participating works: the scar of my city : chapter 8
Program Director : C. Jay SHIH

source:  TIAF2018 

Programme Panorama: Reality & Fanlasy – World in Motion:City Codes

Screening Schedule : 12/10/2018 10:00; 12/10/2018 21:20

The Dialectical Relationship between Fantasy and Reality

The Taichung International Animation Festival (TIAF) was established in 2015. Starting as a city film festival, it set up the International Competition and Taiwan Showcase as it marches onto the international stage to promote Taiwanese animation. Moreover, the Animated Short Projects’ Pitching Award is added to the award list this year, and the number of nominated Taiwanese films in competition has increased. This year we are very fortunate to have invited Baryon directed by Jo-Jo and Mo Monster and A Dog’s Life by Chang Yi as the opening and closing films respectively. We hope that it not only encourages Taiwanese filmmakers but demonstrates the vibrant creative energy in Taiwanese animation.

Overall, on top of raising the number and the quality of features and the films suitable for family viewing to attract local audience, we continue the “experimental and innovative” spirit from last year. As a result, we come up with the theme “Fantasy and Reality” this year and divide the program into several categories, including Director in Focus, Studio in Focus, Talents in Focus, Character Formula: Weird Things, World in Motion: City Code and New Angle: Animated Documentary. It is hoped that through these categories, the TIAF can offer the filmmakers as well as the public a more focused and enjoyable animation viewing experience.

“Fantasy” is one of the basic elements in art and has become a genre in literature. The narrow definition of the so-called “fantasy films” refers to those based on mythology, religious tales or folklore. Broadly speaking, fantasy films mean those override logic and science and are full of imagination that blurs the boundary between reality and imagination. The “Oriental Fantasy” and “Latin Fantasy” at the TIAF will give the audience a new understanding of the traditional role fantasy plays in animation and its modern new look.

Nevertheless, what is interesting is that in the past two decades, the possibility of making animated documentary has been discussed at the international animation forums. Many animators are no longer confined to fantasy. They begin to seek inspiration from the reality and have made animated documentaries. The New Angle: Animated Documentary at the TIAF will show the audience how animation could be used to reproduce reality.

Furthermore, we see that in many brilliant animated films, fantasy and reality are often mixed, and therefore we can say that while fantasy amazes us, the reality moves our hearts. I hope that this year’s program will not only make the audience’s imagination run wild but bring the world to them!

Program Director : C. Jay SHIH