Chinese Animation Shines Brightly at the 2025 Annecy Festival

Chinese Animation Shines at Annecy Festival 2025

The 49th Annecy International Animation Film Festival, a renowned platform for the best in animation, has officially opened its doors this summer. This year, Chinese animation is taking center stage, proudly displaying its unique qualities through a variety of projects and collaborations that emphasize openness and cooperation with the global animation community.

The Pavilion of China, organized by the China Animation Association (CAA) and executed by Zoland Animation, has gathered prominent animation entities including CCTV Animation Group, Zoland Animation, and Fantawild International among others. The pavilion showcased more than 20 exceptional animation works, illustrating the achievements of China's animation industry from development to production. Each exhibit has garnered praise from industry peers, highlighting the rich narrative and aesthetic depth of Chinese animation.

Cultural Exchange and Business Cooperation

Central to the pavilion's mission was the facilitation of cultural exchange and commercial cooperation. During an engaging Networking Cocktail Hour, attendees shared insights on market trends and cross-cultural storytelling approaches. The pavilion attracted over 3,000 visitors from more than 30 countries and regions including France, the UK, and Germany, leading to more than 220 interviews and business meetings.

Notably, CCTV Animation Group's creations, which creatively merge Eastern mythology with international intellectual properties, caught the eye of international buyers. Their projects such as “My Nezha” and a Transformers spin-off have sparked significant interest.

Additionally, Fantawild International entered into a collaboration agreement with Mediawan, further solidifying its position in the international market, while Zoland Animation’s title “Legend of King Qian” made a strong impact during its foreign debut, garnering requests for co-production partnerships and workshops.

Hangzhou Younuo Animation and Shenzhen Tiantian Chengzhang also showcased their ambitious projects, the former receiving invites for coproduction and distribution while the latter signed an on-site agreement with STORYCRITTERS for “The Li Brocade Weaver” to reach international audiences. Notably, the China International Cartoon and Animation Festival (CICAF) established reciprocal exhibition agreements with major festivals like TAAFI, enhancing its international influence.

The Networking Dynamics

In the Guangdong Animation Film Pavilion, represented by WinSing Animation and Alpha Group, the potential of the regional animation industry was encapsulated. Leading educational institutions like Communication University of China (CUC) and Jilin Animation Institute engaged in dialogues with global counterparts such as GOBELINS in Paris, promoting educational partnerships in animation.

Moreover, tech firms like NOKOV and Renderbus, along with independent studios like Debris Studio, showcased the vibrant growth and diversification within the Chinese animation scope from content creation to technical support, illustrating the industry's current dynamism.

Recognition at International Level

At Annecy, the creativity of Chinese animation attracts global attention. The feature film “Into the Mortal World” by WinSing Animation has been selected for the official competition, a first for the studio. The student film “Won't Be Here” from CUC was awarded the XPPen prize for best graduation film, reflecting the talent and vision of China’s next generation of animators.

The journey of Chinese animation at Annecy not only celebrates its achievements but also fosters intercultural dialogue and industry modernization. Embracing an open and cooperative spirit, Chinese animation is painting a unique chapter of Eastern aesthetics on the global animation map.