On April 29, the 13th BJIFF Game-Based Animated Films Section was successfully held. The event is jointly guided by the BJIFF Organizing Committee, the Beijing State-owned Cultural Assets Management Center, and the Publicity Department of Beijing Huairou District Committee of the Communist Party of China, hosted by the Huairou District Cultural Industry Development Promotion Center and Beijing Chunjiangnuan Culture Communication Co., Ltd., and co-organized by the Beijing E-Sports Industry Development Association. The E-sports Celebration for Filmmakers, Red Carpet & Closing Ceremony were also successfully concluded. 

Exciting events live up to expectations! Under the guidance of the theme of the 13th BJIFF "Sharing Culture, Shared Future", this year’s Game-Based Animated Films Section is themed with “Springtime, Game Time”. More than half of the schedule has been fulfilled now and let’s review the feast of light and shadow about the "film+" integration and circle-breaking cooperation. 

　　▍Insight collision at the fruitful opening forum 

On the morning of April 25, the opening forum of the 13th BJIFF Game-Based Animated Films Section was successfully held. Chen Liaoyu, director-in-chief of Yao-Chinese Folktales, Yang Zhigang, director of Dahufa, Weng Ming, production designer of Deep Sea, Hu Rui, director of Goose Mountain, Cheng Liang, director-in-chief at Dangdang Animation and other senior practitioners and creators were invited to the forum themed with Aesthetic Exploration and Innovation of Chinese Animation. Cai Bo, producer of the animation work Goose Mountain, served as the moderate.  

　　

　　Site of the Opening Forum 

At the beginning of the forum, Chen Liaoyu, director-in-chief of Yao-Chinese Folktales, Weng Ming, production designer of Deep Sea and Cheng Liang, director-in-chief at Dangdang Animation delivered the keynote speeches. They reviewed the production process and shared creative ideas and industry experience. During the roundtable discussion, the guests exchanged freely with insightful quotes. Based on the current booming animation industry in China, they heatedly talked about the aesthetic system and development trend of Chinese animation from the perspectives as follows: the creative expression of traditional art films and animation images in the new era, the technical means to elevate the aesthetic system of Chinese animation, the full integration of art style and story, as well as the ways to promote Chinese animation to the world. 

　　▍Two competitions to create e-sports celebration for filmmakers

On the morning of April 29, the E-Sports Celebration for Filmmakers was officially launched. The Film Company Challenge kicked off first and the teams attending the competition included BJIFF, Poly Pictures, GRCulture, SubCulture, CyberSky, Sparkle Roll Media and the crews of Just By My Side and Georgia. After intense and exciting competitions, the crew of Just By My Side won the championship of Honor of Kings Challenge, Poly Pictures and Poly Digi-Entertainment won the runner-up, SubCulture Panda Team won the third place.  

In the afternoon, the star tournament kicked off. Lou Yixiao, Ambassador of Game-Based Animated Films Section, and other Youth Ambassadors such as Hu Chunyang, Jiang Chuyi, NAME-Jin Zihan, Sun Zujun, Yao Bonan, Zha Jie and Zhenyu Max (in alphabetical order), joined hands with the four professional players of Team WE, an Honor of Kings team from Qujiang, Xi’an, to bring an appealing and fun e-sports feast on the site. 

　　

　　Site of star tournament

The two interesting and vibrant competitions achieved the cross-border integration between the film and e-sports industries, which not only demonstrated the diverse charm of e-sports, but also brought new perspectives and ideas to in-depth industrial integration.

　　▍A grand red carpet & closing ceremony with shining stars 

After the start tournament, it was the exciting moment of red carpet. Joe Chen, the co-initiator of Game-based Animated Films Section, Lou Yixiao, the section ambassador, and other youth ambassadors such as Hu Chunyang, Jiang Chuyi, NAME-Jin Zihan, Sun Zujun, Yao Bonan, Zha Jie, Zhenyu Max (in alphabetical order), as well as other artists and film industry teams showed up for the event. 

　　

　　Joe Chen at the Red Carpet

　　

　　Lou Yixiao at the Red Carpet

　　▍Closing Ceremony promotes long-term development of film-gaming integration

At the closing ceremony that night, Zhang Su, member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau, delivered the speech. He said that the 13th BJIFF Game-Based Animated Films Section, as an important section with unique exploratory significance and diverse characteristics, presents games, animation and films to the audience in a more intimate way through a series of interesting activities. More people can experience the pan-entertainment ecology of film-gaming integration through the connection between the content and the scene, which creates a new model of integration between the game, animation and film industry. 

　　

　　Zhang Su, member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau

Fernando E. Juan Lima, Nadav Lapid and Pimpaka Towira, members of the 13th BJIFF Jury of Tiantan Award, also attended the ceremony as the representatives of the BJIFF Jury, and presented awards to the teams notching up a strong performance in the E-Sports Celebration competition together with other attending guests. 

　　

　　Group photo of Game-Based Animated Films Section

As the most eye-catching moment at this grand ceremony, the BJIFF Organizing Committee Office and Beijing State-owned Cultural Assets Management Center signed a strategic cooperation agreement on the BJIFF Game-Based Animated Films Section and Beijing E-Sports. At the same time, two launching ceremonies were also held for the Beijing E-Sports 2023 City Challenge and the Beijing Colleges’ E-Sports Super League. In this regard, Zhao Enguo, Deputy Director of Beijing State-owned Cultural Assets Management Center, said in his speech that Beijing E-sports 2023 series of activities will embark on the BJIFF, an important international platform, which can not only expand the influence of the theme of "film+e-sports", but also promote the development of industrial integration. 

　　

　　Launching Ceremony of Beijing E-Sports 2023 

The closing reception of the Game-Based Animated Films Section was also held that night. The guests present participated in the grand palm print ceremony to draw a full stop to the feast of light and shadow. 

 

　　

　　▍Exciting E-sports Carnival for the May Day holiday

In this beautiful spring, the Game-Based Animated Films Section will continue to carry out more exciting activities. On May 1, the 13th BJIFF Game-Based Animated Films Section — E-sports Carnival will kick off in the Flower Sea of the Film Town, Huairou. 

The three-day E-sports Carnival from May 1 to May 3 will accompany all the e-sports and film fans to spend the happy holiday. A large number of basketball machines, arcades and other entertainment facilities are established on the site and the Honor of Kings Challenge will also be available for all “fighters” with easy registration for participation. Visitors can also visit the special cultural tourism space and the fair integrating camping, food, music, cultural and innovative products and technology to experience dozens of parent-child games such as pitch-pot, Chuiwan (ball-hitting) and archery… 

The Game-Based Animated Films Section has gradually opened up a new path for the integration of e-sports, games, animation and films from inauguration in 2020 to current prosperity. It was integrated with “Beijing E-sports” hosted by the Beijing State-owned Cultural Assets Management Center for the first time this year, indicating more possibilities for the industry development in the future. 

In a merry and harmonious atmosphere, the 13th BJIFF Game-Based Animated Films Section will continue to enjoy the light and shadow with you. The E-sports Carnival is looking forward to meeting you again during the May Day holiday.