Director-general
of Information Bureau

As our citizens increasingly desire higher quality of life, the prevalence of visual entertainment has also become an important indicator of a city's development, and we now see the rise of various thematic film festivals centered around different cities. Ever since his inauguration, Mayor Lin has been actively requesting the City Information Bureau's support for holding a film festival reflecting Taichung’s unique characteristics. Last year we unveiled the inaugural Taichung International Animation Festival, and it was extremely well received by industry professionals and enthusiasts.

As we embark upon the second Taichung International Film Festival, it is expected to be more pluralistic and fantastic in its presentation, especially with regard to international participation, with its scope far exceeding that of the previous year. This year we have actively extended our hand in friendship to invite works from dozens of countries, including Canada, the US, France, the UK, the Philippines, Japan, Korea and China. Amongst these works are winners from other reputable international film festivals.

One of the notable features of this year's Festival is the comprehensive coverage of works originating in Asia, with almost all the major players in the Asian animation industry present. A second notable feature is the expansive collection of works across multiple genres including the Arthouse, Commercial, Children, Family, and Adult categories. Over a dozen filmmakers of participating films were invited, and both audiences and industry professionals will have a chance to interact with them personally.

The top prize of NT$ 500,000 for the Best Taiwan Animation category also attracted a total of 362 applicants, with 48 distinguished works selected for showing, including participants in other reputable film festivals as well. The enormous creative potential of the Taiwan Animation Community is on full display in this year's festival. A series of lectures are also scheduled, along with free screenings aimed at popularizing the animation art form to our city residents. The inclusion of the "Telling Tent" series of composite works perfectly harnessed the power of animation, performance and theater to create an unique offering suitable for the whole family.

It is our profound wish that in the future, the Taichung International Animation Festival will become an exclusive calling card for the city of Taichung, and bring it international renown.