Cardiff Animation Festival Teaming Up With New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival
Festivals help spread the love of animation throughout the world. And sometimes festivals from different countries team up to share animation as part of a cultural exchange. One of our favourite festivals, Cardiff Animation Festival, has done this before, partnering with CapeTown International Animation Festival. Now they are partnering with a different festival, this time in Japan. CAF is collaborating with New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival, the only animation festival to be held in an airport.
For the first time, the festival will feature Welsh and Japanese animated shorts side by side, as well as animation professional masterclasses from both countries. The Cardiff Animation Festival team will bring Welsh animation to Hokkaido's New Chitose Airport which hosts Japan’s first ever airport movie theatre. As well as the coming together of festivals, director Nia Alavezos and animator Asaki Nishino are developing a short film which celebrates the cultural vibrancy of both countries. Between both animators and festivals, the project will include a cultural exchange in Hokkaido: sharing working practices, nurturing a residency between creatives and delivering a programme of vibrant animation events.
"We are honoured that Cardiff Animation Festival has given us, New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival, the opportunity to collaborate on projects together" said Tomoko Ono, director of Chitose Animation Festival."Supported by our mutual love of animation, we are excited to curate exciting programs while interacting deeply online with members who live far away in Wales. The exchange program of fascinating animation from Wales with Japanese independent animation and the wonderful encounters with guests from Cardiff will be an exciting outcome for our festival. I sincerely hope that learning about the different ways of working in different countries will inspire filmmakers to create their next projects"
As international exhibitors of animation, the partnership explores each other's way of working and champions animators from both countries. With rich animation histories and vibrant storytelling at the heart of both cultures, the project seeks to highlight how animators have been influenced by the lands that they call home.
The programme that CAF will take to Japan includes Oscar-nominated Affairs of the Art (2021) by Joanna Quinn, Hounds of Annwn (2023) by Beth Hughes and Bryony Evans and Creepy Pasta Salad (2019) by Cardiff Animation Festival Director Lauren Orme. As well as their shorts programme, Producer, Director and Writer Nia Alavezos will run an animation masterclass, where she will share insider knowledge about working in the animation industry in Wales, and share insights and highlights from her own film career.
"We’re delighted to receive this opportunity to work closely with one of our favourite animation festivals on the other side of the world, " Laura Welsman from CAF adds."Cardiff Animation Festival and New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival are deeply committed to cultural storytelling and bringing people together around a love of animation. This collaboration gives us a chance to share our journeys, working practices and curate Japanese work next to Welsh and Wales-based work towards an exciting programme."
New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival takes place in person from 21-25 November at New Chitose Airport, Chitose, Japan. You can join and watch the films from anywhere in the world from 1-8 December on Cardiff Animation Festival online platform Eventive.
The collaboration is part of the 2025 Year Of Wales and Japan, celebrating and strengthening connections across both countries. Find out more here.
