BJIFF · Film+｜Call for Entries Now Open for the Exquisite Appreciation Event in the 16th BJIFF's Game-Based Animated Films Section!
With the successive releases of acclaimed animated films such as Ne Zha 2, Nobody, The Legend of Hei 2 and Curious Tales of a Temple, Chinese animators continue to push boundaries through creativity, technological innovation, and cultural awareness. With their unique narratives and exquisite craftsmanship, they offer audiences of all ages a cross-cultural and intergenerational feast for the senses, showcasing the diverse charm of animation art. The Game-Based Animated Films Section of the 16th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) now officially opens its call for animated works from university students across China. We invite you - using youth as your brush and dreams as your canvas - to join us in painting the new face of Chinese anime for the next century. Let the world witness the aesthetics and imagination of the East!
The 15th Game-Based Animated Films Section Awards Ceremony Scene
I. Submission Requirements
(I) Submission Period: From now until December 30, 2025
(II) Work Requirements
1. Eligible Creators: Current undergraduate, college, or postgraduate students (including 2025 graduating students) from domestic universities or colleges. Submitted works must have been created during their period of enrollment. Submissions may be made by individuals, teams, or organized groups from units.
2. Creation Period: Works must be completed between March 5 and December 30, 2025. Submissions that have participated in previous editions of this event are not eligible for this year's selection.
3. Creation Method: Works directly generated using artificial intelligence (AI) technology are not accepted. If a submitted work is verified to be directly generated by AI, it will be disqualified from participation.
4. Original Work Requirement: Works must be original and should not be commercially customized productions. They must not infringe upon the copyrights of others. If any intellectual property disputes arise from a submitted work and are confirmed to be valid, the creator(s) shall bear all corresponding responsibilities, and the work will be disqualified from participation.
(III) Categories of Works
1. Animation Category
(1) Type of Work: Animated short films, with no restrictions on theme or subject matter. Duration should not exceed 60 minutes.
(2) Format Requirements: Format: MOV or MP4 (H.264 universal compression encoding); Orientation: Horizontal screen; Aspect ratio: 16:9; Resolution: No less than 1080P; Submission: Full version of the complete work; Quality: Clear and coherent images, without watermarks.
2. Comic Category
(1) Type of Work: Comics, with no restrictions on theme or subject matter. Works may be single-panel, four-panel, or multi-panel, and may be in color or black-and-white, with no restrictions on artistic style or creation technique.
(2) Format Requirements: Format: JPG; Resolution: At least 300 DPI; Submission: Complete images of the work; Quality: Clear images, without watermarks.
3. Picture Book Category
(1) Type of Work: Picture books, with no restrictions on theme or subject matter. Works should consist of multiple pages and may be in color or black-and-white, with no restrictions on artistic style or creation technique.
(2) Format Requirements: Format: JPG; Resolution: At least 300 DPI; Submission: Complete images of the work; Quality: Clear images, without watermarks.
II. Awards Setup
(I) Animation Works Selection
Best Animated Short Film, Best Animation Director, Best Animation Screenwriter, Best Visual Effects, and Most Commercially Viable Animated Short Film (1 winner each); outstanding Animated Short Films (10 winners); jury's Recommended Animated Short Film (1 winner); shortlisted Animated Short Films (60 entries).
(II) Comic Works Selection
Best Story Comic, Best Comic Artistry, Best Chinese-Style Comic, and Most Commercially Viable Comic Work (1 winner each); outstanding Comic Works (10 winners); jury's Recommended Comic Work (1 winner); shortlisted Comic Works (60 entries).
(III) Picture Book Works Selection
Best Picture Book Works (4 winners); Most Commercially Viable Picture Book Work (1 winner); outstanding Picture Book Works (10 winners); jury's Recommended Picture Book Work (1 winner); shortlisted Picture Book Works (60 entries).
III. Work Review
(I) Review Timeline
Preliminary Review: Early January 2026
Final Review: Mid-March 2026
Awards Ceremony: Late April 2026 (specific date to be announced later)
(II) Review Experts
The review experts for this event consist of scholars from domestic and international universities as well as industry experts. Their involvement, from both academic and commercial perspectives, ensures the evaluation process maintains high authority in terms of academic rigor, artistic merit, and commercial development. (The list of review experts will be announced later)
IV. Submission Method
1. Submission Fee: There is no fee to participate in this competition. However, creators of shortlisted and awarded works will be responsible for their own travel and accommodation expenses if they choose to attend the awards ceremony.
2. How to Submit: Submissions may be made by individuals, teams, or organized groups from units. For details, please refer to the materials provided in the Baidu Netdisk. Please download the submission documents (Application Form and Collective Submission Form) from Baidu Netdisk, or scan the QR code to download.
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V. Cooperation Consultation
For detailed information about the current and past editions of the event, please visit the official BJIFF website.
For inquiries regarding submission, institutional collaboration, project investment and development, media partnerships, event sponsorship, and other forms of cooperation, please contact the event representative below.
Event Official Website: www.bjiff.com
Submission Email: bolu@bjiff.com
Contact Person: Zuo Peng
Contact Number: +86-13301361306
The 16th BJIFF's Game-Based Animated Films Section looks forward to your participation!
We look forward to gathering dream-driven animators and comic creators to strive together for the rise of Chinese anime!
