Recently, three outstanding works created jointly by faculty and students of Jilin Animation Institute have been shortlisted for the 14th Vancouver Chinese Film Festival: the animated series Changbai Spirit(Season 1), microfilms The Choice and Severe Winter. Following years of accolades earned by Jilin Animation Institute at this international film festival, this marks the simultaneous shortlisting of multiple genres of works. It demonstrates that the original creative force of Jilin Animation Institute is stepping onto the global stage in a collective manner.
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The nominated animated series Changbai Spirit (Season 1) is a key original IP incubated by Jilin Animation Institute. Adopting the distinctive visual symbol of the “four directions”, the work builds a delightful animal city. Its 26 episodes are neatly divided into eight major thematic units, with scenes set in familiar spaces for children such as libraries and fire stations. Accompanying the block-shaped protagonists, young audiences experience different occupations including librarians and firefighters. Through lighthearted adventures, they subtly learn how society operates, feel the value and warmth of every profession, and naturally develop sound values.
The microfilms The Choice and Severe Winter delve into profound history from vastly different perspectives. The anti-war work The Choice reflects on the Second Sino-Japanese War through the eyes of Japanese civilians. Interweaving memories, photographs and film reels, it delicately depicts how war brutally reshapes individual fates, and highlights the resilient power of kindness and justice amid the darkest hours. Severe Winter focuses on the Chinese Liberation War. With restrained yet heartfelt storytelling, it portrays the unyielding will of revolutionaries and the profound camaraderie forged through life-and-death struggles. Serving as a bridge between past and present, the two films embody the profound historical awareness and humanistic responsibility of faculty and students at Jilin Animation Institute.
Moving forward, the institute will continue to deepen the integration of industry and education. It encourages teachers and students to take root in Jilin and tell authentic Chinese stories, incubating more high-quality works that combine Chinese aesthetic spirit and cutting-edge technologies, and injecting lasting youthful vitality into China’s film and television art education and industrial development.
