SIFF's animation finalists redefine genre and vision

The Golden Goblet Award Animation Competition Unit at the Shanghai International Film Festival remains focused on highlighting outstanding animated films from around the world.

This year's shortlist includes five diverse and innovative films that demonstrate a remarkable diversity of genres, techniques, and subjects that transcend age and geography.

Directors and creative teams from the nominated films came together for a press conference to share their insights and inspirations.

Among the films screened were "Magic Beach" by Australian director Robert Connolly, "Make a Girl" by Japanese director Gensho Yasuda, "Tom & Jerry: Forbidden Compass" by Chinese director Zhang Gang, and "Edge of Time," a collaborative effort by four directors, including Shanghai-born filmmaker Li Wei.

From fairy tales to imagination

"It's a joy to be back with 'Magic Beach,' which has been adapted from an Australian children's book using a mix of live-action and animation," said Robert Connolly, who was back in Shanghai after his first visit two decades ago. "We wanted children to see their imagination come alive on screen."

Each segment of "Magic Beach" was animated in a distinct style – puppetry, watercolor, colored pencil – to match the varied interests of children, Connolly said. He worked with a child psychologist to comprehend and depict youthful imagination. "I wanted the film to be a love letter to childhood. Children believe anything is possible. We wanted adults to remember that feeling, too."

When AI meets emotion

Gensho Yasuda's "Make a Girl" delves into the emotional relationship between a human being and a humanoid AI termed "No. 0." The film, adapted from Yasuda's own light novel, explores the ethical quandary of manufactured feeling versus human affection.

"No. 0 was designed to follow robotic ethics, but she gradually developed emotional conflicts," Yasuda explained. "This raises questions we can't yet answer: How do we define love when one party is artificial?"

Over six million global fans contributed to the production of the film. "I didn't intend to use crowdsourcing, but production challenges made it necessary. I'm grateful for the support, and I hope the film provides something meaningful to our fans."

A classic duo reimagined

Director Zhang Gang introduced "Tom & Jerry: Forbidden Compass," the iconic franchise's first fully animated theatrical feature, as well as the first Tom and Jerry film co-directed by a Chinese crew.

In this East-meets-West tale, Tom and Jerry find themselves in ancient China, misidentified as deities by a bunch of amusing rooftop guardian creatures. "The story is a collision of cultures, but also of animation styles," said Zhang. "We retained the slapstick charm of the originals while integrating traditional Chinese comedic elements and design aesthetics."

Zhang noted the film's cultural symbolism, pointing out its use of Chinese cuisine, Peking opera and mythical rooftop creatures. "This film is about more than just laughter; it is also about cultural expression. It's also a dream come true to direct a global IP and include a Chinese perspective in its storytelling."

A collaborative journey through time

The four-part anthology "Edge of Time" is co-directed by Li Wei, Weng Ming and two Japanese directors. It explores time, space and emotion. Each segment employs a distinct animation approach, spanning from 2D to 3D.

"This film is about human connection in the face of destruction and rebirth," said Li. "Our stories revolve around memory, loss and hope. My segment is deeply personal – a return to my hometown of Shanghai, a reflection on the past, and a conversation with the version of myself I've left behind."

Li acknowledged the difficulty of stylistic cohesion among four distinct artistic views but also applauded the collaboration. "Our diverse perspectives became our strength. We weren't just telling stories; we were revealing aspects of ourselves."