His passion for the illusion of movement began when he was 6 years old. Alexandre was leafing through a scientific book he had found on his father's desk when a sequence of images depicting a boxing fight caught his eye. In 2000, he co-directed the animated short film "Sopa Fria", produced as part of the stop-motion animation film course at CITEN/Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, in Lisbon. In the same year, he started working at the animation company Filmógrafo Studio, where he collaborates on several animation projects. In 2008, Alexandre went to La Poudrière school, in France, to specialize in directing animated films. In this school, he created "Journey to the Field of Sunflowers". Since then, Alexandre has been developing and collaborating on short and feature film projects, animation series and music videos, and some commissioned works for illustration as well. He has also led several animation workshops, masterclasses and taught at Soares dos Reis Arts School, in Porto. "Purpleboy" is his latest animated short film.
Hugo Tan
Born in Hubei. Formed "The Dada" band with Wu Tao, Wei Fei, and Zhang Ming in 1996. From "The Story of Youth" to "The Midnight Collection", the long creative trajectory of his music works has fully integrated his own concepts, witnessing every opened up new direction in his music journey. He is the vocal and the core creative member of the rock band "The Dada", and also an exceptionally talented musician as an individual, not only does he write about life and about the love of life through music, but he is also passionate about painting and films.
Olivia Wong
From the Institut français to the Rencontres Audiovisuelles in Lille, via the African Film Archives in Paris to arthouse cinema CGR Odéon in Cherbourg, Olivia Wong works to promote and showcase independent cinema in various environments. After 5 years dedicated to short film - with a strong taste for animation film - as a coordinator and curator of Lille International Short Film Festival and Lille's Animation Festival (Fête de l'Anim'), she currently serves as an audiovisual attachée at the French Institute in Beijing.
Una Wei
Aka Tingting Wei, the co-founder and chief art officer of LxU. She is an explorer in motion graphic design in China, and her work "Beijing @ Real Estate" set a motion graphic marketing precedent in China. She
is dedicated to promote the combination of design and information communication. At present she is the art director of LxU, responsible for overall visual works, including graphic design, illustration, motion graphic design, animation and advertising direction. Graduated from Communication University of China with a MFA degree in Radio and TV Media Planning and Operation.
Ma Xiaogua
Ma Xiaogua is an animation historian, freelance journalist and occasional film critic. He was the editor-in-chief of Anim-Babblers, a visiting lecturer at Communication University of China, and currently is a research fellow at Inner Mongolia Academy of National Culture and Art. Since 2013, he has been actively writing and researching about animation history on social media, blogs, newsletters as well as print media. He also translated several animation related books into Chinese including "The Illusion of Life" and "Vision: Color and Composition for Film".
Xiaoyu New
Born in Hefei, Anhui Province, is a young director and screenwriter who graduated from Beijing Film Academy, earning both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Animation and Experimental Film, and is now a doctoral candidate at the School of Fine Arts of Beijing Film Academy. Their independently produced short films, "Summer Fever" and "Summer FeverII" were selected for the 10th China Independent Film Festival and the 12th FIRST International Film Festival, respectively.
Her first film, "Virgin Blue" was nominated for the Golden Leopard Award in the Concorso Cineasti del presente section at the 74th Locarno International Film Festival. The film also received the "Spirit Of Free" Award and the "FIRST FRAME 2022 Film Award" at the 16th FIRST Film Festival, and was selected for the "Cinema of the World" section at the 12th Beijing International Film Festival.
Xiaolin Zhou
Independent animation author. She graduated from Tama Art University, majoring in animation in the Department of Graphic Design. Good at using paper-cut stop-motion animations to express the atmosphere of the space and the complex emotions in the objects. The work "Half of an Apple" won the 2020 Feinaki Beijing Animation Week Jury's S special Nomination. In 2022, as co-director, she produced the animated short series "Ship Down the Well" of "Yao-Chinese Folktales".
Shilei Wei
Shilei Wei is an image author, whose works include animation, experimental film, GIF, comics, prints, paintings, etc. He is visiting scholar at the Venice Academy of Fine Arts, associate professor at the School of New Media Art and Design, Beihang University, and PhD candidate at the Central Academy of Drama. Art researcher, academic director of Feinaki Beijing Animation Week.
Yantong Zhu
Animation filmmaker, picture book author, festival director and co- founder of Feinaki Beijing Animation Week. Her work "My Milk Cup Cow" won numerous prizes all over the world, such as Grand Prix of KROK and Young Animation Award of Stuttgart etc. She was invited as jury member of New Chitose, Tricky Women, BIAF and curator of Chinese animation programs. She is the executive producer of animated omnibus film "To the Bright Side", won Grand Prize feature film of New York International Children's Film Festival.
ZimaTomek Popakul, Kasumi Ozeki
Poland丨26'26"丨2023
It grows slowly as an icicle, but one day it drops and crashes. Anka loves cats. And Jesus. In a winter silence the lagoon freezes and the unspoken resurfaces like crack on ice. Mosaic portrait of a small fisherman's village where human to human, human to animal, animal to animal interdepend on a delicate balance of warm tender care and cold emotional cruelty.
Jury's Statement｜The grand prize goes to ZIMA for its challenging spirit, which shows no hesitation on trying new things by taking risks. The screen unfolds into unexpected places, providing a fresh new sensation to the audience. As in the film how they subverts the world, we are overturned by the film as well.
Wedding on the Execution GroundZilai Feng
USA, China丨13'25"丨2023
After 40 years, a retired actress from the 1960s Chinese propaganda play "Wedding on the Execution Ground", decides to reunite with her first love, the lead actor from the play.
Jury's Statement｜There was a time when many animated works by Chinese students studying overseas were originally derived from characters or events of certain turbulent times, either for their international appeal or because they felt the subject matter had distinct Chinese characteristics. Although it's not positive in its tone, but it's a tricky choice to attract the foreign audiences.
In the opening scene, the film employs a similar approach as the Model Drama, then the film delicately leads the audiences to the vivid memories of the female protagonist. The art design, together with the story board and the application of techniques are very professional and stylized, creating a cinematic feel with a perfect length. The use of Cantonese in the film highlights the regional influence of the turbulent times, adding an interesting dimension to the characters.
La Vita NuovaArthur Sevestre
France丨04'15"丨2022
Jury's Statement｜For this award, I will quote a poem by Luís Vaz de Camões, a very well knowed Portuguese poet...
Love is a fire that burns unseen,
a wound that aches yet isnt felt,
an always discontent contentment,
a pain that rages without hurting,
a longing for nothing but to long,
a loneliness in the midst of people,
a never feeling pleased when pleased,
a passion that gains when lost in thought.
For its originality, unexpected and creative ideas, combined with humor and very interesting visual style....ahlalaa, l'amour.
Korea丨07'25"丨2023
Jury's Statement｜This work received a total of 71 votes. It is varied in imagination and heart warming in its expression, taking the perspective of a small dandelion seed, offering a side view of the life of an elderly old lady living alone in the mountains. The visuals and character design are full of childlike innocence and unrestrained vitality. The story is kind and sincere, and it is hoped that such works made for children can be appreciated by more audiences.
The Pink JacketMónica Santos
Portugal, France｜08'54"丨2022
Jury's Statement｜With innovative design and childlike visual, the film presents a profound historical theme. The innocent and joyful images and cute singing style seamlessly integrate, creating a stark contrast with the harsh expression of the lyrics. The use of stop-motion animation allows the characters to appear without facial features, thus strengthening the couture metaphor.
Diyu Zhao, ANIMOON
France丨00'20"丨2022
Jury's Statement｜An elegant, dynamic and joyful film that suits the image of the brand it represents and the message it should deliver. The film strikes a good balance between artistic expression and conveying commercial value, serving as a reminder to every creator involved in commercial collaborations that the most effective idea often appears to be the most effortless.
China丨04'22"丨2022
Dark tide, always ignored willfully, surges deep down the prosperous city. Two intimate sisters, and a vague lover, tangled in a dream... or is it even a dream?
Jury's Statement｜Delicate and intimate in its narrative treatment, the viewer follows the central character very closely, on a journey punctuated by a certain anguish caused by the inevitable female emancipation.
Despite the absence of backgrounds, this girl manages to fill with her psychology, and with her hair... the density necessary to create a good first film.
Jingwei Xu
China丨43'55"丨2022
After graduating from university, a music college student who majored in tuba was unable to find a job, so he had to return home, but found that things were different. So he made up his mind that he must work hard to find a satisfactory job.
Jury's Statement｜This film takes a close look into China with a realistic portrayal by depicting the psychological despair of various characters throughout the film. This may be happening anywhere in the world.
Utilizing the empty black spaces within the screen, the compositions were very effective, and each scene of the film look like a illustrated cityscape.
Japan丨08'36"丨2023
In this film, two individuals with strong personalities, are ultimately driven to ruin by selfish possessiveness.
Jury's Statement｜The bold choice of lines and colors and the adept arrangements of choreography in the realm of visual match perfectly with the exploration of gender relationships. The author's perspective might not resonate with everyone, but it provides a unique way that shows the world of some young people. Last but not least, the music and the image make great coordination.
Clémence Boucherea
France丨09'07"丨2023
On the edge of a mangrove, a group of girls lives to the rhythm of the climate and the wild geese around them. They see each other live and grow up at different ages. As time passes, tensions arise and rivalries develop.
Jury's Statement｜This film, with absent words and without musical composition, manages to transport us to the environment where the character finds itself with enormous effectiveness.
We entered the life of that young child, and we simply stayed there, observing her day to day life. I felt completely submerged in that jungle, in the rain, swimming, or simply contemplating and interacting with nature.
Developed using a very unusual technique, but which does not clash with the simplicity of the film proposal.
Portugal丨11'54"丨2022
On a hot August afternoon, the family gathered at the table remembers uncle Botão: the Colonial War, emigration to France, where he lived and worked thirty years as a garbage man. Memories of each are crossed to tell the story of a man who lived a hard life through humor and fantasy, like when he returned to Belmonte, in a van full of trash, turned into a real treasure.
Jury's Statement｜This is a beautiful film that carries warmth, richness, and love with the audience by sharing memories of someone who no longer exsists.
Morten Tšinakov, Lucija Mrzljak
Estonia, Croatia丨15'58"丨2022
It's pouring down with rain at the funeral. There's a lot of crying, too much wine, several woodpeckers and a couple of dreams that fill in the gaps.
Jury's Statement｜An incredibly captivating animated film with exquisite visuals, stylized character design and movements, plus a compelling storyline. The relationship between the female protagonist and her male companions is the focus of this work. The first half highlights the unique personality of the female character, while the second half delves into absurdity, with the mysteries gradually unraveling itself, making it a film that can be appreciated multiple times without boredom.
Jury's Statement｜Captures a smooth variety of rhythm and fluctuation patterns in just one GIF. Roseholyer creates a great contrast between the fast moving foreground and background and the stable legs at the center of the image, themselves being inevitably disturbed by the slow movement of the toes. The finger taping toes, seemingly waiting for the adolescence cycle to end, also create an ironic contrast with the endless loop. It’s both hypnotic and meaningful, much like adolescence - and maybe life itself.
Georges Schwizgebel
Feiyu Song, Wenpeng Song
Junjie Wang
Natalia Chernysheva
Wang Yu, Ziyu Wang, Junhao Xiang, Linfeng Zhou, Rodrigo Veras, Mamadou Barry
Yuxin Gao
Rui Wang
Georgy Boguslavsky
Jonghoon Lee
Heta Jäälinoja
Yuxi Dai
Yuan Xu
Zilai Feng
Morten Tšinakov, Lucija Mrzljak
Tomek Popakul, Kasumi Ozeki
Chiung Xiaoqiong Zhang
Huayi Yu
Victoria Spiryagina
Alexandra Krioutchenko
Nils Balleydier
Anne-Sophie Gousset, Clément Céard
Anna Katalin Lovrity
Yiling Zeng
Ainslie Henderson
Vasily Chirkov
Ana Horvat
Sooyeon Shin
Olga Titova
Lola Degove
Qiushu Li
Songwei Li
Jiayin Chen
Olivér Hegyi
Jingwei Xu
Osman Cerfon
Yulin Yue, Kaiting Zhuang, Jiarong Li, Xinyang Li
KUWA
Yuanqing Cai
Toke Madsen
Denise Cirone, Sebastian Doringer, Andrey Kolesov, Chiayu Liu, Zhen Tian, Lan Zhou
Yi "Yinfintiy" Luo
Shuqin Li
Yanqi Liang
Chenxi Zhang
Laura Gonçalves
Lea Vidakovic
Denis Do
Arthur Sevestre
Marta Magnuska
Yuchen Liu
Bianca Scali
Haoqi Wang
Hyemi Kim
Xinyue Liao
Juan Pablo Zaramella
Chenghua Yang, Shang Zhang
Shengxue Shi
Clémence Bouchereau
Hao Yu
Hongzhou Xue
Martina Meštrović
Rachel Gutgarts
Nienke Deutz
Jiwon Han
BDC Spiral Studio
bixueyang
Diyu Zhao, ANIMOON
clumsy hands
John-Johnny
Jo Leong
AnyMotion Picture
bixueyang
Lilliput Animation, Little Team
FLiiiP Design
Sun&Egg
Honami Yano
ChilliChill, FingerMedia Ltd
Agnès Patron, Morgane Le Péchon
Yifan Jiang
Jeong-in Heo
Hayeon Song
Bowen Tan
Yingzi Pan
Michelle Brand
Irina Rubina
Honami Yano
Mónica Santos