My visit to the 5thXiamen Cyber Sousa Animation Festival in Xiamen, China was in marked contrast to my visit to Changchun, China six weeks before. Changchun is located in the far North East of China near to the South Korean and Mongolian borders and although the weather had not turned cold yet the heavy coats and boots in the department stores foretold what was to come soon.
Xiamen is situated on the South-eastern coast of China on the Taiwan Strait which gives it a beautiful tropical climate with lush flowers and foliage. The most marked difference between the two events was the much more relaxed pace of the Xiamen festival. Although there was an array of events, there were very few that we were required to attend, so I could choose what was most interesting to me.
I was unable to arrive until the afternoon of the 26th so I missed the opening ceremony of the product and technology exhibition. I did have time for a leisurely lunch in the hotel restaurant and a walk around the area. The hotel was quite lovely with a swimming pool complete with swan fountains, a bar you could swim up to and a hot soaking pool nestled in lush vegetation and plumaria trees in full bloom. I later learned that the plumaria is the city flower and is found growing throughout the city. The hotel restaurant, which looked out on the pool area, had a noodle bar chef to custom make your dish and platters of sushi along with a wide array of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes. Unlike my previous trip to China, here the meals were long and leisurely.
The next morning the 2 day Animation Forum began. Presentations were given by guests from around the world. Many of these talks had fascinating titles but unfortunately there was no official English translator. I wish that I could have understood the first talk by Chen Liaoyu, Associate Professor of Animation at Beijing Film Academy. His title listed on my forum information sheet was Blind Men Patting an Elephant – Creative Training in Teaching Animation Design. It intrigued me and even though I could not understand his words his slide presentation of different character designs was most interesting.
That evening we all attended the Cyber Sousa Awards Ceremony. The event was a lavish staged event which we were told was televised throughout China. Between the presentations of the 10 awards there were elaborate musical numbers,including pop singers, a hip-hop dream sequence, and a lion dance performed by a pair of dragons on a high wire.
The award winners were selected several weeks before the ceremony so I had no idea what process the international jury used since I didn’t meet any jury members and none of them were at the ceremony as far as I could tell. There was simultaneous English translation of the ceremony but I had no idea whether the winning directors were present to accept their trophies I have no idea. The awards were accepted by young people who smiled and waved a lot but were not given the opportunity to speak for themselves.
I was quite surprised when I suddenly heard my name announced by the MC on stage and I am afraid that I must have looked a bit like a deer caught in the headlights for a minute as all of the TV cameras focused on me as I was pushed onto the stage. No one had warned me that I was giving an award and I’m still not sure what category the award was or who I gave the three awards to.
There were small clips from the winning films during the ceremony but I would like to have seen a screening of the winning films after the televised event. We were given a very thick catalog with a still from each film and a line or two description of each film but I had not brought the catalog to the formal event. The thick volume listed in English the amount of the cash award accompanying the trophies but I don’t know if it was ever stated in Chinese at the ceremony. It was not said in English and if I hadn’t read the catalog carefully I would have never known about the cash awards.
I did have the opportunity to see an hour’s worth of animation when I attended the Animation Products and Technology Exhibition held in conjunction with the festival at the Xiamen International Convention and Exhibition Center. The films were shown on a good quality screen with comfortable seating near the entrance to the exhibition hall. The audience could come and go rather than sit in a formal theater. There seemed to be a great deal of interest in watching the films by the public.
The overall quality of the animation seemed to be markedly improved from what I saw on my last visit to Xiamen a few years ago. There was one film that I found particularly good but unfortunately I have no idea what is was called. I couldn’t find it pictured in the catalog so I assume that it was not in the competition.
The Exhibition Hall is massive and packed full of exhibits. The noise of the packed crowd was deafening. Booths contained everything that could possibly relate to animation: films, games, TV productions and lots and lots of toys and merchandise. After a couple of hours it all became overwhelming and everything began to look alike. I was impressed by one booth that featured a children’s book called Butterfly which is in production for a TV series by the Yu-Sheng Animation Studio. The characters were delightfully original in design and many of the backgrounds were composed of intricate traditional Chinese paper cut out designs.
There was a Cos-Play contingent that was very elaborately costumed. The exhibition had a vast array of booths selling every Cos-Play accessory possible, from horns and wigs to clothes and swords. The Cos-Play participants and authors seemed to be the stars of the show with long lines of attendees waiting to have their books signed and their pictures taken with them.
One afternoon was devoted to an International Animation Day Celebration. The highlight of the afternoon was the formal welcome by the International Board members present to the Xiamen chapter of ASIFA. The chapter had just completed their two year probationary period and now had full voting rights on the Board. After the obligatory speeches the ASIFA Board Members were invited to the stage to congratulate our newest chapter, ASIFA China-Xiamen. Lucca Raffaelli, ASIFA Italy; Ed Desroches, ASIFA Colorado; Pencho Kunchev, ASIFA Bulgaria; and myself representing ASIFA San Francisco signed the memorial book to commemorate the occasion.
Following the ceremony I gave my presentation on the topic of the importance of small regional animation festivals. I spotlighted the Monstra Festival in Lisbon, Anibar in Peja, Kosovo, and The Fredrikstad Animation Festival in Norway, pointing out the significant role that smaller festivals play in bringing films that are culturally significant to the local population. The IAD celebration concluded with a screening of the DVD of John Halas’ films introduced by Ed Desroches.
When I first visited the Xiamen Cyber Sousa Animation Festival several years ago I couldn’t help but notice the strong thumb of the government pressing down on the festival. On this trip there seemed to be a great deal less government control evident. Oh course, I can’t say what went on behind the scenes but my schedule was much less regulated.
In marked difference from other festivals that I have attended in China was the relaxed party at the Xiamen Yacht Club. A big, sumptuous buffet was laid out along with a barbeque where you could have shishkabobs grilled to your taste (tofu for the vegetarians) as well as grilled corn on the cob and abundant beer and wine. The tables were arranged on the yacht club veranda in an informal layout for casual conversation while enjoying the lovely view of yacht, the lights in the harbour, and the Haicang Bridge. The bridge is not only beautiful but very important since it links Xiamen Island with the city’s Haicang District located on the mainland. Best of all, there were no formal speeches that usually accompany an “occasion” in China. It remains one of my nicest memories of my travels in China.
I owe a big debt of gratitude to my lovely translator Jennifer. I came to appreciate her as a friend as well as an excellent linguist. She accompanied me on my long walks and together we discovered such interesting off-the-beaten-track areas as a small neighborhood that still retains an ancient charm. The single story buildings in the narrow streets looked like miniatures compared to the tall new high-rises to be found teeming around them. No new department stores were to be found but the narrow streets teemed with life. I loved the pungent smells from the dumplings and noodles cooking on the street. This is an old slice of China that is rapidly disappearing and I’m sure that this small village will be long gone on my next visit to Xiamen.
Most of my colleagues left on the morning of the 29th but I was lucky enough to stay two additional days. I am glad that I did. On the morning of the 29th, Jason Chang Fugi of Neptune Films in Beijing invited six of to visit the For Win Digital Technology Studio. They are one of the premier digital studios in Xiamen and produce many of the special effects for commercials and films worldwide.
Before we were treated to a tour of the studio and a presentation of their work we were served delicious cups of tea made in the traditional way on a tea table with a selection of dried fruit and little cakes. After our tour we were each presented with a beautiful wooden tea chest containing two lovely ceramic canisters full of delicious local tea. Each morning as I drink my pot of morning tea here at home the delicate taste takes me back to Xiamen. We also received a lesson in Chinese calligraphy on a special practice pad. After you finish the characters, the ink magically disappears so there is no record of my attempt.
Following our visit, Jason took us to Gulangyu Island. The 1.78 square kilometre (0.69 square mile) island, a short 10 minute ferry ride from the mainland, is a popular recreation spot with the usual restaurants and shops near the ferry landing. As you walk away from the commercial area there are fewer people and delightful tropical sites.
Cars have never been allowed on the island and there are many historic Chinese villas and Victorian era style European buildings which housed diplomats and their families. Many of them are now hotels offering luxury accommodations. Gulangyu Island is known as Piano Island because of the vast collection of rare pianos at the piano museum located on a hill about half way around the island. The island is also the site of a concert hall, museum, and a theatre which offers hand puppet plays daily.
There are swimming beaches and spectacular views all around the island. There were sellers of fresh whole coconuts with a straw to sip the delicious milk and assorted local sweet treats. Cafes and small restaurants are also scattered along the sea side walkway. The group was treated to a delicious meal with a wide array of dishes specially ordered by Jason. He told us that everything we were served were local specialties.
On my previous visit I had been taken around the island by the festival very quickly in a golf cart and the next day I took the ferry by myself. On this trip with Jason I learned so much from him as our knowledgeable guide. I look forward to my next visit to Xiamen so that I can explore more of the rich treasures the island holds.
I cannot thank Johnchill Lee of ASIFA Xiamen enough for arranging for my invitation to the festival and providing the opportunity for me to spend two additional days in Xiamen. Also the trip would not have been possible without the hard work of Agnes Li who made all of my travel arrangements and also was kind enough to translate all of the award winners from Chinese to English for me to include at the end of this article.
It always makes me happy when I can report that a festival which had some problems the last time I visited it has made marked improvements. I see it as a positive sign that this year the festival ask foreign guests for suggestions as to what we would like to see improved. I look forward to visiting Xiamen Cyber Souse International Animation Festival again in the future.
Next you will find me having a great time at the KLIK Animation Festival in Amsterdam.
Awards:
Best Television Animated Feature Film
Monkey King - Havoc in Heaven, Lu Xiaoming director, Shanghai Animation Film Studio, China
Best Animated TV Series
The Bright Moon of the Qin Dynasty, Shi Ling Xiao director, Hangzhou Demystifying Information Technology Co., Ltd., China
The Best Science Education Animation
The Oil and Gas in the Ordos Basin, ???? director, Beijing Daily Horizon Pioneer Digital Image Production Co., Ltd., China
Best Commercial Animation
Life of the Millennium Town, He Shan director, Crystal Digital Technology Co.Ltd., China
Xiamen Innovation Award
Xiamen Image, Cui Bao Li director, Xiamen Institute of Professional Software Technology, China
Best Mobile Animation
Huarong, Xu Ya Jie director, Individual, China,
Best Mobile Comic
The Comic of Zhenhuan, Liu Jiao director, Hunan Haofeng Cultural Communication, China
Best Animated Short Film
Goodbye to Rainy Day, Zheng Ya Wen director, China Univeristy of Communications, China
Best Short Animated Picture
Howl, Rafi Yaniger director, Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Israel
Best Animated TV Series
Ka Lupatini Mazgajas, Ieva Vaickovska director, Atom Art, Latvia
