Award winners pose for a group photo at the closing ceremony of the third session of the Topu International Animation Week in Haimen district, Nantong on Oct 23. [Photo/zgnt.net]

The 10th China Independent Animation Film Forum (CIAFF) and the third session of the Topu International Animation Week concluded in Haimen district, Nantong on Oct 23.

The five-day animation gala featured animated film exhibitions, forums, and competitions.

A number of industrial leaders, film directors and scholars, such as Chen Zhihong, director of the animation department of the film academy of Shanghai University, and Busifan, director of Dahufa, which won Best Animation Feature at the 2017 Golden Horse Awards, held heated discussions on various fields, including animation education, virtual worlds, animation documentaries, and IP operation.

"It was like an academic party that has been widely recognized by industrial insiders," said Chen Liaoyu, associate professor at the Animation school of the Beijing Film Academy and one of the curators of the forum.

The CIAFF was founded in 2011 by Pi San, chief playwright and director of animated series Miss Puff, a popular title described as China's Sex and the City. It was the first non-government and non-profit project for animation art exchange in China.

The forum has been permanently held in the Linjiang New Area of Haimen district since 2019.

During this year's forum, a number of animation enterprises reached cooperation agreements with Dongbuzhou Science City, the animation hub of Linjiang New Area.

"It is a great destination for expanding our animation market in the southern part of China, considering its geographical advantages and the local government's support," said Wang Wenxin, head of the Shenyang-based ANG ANIMATION, the first company to set up operations in Dongbuzhou.

According to Xu Jun, a senior official of Linjiang New Area, they are planning to extend the animation industrial chain to painting, music and literature and attract more professionals to the area.