The 2026 International Animation Film Festival in Annecy, France, concluded on the evening of the 27th. During the week-long festival, the Chinese animation industry showcased its achievements in film screenings, trading markets, and academic forums. Chinese creativity continues to contribute to the global animation industry’s development.

At the closing ceremony, the collaborative film “The Violinist,” produced by Singapore, Spain, and Italy, won the Grand Prize for Animated Feature Film. During its previous screenings, the Chinese animated film “Little Monsters from Langlang Mountain,” which was also shortlisted for the main competition section, received warm applause from the audience.

Ralph Bosman, a college student majoring in animation from the Netherlands, became interested in Chinese animation after seeing “The White Snake: The Beginning” at an animation film festival years ago. He remarked that the Chinese works shortlisted this year surprised and impressed him, offering a refreshing experience. Olivia Alcala-Bernard, who works in animation sound effects and music production in France, praised the Chinese shortlisted works for their well-balanced narrative twists and the effective use of traditional instruments, which added to the film’s appeal.

The affiliated trading market of this animation film festival took place from the 23rd to the 26th. The China Joint Booth showcased over 20 outstanding animation works in a concentrated promotion. Additionally, Chinese exhibitors participated in various types of exhibitions. The creative products from the “China’s Capital of Pop Culture · Dongguan” booth attracted numerous professionals to stop by. The 3D metal assembly model “Pink Crown”, the series of national-style mechanized suits of Sun Wukong, and plush toys incorporating elements of traditional Chinese medicine stews were among the star exhibits.

The French anime and pop culture toy brand “Pop Monster” is a client of a cultural and creative enterprise in Dongguan. The two parties have collaborated to develop a variety of popular products, including figurines and blind boxes. Fred Chi, one of the co-founders, told reporters that pop culture toys are an important derivative of anime IPs. “Thanks to China’s massive industry scale, mature market, and extensive experience in the pop culture toy sector, Chinese companies possess expertise in more complex material and color treatments, and can also provide foreign partners with optimized solutions for material selection, color adjustments, and component disassembly.”

In addition to creative practices at the product level, professionals in the Chinese animation industry are also working to promote in-depth discussions and innovations at the level of educational concepts. During the trading market event, institutions such as the Animation and Digital Arts College of China Media University hosted a forum titled “Crossing Boundaries: Animation Transformation Driven by Game Logic.” This forum brought together guests from China and Europe to discuss the trends of the integration of animation and game design in the context of new technological developments, as well as the future directions for the training and creation of animation talents.

Wang Lei, Dean of the School of Animation and Digital Arts at China University of Media and Communication, argues that in the future, animation education will need to shift from cultivating “image creators” to cultivating “experience designers.” “Animation creates linearly developed stories, while game design focuses on generating experience systems. Both are compatible. In the future, animation education will still focus on teaching people how to tell stories, but it will also need to train individuals in constructing story worlds.”

During the discussion session, the guests from China and Europe reached a consensus: regardless of how technology evolves, narrative skills, artistic expression, design thinking, and humanistic concern remain irreplaceable foundations of animation education. In contrast, interdisciplinary perspectives, systemic thinking, and continuous learning capabilities will become essential qualities for the next generation of animation creators. (Looking into the New Era)