Panel “Japanese Animators on the World Stage”

 

On September 23rd, the Ottawa International Animation Festival, supported by the Embassy of Japan and the Japan Foundation in Toronto, organized the “Japanese Animators on the World Scene” panel at St-Brigid’s Centre for the Arts. The panel gave the opportunity to about 165 people to discover young and promising Japanese animators such as 2015 OIAF Grand Prize Winner for Best Independent Short Animation Ms. Sarina Nihei, Mr. Ryo Orikasa and Ms. Shoko Hara. The talk was moderated by Mr. Nobuaki Doi, Director of the New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Monji welcomed the Japanese animators whose works are greatly influenced by their experiences both in Japan and abroad. The panel offered the opportunity for the audience to learn more about the animators’ background and inspirations as well as the differences between the animation industry in Japan and abroad. Screenings of their works were interspersed within the discussion. A Q&A session followed the talk.

Every September, the Ottawa International Animation Festival presents the world’s most cutting-edge, quirky and important animation — and transforms Ottawa into the centre of the animation universe. After the panel, Mr. Ryo Orikasa received Award for Best Experimental or Abstract Animation.