Taiwanese animation is ready to draw an international audience – Screen International

The animation sector in Taiwan is growing fast. City Of Lost Things, the first 3D feature animation byBlue Gate Crossing director Yee Chih-Yen has been selected to screen in the prestigious Contrechamp competition at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France this week.

To boost the sector, the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) has introduced two funding schemes to support further local production and facilitate further international co-production. They are called the creative content development programme (CCDP) and the international co-funding programme (TICP).

At Annecy and its Mifa market, TAICCA is presenting six feature and series projects at Partners Pitches. Following an open call to the animation industry, TAICCA invited an international jury to make the selection. They were comprised of Ashely Miller, US scriptwriter whose credits include Thor and X-Men: First Class;Doede Holtkamp, producer at the Brazilian studio Arvore; and German animation director Raimund Krumme.

The video pitches by each project team will be available to watch online at the Mifa market from June 17.

GueboDir: Su SoaThis Taiwan-Japan co-production between Xanthus Animation Studio and Duckbill Entertainment is a 26 x 10-minute episode original TV series. The title character is a boy who looks as if he is aged 10 but is in fact 1,200 years old. He has a great power inherited from his monster father who strives to create a world for nature and humans to co-exist together. The project involves Japanese creatives from scriptwriters, acting directors to character designers. Through Xanthus, Soas previous works include The Origins, Yameme and Traces, which he co-directed with Swiss animation artist Robi Engler.Contact: Manson Yaomason_yao@hotmail.com

Hidden in the Peach Blossom GardenDirs: Feng Wen and Kevin GeigerThe 3D animated feature film is a futuristic fantasy set in the dystopian world of 2076, revolving around a teenage girl who enters a subconscious AI simulation of the title card game she used to play with her beloved father, as she comes to terms with his death. Feng, also the projects writer and producer, is the founder of tellretell and the former director of development for Disneys China local content division. She produced several popular broadcast series, including Disneys first Chinese TV coproduction Ban Jin Ba Liang. Long-time Disney veteran Kevin Geiger serves as co-director and executive producer.Contact: Feng Wenwen@tellretell.com

Iron FarmerDir Chen Wei-JhihThe 13 x 5-minute episode 3D animated series is an original fairy tale that aims to develop childrens empathy. The dialogue-free story follows the title character, Iron Farmer, a monkey, a variety of robots and children who live in the forest. To enhance the hand-painted quality of the visuals, the production has adopted the non-photorealistic rendering (NPR) approach and used a real-time rendering engine MNPRX to create a watercolour style. which is rare on the market. Produced by Blacksheep Animation Studio, the first six episodes have completed production, while the next seven episodes are at script stage. Chens previous directing credits include Blessing and Butterfly Hunter.Contact: Chen Wei-Jhihtwo790922@gmail.com

Kairyu Kai KaiDir Chao Ta-weiAdapted from Chang Guo-Lis bestselling young adult novel, the completed 2D animated feature is a coming-of-age adventure about a group of high school students who hunt for a WWII Japanese submarine, the Kairyu, during their summer vacation. Produced by Pig Box Studio, the project received the Mirror Fiction screenplay award at the Golden Horse Film Project Promotion in 2018. Chao makes independent anime films and art illustrations. His short films Pig Box and Black Bear Moon were nominated for outstanding short films at Golden Harvest Awards. He was assistant director and animation director for Sung Hsin-Yins multiple award-winning On Happiness Road (Annecy 2018).Contact: Kuo Tong-Yipigboxstudio@gmail.com

PigsyDir: Chiu Li-WeiThe fantasy adventure film is set in the distant future as a comedy version of Chinese classic Journey To The West. The title character Pigsy is lazy and fun-seeking, always looking for shortcuts to success. In 2017, the project received the top prize from Singapores ATF Animation Pitch for its creativity and strong export potential. Chius Tainan-based studio2 Animation Lab is producing with Bruno Felixs Amsterdam-based Submarine. Chiu has directed many TV works, including Weather Boy! and The Little Sun,as well asBarkley The Cat, which was based on his animated feature of the same name,His latest TV series is called Pigsy Express and is based on the same IP.Contact: Grace Chuanggrace@studio2.com.tw

Poison AppleDir: Lien Chun-ChienThis 8 x 24-minute episode TV series, which mixes wuxia with cyberpunk, is an updated version of the Snow White story. Snow White has become a doomsday-weapon-operating artificial superintelligence (ASI) who uncovers her own consciousness after being kidnapped by a rebel assassin. Lien has over 27 years of experience in motion media. He worked as art director at AT&T and Imaginary Forces in the US before returning to Taiwan to set up Dottodot in 2004. His latest short film The Weather Is Lovely has travelled to over 20 film festivals, including Clermont-Ferrand. His 2D animated series Whos Our Sub Today? is in Annecys MIFA Pitches this year.Contact: Lien Chun-Chienchunchien@mac.com

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Taiwanese animation is ready to draw an international audience - Screen International