2023 Taichung International Animation Festival (TIAF) Master Vision and Short Film Competition Shortlist Revealed

2023 Taichung International Animation Festival (TIAF) Master Vision and Short Film Competition Shortlist Revealed

Guided by "Between Light and Shadow," Animation Talents Compete for Awards

The Taichung City Government and Information Bureau are providing guidance, while Taichung Film Development Foundation is hosting the "Taichung International Animation Festival"(TIAF), the only city-based film festival in Taiwan with a focus on "animation". The festival will take place from 13th October to 21st October 2023, at the Vie Show Cinemas Taichung Taroko Mall. The finalists for the annual visual design and the shortlist are announced on 1st August. 

This year’s visual design revolves around the theme of "Between Light and Shadow", incorporating local elements from Taichung to create a fantastic and ever-changing animated city. Led by the symbol of the festival, the woodpecker, the design showcases the close connection between Taichung and creators from both domestic and international scenes, inspiring boundless creativity. Additionally, the "Short Film Competition" for this edition has attracted 60 outstanding works that will compete to secure a spot for the total prize of 1.35 million New Taiwan Dollars.

Zhao-Xin Cheng, the Director of the Information Bureau, expressed that the 2023 Taichung International Animation Festival is celebrating its ninth year with the support of Mayor Shiow-Yen Lu, the chair of the foundation, and the city government team. Over the years, the festival gradually is rising to become one of the annual grand events in the animation industry, the festival has developed a distinctive brand image that represents Taichung City. Animation addicts and families are welcomed from around Taiwan to seize this rare opportunity to participate in the annual animation celebration and continue showing your support.

Ying-Zhi Lin, the Foundation's Executive Director, says that this year's main visual design was created by MixCode Studio, which is known for its expertise in dynamic visual art and character design. The design team has been involved in producing visuals for prestigious awards like the Golden Melody Awards and the Golden Horse Awards. They aim to challenge contemporary visual aesthetics and captivate viewers. 

In addition to the main visual design, a promotional video has also been released, ingeniously employing techniques of light and shadow to portray the brilliance emanating from creators and animated works. The woodpecker, symbolizing the festival's logo, has been transformed into a "guide", leading viewers on an exploration of the city to discover talented creators from all corners of the world. Whether they are animators or professionals from related fields, their radiance and passion serve as a source of hope and creative energy for all. The main visual incorporates multiple perspectives and elements from Taichung, presenting unexpected scenes for viewers to explore hidden Easter eggs and symbolic meanings.

▴2023 Taichung International Animation Festival (TIAF) Master Vision

The Executive Director further revealed that the international animation short film competition this year received a remarkable 2,858 entries from 113 countries and regions worldwide, setting a new record for the highest number of submissions in Asia. To provide young animation creators with more opportunities to showcase their talents and encourage Taiwanese students to engage in animation creation, TIAF has forged a collaboration with the Animation & Visual Effects Association for the first time, adding three new awards: "Best Technical Award," "Best Artistic Award," and "Best Storytelling Award," with a total prize money of 1.35 million NTD, marking a historical high. Among the 60 short film competition finalists, several outstanding works have received recognition at major domestic and international film festivals such as the Berlin Film Festival, Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and the Golden Horse Awards, creating much anticipation.

The spotlight is also on the impressive Taiwanese creations among the finalists. These include "Compound Eyes of Tropical" by XU-Zhan ZHANG, a combination of paper-craft and stop-motion animation that has received acclaim at various film festivals, "The Egret River" by Wan-Lin Liu, awarded Best Animated Film at 2023 Taipei Film Festival, employing delicate hand-drawn techniques, "A Night with Moosina" by Xu-Xing Cai, which created a chilling atmosphere with exquisite animation and eerie music, and the new masterpiece "Anthropocene" by Yun-Xian Huang, a perennial winner at film festivals.

Furthermore, young talents from the Taiwan animation industry have shone bright, with works like "Set Sail," exploring early Taiwanese traditions of elder sons sacrificing themselves for their families through a traditional funeral, "Good Bye," portraying a warm world of wool felt, "L.U.A (Last Universal Ancestor)," crafting a beautiful oceanic world, and "How Dare You! Michelle!," capturing the perspective of a quirky pet. These works demonstrate the creativity and talent of the young generation of animation creators. The finalists' styles and themes are diverse, and their films will be screened in full during the festival. Do not be missed!

▴This year’s Nominees for “Taiwanese Short Films” and “Taiwanese Student Short Films”.  Nominees: From top to bottom, left to right are《Compound Eyes of Tropical》、《The Egret River》、《Good Bye》、《Set Sail》、《How Dare You! Michelle!》、《Anthropocene》、《L.U.A (Last Universal Ancestor)》、《A Night with Moosina》

The initial judging panel for this edition comprises esteemed animation professionals, educators, and experienced teachers from the animation industry in northern, central, and southern Taiwan. The short film competition group includes Qiao-Fang Lin, a distinguished judge for the Kaohsiung Film Festival and Youth Film Festival; Jun-Ming Huang, who led students to win the National Technological and Vocational School Student Practical Project Competition; and Shi-Jie Qiu, director of the highly popular "Bad Time Stories" on YouTube. For the student short film competition group, Zhiz-Heng Wu, founder of the "AriesCreative" animation studio; Shan-Gbo Chen, a master of 3D animation production; and Zi-Xin Yang, a rising star in the Taichung animation community, has taken on the roles.

▴2023 TIAF preliminary jury team for Short Films. From left to right are: Jun-Ming Huang, Qiao-Fang Lin, Yen-Jung CHANG, Shi-Jie Qiu.

▴2023 TIAF preliminary jury team for Student Short Films. From left to right are: Shan-Gbo Chen, Zi-Xin Yang, Zhiz-Heng Wu, Yen-Jung CHANG.

The "2023 Taichung International Animation Festival" will be held from October 13th to 21st at the Vie Show Cinemas Taichung Taroko Mall. For more information on the exciting film lineup and updates on the event, please continue to follow the official website of the Taichung International Animation Festival: http://twtiaf.com, or the official Facebook fan page: http://facebook.com/tiaf.taichung.

 

★2023 TIAF Lineup★