Diverse Animations Present a Visual Feast! Animation Sections of the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival Build a Bridge for Global Cultural Exchange

International Film Festival, Xinhua News Agency, Kanshi Times and other authoritative media

The 28th Shanghai International Film Festival kicked off from June 12 to 21, 2026. As China’s sole A-class international film festival, this grand event boasts spectacular highlights in its animation segments. The Golden Goblet Award Animation Competition, Animation Short Film Section and the “SIFF Animation” public screening section work in tandem, gathering a wealth of globally renowned animated works with diverse styles and profound themes. This event not only showcases the creative standards, artistic trends and technological breakthroughs of the contemporary global animation industry, but also serves as a core platform for communication and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign animation creators. It exerts far-reaching significance and extensive influence on promoting the development of global animation art, deepening cross-regional cultural dialogues and expanding industrial cooperation.

1. Elite Competition Lineup with World-Class Entries

The professional and international standards of the Golden Goblet Animation Section have reached new heights this year. The organizing committee invited Will Becher, a core creator from Aardman Animations in the UK, to serve as the jury chair. He leads a panel consisting of senior animation directors and academic scholars from home and abroad. The jury evaluates entries based on artistic value, ideological connotation and production quality, aiming to discover outstanding animated works worldwide and inspire innovative creation across the industry上海国际电影节.

Nominated films for the Golden Goblet Animation and Animation Short Film Sections hail from Brazil, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Slovenia, Italy and many other countries. Multiple titles make their world premieres, Asian premieres and international premieres, demonstrating exceptional calibre. Amadeo and the Hypothetical New World from Brazil is a world premiere feature with fantastic narratives and a unique worldview. Another Brazilian work Dante debuts in Asia. The joint production by Sweden, Norway and Denmark, Garuda: Dare to Dream, conveys the spirit of pursuing dreams. Belgian short film If Possible and Slovenia-Italy co-production Jurka also grace the screen, forming an outstanding short film lineup. The diverse roster fully proves the global appeal of the animation section of the Shanghai International Film Festival.

2. Vibrant Screening Section Breaks Stereotypes of Animation

Beyond professional competitions, the “SIFF Animation” screening zone has become a carnival for animation enthusiasts. The film lineup breaks the public’s narrow perception of “two-dimensional animation”. It includes works created via hand-drawing, stop-motion, digital paper-cutting, 3D and other techniques, covering themes such as philosophical reflection, family affection, civilization exploration and fantasy adventure, presenting a layered audio-visual feast of animation art.

Many highly anticipated works are showcased here. French hand-drawn animation A Magnificent Life depicts the life of a literary master with exquisite brushwork, recreating the style of the French literary and film circles in the 20th century. The Catalan stop-motion work Olivia and the Silent Shock, polished over two decades, uses wool, clay and other materials to depict the warmth of urban life. Brazilian paper-cut animation Papaya tells a fable about individual independence and harmony between humans and nature without a single line of dialogue. A trilogy of surreal masterpieces by legendary French director René Laloux, including Fantastic Planet, Time Masters and Gandahar, are screened in a special retrospective, showcasing the profound philosophical thinking of classic animation.

The Land of Sometimes, the only British animated feature in this year’s screening lineup, makes its Chinese premiere. Adapted from a classic British audio book IP, the film features voice performances by A-list international actors such as Ewan McGregor and Helena Bonham Carter, with original music composed by EGOT winner Tim Rice. It previously won an honorary recommendation at the Chongqing International Animation Film Week, testifying to its artistic value and market reputation上海市人民政府. Stylized works including Heart of Darkness are also presented, enabling animated arts from different regions and genres to collide and blend on the stage of Shanghai.

3. Core Value and Influence on Industry & Culture

(1) Industrial Influence: Setting Creative Benchmarks and Facilitating Industrial Coordination

Leading creative trends and expanding artistic boundaries The animation sections feature top-tier new releases and restored classics from around the world. There are elaborate works adhering to traditional hand-drawing and stop-motion crafts, as well as experimental animations integrating cutting-edge digital technologies. Diverse artistic expressions, narrative techniques and creative concepts provide valuable references for Chinese animation practitioners, breaking limitations in creative thinking. The industry is driven to develop in a diversified way that balances entertainment, artistic expression, humanistic reflection and technological innovation. Meanwhile, the authoritative selection of the Golden Goblet Award sets global creative standards, guiding creators worldwide to attach equal importance to viewing experience and ideological depth.

Building cooperation hubs and activating global industrial linkage As a top Asia-Pacific film and television exchange platform, the animation sections gather global animation studios, distributors and investors in Shanghai. The film festival serves as a bridge for project negotiation, copyright trading and co-production. It helps excellent domestic animations enter the international market and introduces high-quality overseas IP and production teams to China, accelerating the flow of resources and collaborative division of labor across the global animation industry. The fact that numerous premiere works choose Shanghai as their debut venue further confirms the core position of the Chinese market in the global animation sector上海市人民政府.

Discovering emerging talents and improving talent training The film festival embraces both veteran creators and rising talents, with competition and screening sections open to independent animated works by newcomers. Through comments from professional juries and exchanges at industry forums, emerging creators gain access to industrial resources, continuously injecting new vitality into the global animation industry and consolidating the talent foundation for long-term development.

(2) Cultural Influence: Promoting Civilization Exchange and Enhancing Public Art Awareness

Breaking geographical barriers and facilitating cross-cultural communication Animated works from Europe, America, Northern Europe and other regions carry distinctive regional cultures, social concepts and humanistic spirits. Using moving images as a medium, the animation sections of the Shanghai International Film Festival enable equal dialogues between diverse civilizations. Audiences learn about local customs and ideological connotations worldwide through animations, helping eliminate cultural estrangement and build an inclusive global cultural atmosphere.

Reshaping public perceptions and popularizing the artistic value of animation For a long time, many people have regarded animation merely as entertainment for children. With themes ranging from philosophical fables and realistic reflections to historical retrospectives, the screened works fully demonstrate the diversified charm of animation as the “seventh art”. They prove that animation is suitable for audiences of all ages — a fairy tale for children as well as a medium for adults to express thoughts and analyze reality, effectively elevating the status of animation art in popular culture.

(3) Urban & Brand Influence: Polishing Shanghai’s Film and Television Business Card

The annual animation sections further consolidate Shanghai’s status as an “international film and television capital”. Leveraging the festival’s global communication power, the world witnesses Shanghai’s cultural vitality and openness. In addition, the animation segment of the Golden Goblet Award has developed into a renowned IP with strong appeal in the global animation circle, continuously enhancing the international voice of China’s A-class film festivals.

4. Conclusion

Integrating competitions and screenings, the animation sections of the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival present a collection of elite global animated works with outstanding professionalism, artistry, viewing value and cultural significance. For the industry, it promotes technological exchanges, commercial cooperation and talent cultivation, driving the high-quality development of global animation. Culturally, it acts as a bond to facilitate dialogues between civilizations across regions. As the film festival continues to thrive, this platform will keep serving as a bridge to connect Chinese and foreign animation creators. It will promote joint progress for the global animation industry and allow the art of moving images to shine brighter through communication and mutual learning.