On November 21, the"Animation Without Boundaries· Intelligence Shapes the Future" Animation & Comics Creation Exchange Weekkicked off at Jilin Animation Institute. Animation artists, industry leaders, and scholars from13 countriesaround the world gathered together, with creativity as the bridge and technology as the medium, to jointly explore cutting-edge issues in animation education innovation and artistic creation in the digital age, and discuss new opportunities and blueprints for the development of the animation industry.
Opening Ceremony's site
Guided by theInternational Animated Film Association (ASIFA), hosted byJilin Animation Institute, co-organized by Jilin Animation & Games Association, Jilin University Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Cultural and Creative) Alliance, and Jilin Animation Institute Film, Game & Animation Industrial Aesthetics Research Institute, and co-sponsored by ASIFA China, the event has received strong support from the Publicity Department of Jilin Provincial Party Committee, Jilin Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, and Jilin Provincial Department of Education.
Attendees at the opening ceremony included:Zhang Zhiwei, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of Jilin Provincial Party Committee;Zhao Shuxin, Deputy Director of Jilin Provincial Foreign Affairs Office;Chen Mei,Level II Bureau Rank Official of Jilin Provincial Department of Education;Li Zhongqiu, Member of the ASIFA Council and Vice President;Pencho Kunchev, Chairman of ASIFA Bulgaria;Albert Laine, Chairman of ASIFA-Finland;Ravanbakhsh Sadeghi, Chairman of ASIFA-Iran and Member of the ASIFA Council;Matija Pisacic, Curator of Zagreb Animation Festival and Secretary-General of ASIFA-Croatia;Eliane Gordeeff, Researcher at the Simulation and Digital Animation Laboratory, School of Fine Arts, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Portuguese Center for Fine Arts Research;Masa Udović, Founder of Luma Pictures (Croatia) and Director of Animafin Animation Festival;Olga Bobrowska, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Art and Design, University of the National Education Commission in Kraków (Poland), Co-Founder and Director of StopTrik International Film Festival;Nicolas Grivel, Comic Agent and Publisher of Nicolas Grivel Agency (France);Claudio Roberto, Professor at Jean Piaget Professional Training School (Portugal) and Animation Producer;Soo Bee Seng, Secretary-General of Malaysia Comic and Cultural and Creative Association;Aldo Murillo, Professor at the School of Art and Animation, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Querétaro (Mexico);Monica Manganelli, Italian Director, Screenwriter, Stage Designer, and Visual Artist;Nadja Andrasev, Hungarian Animated Film Producer;Nie Jun, Famous Chinese Comic and Picture Book Artist, Member of the Animation Art Committee of China Artists Association;Quan Yingsheng, Famous Contemporary Artist, Member of the Animation Art Committee of China Artists Association;Wang Anyi, Producer of Shanghai Animation Film Studio;Weng Ming, Famous Chinese Animation Director;Ma Tianrong, Associate Professor at Century College, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications;Zhou Zhou, Organizer of the "Fifty-Six Moons" Western Digital Animation & Comics Festival and Director of the Animation Department, School of Art, Southwest Minzu University;Yang Chenxi, Associate Professor at the School of Film, China Academy of Art;Jiu Zi, Researcher at the Institute of New Media Performing Arts Innovation, Tsinghua University, Content Director of ASIFA-China, and Editor-in-Chief of ASIFA Academic Magazine;Zheng Liguo, Chairman and President of Jilin Animation Institute;Liu Xin, Vice Chairman;Liu Zhenhua, Executive President; as well as representatives from news media including People's Daily and China Daily.Zhang Zhiwei, Chen Mei, and Li Zhongqiu delivered speeches at the ceremony, while Zheng Liguo extended a welcome address and Liu Zhenhua presided over the event.
Zhang Zhiwei delivered a speech
Zhang Zhiwei noted that animation and comics are key to global cultural exchange. In recent years, Jilin’s provincial authorities have prioritized the industry and high-quality creation, rolling out supportive policies covering funding, talent training, project introduction and platform building. These efforts have fueled the industry’s vigorous growth, with outstanding enterprises and works gaining domestic and international acclaim, boosting the "Jilin Animation and Comics" brand’s reputation.
He hoped the exchange week would serve as an open, inclusive and innovative platform to gather global top talents, cutting-edge technologies and resources. He urged joint exploration of new creation concepts, methods and trends to stimulate creativity in Jilin and beyond, promote industry cooperation, and drive integrated development at higher levels and broader scopes.
Chen Mei delivered a speech
Chen Mei stated that animation, as a language and cultural barrier-breaking art form, facilitates civilizational exchange and international understanding. Jilin’s education department has emphasized aesthetic and digital literacy education, promoting deep integration of cultural creativity with education, interdisciplinary development, and industry-education cooperation. Jilin Animation Institute, a 25-year veteran in animation talent cultivation with notable international achievements, recently saw its original filmZap's Last Standwin "Best Animated Film" at the Vancouver Chinese Film Festival.
She viewed the exchange week as a major breakthrough in Jilin’s animation opening-up and cooperation, showing its resolve to integrate into the global ecosystem. The education department will support universities in conducting multi-level international exchanges to showcase Jilin-featured, Chinese-element works globally.
Li Zhongqiu delivered a speech
On behalf of ASIFA and ASIFA China, Li Zhongqiu congratulated the event’s opening. He commended Jilin Animation Institute for its strong school-running capacity and resources, noting it is recognized by experts as China’s largest professional animation university. He added the institute has long built high-level platforms for global animation development and education cooperation, contributing significantly to the industry.
He introduced ASIFA as a UNESCO-guided global animation organization and animators’ spiritual home. He hoped the exchange week would inspire global animators’ creativity and innovation, advancing high-quality animation development in the digital age.
Zheng Liguo delivered the welcome speech
In his welcome speech, Zheng Liguo thanked guests and supporters. He noted AI is reshaping the animation industry, expanding creation boundaries and innovating art forms. The institute focuses on transforming animation education from skill training to innovation, interdisciplinary expansion, and industry integration via its "industry-education integration teaching system." It also prioritizes technological innovation and maintains extensive international exchanges.
He said the institute will further deepen industry-education and tech-art integration. It aims to collaborate with ASIFA, global universities and enterprises to build innovation platforms, a tech center, and a cultural creativity coordination mechanism. Leveraging its Shuangyang campus, it will create an "education + tech + entrepreneurship + research + cultural tourism" landmark for global animation talents.
Liu Zhenhua presided over the opening ceremony
After the opening ceremony, 13 experts were appointed visiting professors, with Liu Xin presenting certificates. The university expects them to guide regularly and jointly foster talents and industry growth through animation art.
Group photo
With a high-standard lineup and diverse activities, the exchange week has become a key animation event. It uses animation and comics as a bridge between culture and technology, building a high-level platform for global animators to engage in industry-education collaboration, cross-border exchanges and resource docking, injecting vitality into Jilin’s and China’s animation internationalization and intelligent development.
