Author: Beijing Film Academy
The spotlight is on everyone!
The 24th Beijing Film Academy Animation Academy Award
Smooth opening
The opening ceremony of the 24th Beijing Film Academy Animation Academy Awards was successfully held
The crisp autumn breeze brings the fragrance of art, and talented minds gather joyfully in one place. At 10:00 a.m. on October 31, 2024, under the guidance of the China Animation Society, the Animation Art Committee of the China Artists Association, the Animation Film Working Committee of the China Film Association, and the Beijing Film and Television Animation Association, the 24th Animation Academy Awards, hosted by Beijing Film Academy, grandly opened at its Huairou campus, marking the dazzling start of the Beijing Film Academy Animation Academy Awards. This prestigious event was organized by the Animation School of Beijing Film Academy and the China Animation Institute of Beijing Film Academy. Since its inception in 2001, the Animation Academy Awards, with its profound historical background and professionalism, has been hailed as the “Oscar” for Chinese animation shorts.For 24 years, the Animation Academy Awards has witnessed the diligent efforts and remarkable achievements of countless animators, with excellent works emerging like stars in the sky. Looking forward to the future, we are filled with anticipation that the Animation Academy Awards will continue to serve as a beacon for animation art, encouraging and promoting independent and creative animation production. It will constantly explore and fully showcase the diversity of animation as an art form, providing opportunities for those who truly love animation art to express themselves and exchange ideas, thereby fostering academic development in animation creation.
The guests attending the opening ceremony of the Animation Academy Awards included: George Schwizgebel, winner of the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, and Lifetime Achievement Award of the Beijing Film Academy Animation Academy Awards, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Alexander Petrov, winner of the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film, renowned Russian artist, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Koji Yamamura, the first grand slam winner of the world’s four major international animation film festivals, Oscar nominee for Best Animated Short Film, Professor at Tokyo University of the Arts, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Gina Delabarca, President of the New Zealand Short and Sweet Film Festival, one of the top 20 global film short festivals, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Irina Mastusova, President of the Russian Animation Association and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Kazuo Kawaguchi, recipient of the highest award in computer graphics and imaging, the SIGGRAPH Award, Royal Honorary Title, Professor at the Graduate School of the University of Tokyo, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Mou Yi, Secretary-General of the International Animation Film Education Alliance; Paul Connolly, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ulster and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Cecile Broundelle, Dean of the International School of Gobelins, ranked first in the world for animation, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; John Cowen, Head of Department at Gobelins, ranked first in the world for animation, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Max Zulei, Chairman of the Higher School of Image and Sound, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; David Zulei, President of the Higher School of Image and Sound, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Teresa Scandiffio, Dean of the Animation, Arts, and Design Department at Sheridan College, ranked second in the world for animation, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Buckley Bruce Dennis, Head of the Animation Department at the New York Film Academy and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Steven Brown, Head of the Animation Department at California Institute of the Arts, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Grey Lindberg, Head of the Drawing School at the Danish Film School, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Jakob Boritz Sabra, Head of the Animation Department at the Danish Film School, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Grant Stevens, Head of the School of Art and Design at the University of New South Wales, Australia, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Ian McArthur, Head of Department at the School of Art and Design at the University of New South Wales, Australia, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Leon Gurevich, Head of the School of Design at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Areto Aranjuez, Head of the Media Department at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Choi Wonho, Head of the Imaging Department at Dongseo University in Korea, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Liu Peishan, Head of the School of Creative Industries at University of Technology MARA in Malaysia, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Mark Handler, former Director of Original Content at Disney China, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Dr. Liu Yan, Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Ulster; Liu Ying, member of the mentor group for outstanding graduate film talents at Beijing Film Academy, French film producer, and Visiting Professor at Beijing Film Academy; Takie Mochizuki, daughter of Mochizuki Hisae, a long-term foreign expert at Beijing Film Academy from 1984 to 1986; Zhou Zhijun, Secretary of the Party Committee at Beijing Film Academy; Sun Lijun, Vice President of Beijing Film Academy; Liu Xinjun, Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee at Beijing Film Academy. Additionally, department heads and teacher representatives from 108 universities and colleges such as the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Tsinghua University Academy of Arts and Design, China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Hubei Institute of Fine Arts, Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts, Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts, Tsinghua University, Peking University, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, East China Normal University, Shanghai University, Nanjing Arts University, Chengdu University, Zhejiang University of Media and Communications, Shanxi Media College, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Hebei University, Jilin Animation Institute, and Sichuan University of Media and Communications, as well as department heads and teacher representatives from the Animation School of Beijing Film Academy and heads of relevant functional departments, were also in attendance.
Mrs. Zhou Zhijun, Party Secretary of Beijing Film Academy, reads the book at the event Teaching achievements of the International Animation Workshop of the Animation Academy
Animation art masters, industry elites, scholars, and experts from around the world have left their signatures and showcased their styles on the poster of the Beijing Film Academy Animation Academy Awards, jointly kicking off the curtain for this upcoming animation art feast.
At the 24th Animation Awards series of events, the Animation Academy of Beijing Film Academy honored renowned animation experts, scholars, and industry leaders from around the globe by issuing Letters of Appointment as Guest Professors. These esteemed individuals include Alexander Petrov, the Russian artist and winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film; Koji Yamamura, the first person to achieve a Grand Slam at the four major international animation film festivals, an Oscar nominee for Best Animated Short Film, and a professor at Tokyo University of the Arts; Gina Delabarca, President of the New Zealand ShowMe Shorts Film Festival, one of the top 20 film short festivals globally; Irina Gennadyevna Mastusova, President of the Russian Animation Association; Mou Yi, Secretary-General of the International Animation Film Education Alliance; Professor Paul Connolly, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ulster in the UK; Cecile Brondelle, Director of the International School at Gobelins, L’École de l’Image, which ranks first in the world for animation programs; John Cowen, Head of Department at Gobelins, also ranking first globally for animation programs; Max Zulay and David Zulay, respectively, Chairman and President of the French National Film and Television School (CNESMA); Teresa Scandiffio, Dean of the Animation, Arts, and Design Faculty at Sheridan College in Canada, which ranks second in the world for animation programs; Bruce Dennis, Head of the Animation Department at the New York Film Academy; Grey Lindberg, Head of the Drawing School at the Danish Film School; Jakob Boritz Sabra, Head of the Animation Department at the Danish Film School; Grant Stevens, Head of the School of Art and Design at the University of New South Wales in Australia; Ian McArthur, Head of Department at the School of Art and Design at the University of New South Wales; Leon Gurevich, Head of the School of Design at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand; Arieto Aranhues, Head of the Media Department at Victoria University of Wellington; Choi Donghyuk, Head of the Imaging and Animation Department at Dongseo University in South Korea; Kang Seungwoo, Director of the XR Contents ICC Center and Head of the 3D Convergence Research Center at Dongseo University; Liu Peishan, Head of the Creative Industries Institute at UTAR in Malaysia.
The guest professors, with their remarkable achievements and extensive experience, will bring new vitality and wisdom to the Animation Academy of Beijing Film Academy. Their involvement will elevate the cooperation and exchanges between the academy and the international animation art community to a new height. We are eager to forge ahead alongside these guest professors, jointly exploring the vast realm of animation art education and working hand in hand to promote continuous progress and development in this field.
The opening ceremony of the 24th Beijing Film Academy Animation Academy Awards
Opening Speech
At the outset of the event, Zhou Zhijun, Secretary of the Party Committee of Beijing Film Academy, delivered an enthusiastic speech. Since its inception in 2001, the Animation Academy Award has gone through a glorious journey spanning 24 years, has become a showcase for excellent animations from around the world, and made significant contributions to promoting the development of original animation art worldwide. This year, the Animation Academy Award attracted 1,083 entries from animators worldwide, ultimately selecting 189 finalists. These works represent not only the latest trends but also the highest level of animation art globally, showcasing the profound understanding and innovative spirit of animation creators. She encouraged the animation creators in attendance to embrace exploration and innovation, contributing their own efforts to the prosperous development of global animation art.
In his speech, Mr. Georges Schwizgebel, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at Annecy International Animated Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival, and Beijing Film Academy’s Animation Academy Awards, as well as a guest professor at the Animation Academy of Beijing Film Academy, expressed his profound appreciation and acknowledgment of the successful hosting of the Animation Academy Awards. He emphasized that the awards not only showcase the outstanding achievements of Chinese animation but also offer a platform for animators worldwide to showcase their talents and exchange ideas. He expressed his hope that in the future, more Chinese animation works will make their way to the international stage, sharing the charm of Chinese culture with global audiences.
“In his speech, Professor Paul Connolly, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ulster in the UK and Guest Professor at Beijing Film Academy, commended the efforts made by the Animation Academy Awards of Beijing Film Academy in promoting the development of animation art. He believed that this award not only acknowledges the excellence of Chinese animation works but also serves as an inspiration to animators worldwide. Furthermore, he looked forward to fostering broader exchanges with Beijing Film Academy in the future, especially in the fields of animation education, creation, and research.”
In her speech, Gina Delabaca, President of the Show Me Shorts Film Festival in New Zealand, which ranks among the Top 20 International Short Film Festivals worldwide, and a guest professor at Beijing Film Academy, expressed her profound respect for the Animation Academy Awards of Beijing Film Academy. Animation, as a borderless language, connects people worldwide with its unique charm, conveying culture, emotions, and dreams. She looked forward to leveraging the Animation Academy Awards platform to further facilitate cooperation and exchanges among the international animation community, jointly promoting the flourishing development of animation art.
In his speech, John Cowan, Head of Gobelins, the World’s Leading School of Animation and a guest professor at Beijing Film Academy, commended the Animation Academy of Beijing Film Academy for its efforts in advancing animation art creation, education, and technological development. He encouraged aspiring creators among you to persevere in their pursuits, actively learn new knowledge and ideas from different cultural backgrounds, and integrate them into their own creations.
In her speech, Teresa Scandifeo, a guest professor at Beijing Film Academy and the Dean of the Faculty of Animation, Arts, and Design at Sheridan College, which is ranked second in the world for animation, offered her heartfelt congratulations on the successful holding of the Animation Academy Awards at Beijing Film Academy. She noted that in the era of globalization and digitization, animation art is facing unprecedented opportunities and challenges. As educators, practitioners, and members of the animation industry, it is our responsibility to collaborate and develop innovative, future-oriented animation and art education.
After the opening ceremony, attendees proceeded to the exhibition area of documents, where Professor Sun Lijun, Deputy Director of Beijing Film Academy, delivered a fascinating speech, retracing the development journey of the Beijing Film Academy Animation Academy Awards since its inception. The Awards are steadfastly becoming a bridge for international cultural exchange and prosperity, transcending language and national borders to convey stories and emotions from diverse cultural backgrounds to audiences worldwide.
Professor Sun Lijun, Vice President of Beijing Film Academy, at the Animation Academy Awards
The opening ceremony of the document exhibition
Representatives of teachers and students from all over the world took a group photo at the opening ceremony of the Academy Award Documentary Exhibition
With this, the 24th Beijing Film Academy Animation Academy Awards officially kicked off, and more exciting activities await your in-depth exploration.
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Tomorrow November 1st event list
The 24th Animation Academy Awards will span three days, from October 31st to November 2nd, 2024. During this period, the Animation Academy of Beijing Film Academy will organize a series of academic screenings and exchange activities, aiming to establish a benchmark event within the domestic and international animation field that combines artistic depth, academic achievement, and practical value.
Animation creators from both China and abroad can participate in the literature exhibition, master lectures, academic forums, education forums, technology forums, venture capital conferences, excellent works screenings, auctions, award ceremonies, and other events through various platforms such as CCTV, China Youth Daily, Wuhu Animator Space, Bilibili, iQIYI, and Weibo. Join us for the Animation Academy Awards of Beijing Film Academy, and enjoy a dazzling feast of animation art and culture!
