It has been the third anniversary of Taichung International Animation Festival. It will be held at Taichung ShowTimes (Taichung Rail Station) from October 13 to October 17. There will be 143 animation films coming from 35 countries or areas to be released in 40 shows. Tickets booking will begin on September 23, at NT$80 per person. The Barkley the Cat, a feature animation film produced in Taiwan scheduled to be released in December, will be releasing at the opening of the festival. People can watch this cute film in advance. Mayor Lin Chia-lung expressed that with 3 years of promotion, Taichung International Film Festival has gained recognition in the international arena. In this year, it attracted 1849 animation films to apply. Finally, 143 were chosen. He would like to invite people to enter the fantastic world of animation together.

Mayor Lin expressed that animation films are suitable for all ages, trespassing national boundary. In addition, Taichung, being a young city, has a solid foundation in the creative cultural industry. It is highly suitable to have animation film developed there. Therefore, the theme of the city has been chosen for this animation festival. After 3 years of endeavor, Taichung International Animation Festival is growing bigger and bigger, more and more internationalized. With international animation directors gathered here every year, they take pleasure to share their works. In this year, 1849 works from 35 countries and areas are chosen.

Mayor Lin also expressed that the Central Taiwan Film Lot will be completed and launched into operation next year. In addition, the Central Taiwan Film Center will be established in Shuinan. And it will be integrated into the project of the Ministry of Culture to establish the National Animation Museum. The Fourth Market will be refurbished into an illustration village, inviting illustrator to reside. Joining force with the Animation Festival and Taichung Comic Arts Festival, both the hardware of and policy for animation in Taichung have been completed. And manufacturers tend to recruit professional talents in this field with Taichung as the base. Displaying their creativity, people are invited to come and enjoy these animation films and enter the world of fantasy together.

The director of Barkley the Cat, Chiu Li-wei expressed that this feature film is a story about people and animals, love and courage. With Tainan as the setting, he has transformed people in the city into animals, describing the story of the growth of a kitten and the process it encounters. He took three years in producing this film, with the help of a 400-people crew. It won’t be released until December 29. However, people can have the opportunity to watch it in advance in this festival.

The program director, Shi Chang-jie especially recommended Barkley the Cat. He said this film depicts a kitten stepped in a world controlled by human being, beginning a fantastic journey. The things it heard, and the things it encountered make it hesitate once. Whether it should see this world from the perspective of people or animals is its urging problem. Finally, it dedicates its love and promotes it spirit of conservation, choosing to love and protect animals. This film’s accomplishment in art is high, and the chasing scenes are exciting. He invites people to watch this feature animation film.

The Information Bureau expressed that the films to be shown in the opening and closing sessions of the Taichung International Animation Festival are worthy of our expectations. It is the first time to choose a local animation film – Barkley the Cat as the opening film. Its director, Chiu Li-wei, has been shortlisted in the Golden Horse Award, and was grant the Best Animation Award in the Golden Harvest Awards for Outstanding Short Films. As to the closing film EUFF 2017 is adapted from a true story of real people. It is a story about the parents of Raymond Briggs, the author, and their love story that stretches over 5 decades, and the ordeals they endured during WWII. When it was debuted in the UK last year, the author was deeply touched and burst into tears. The audience praised that “it is most genuine and the most touching love story.”

2017 Taichung International Animation Festival will be held at Taichung ShowTimes (Taichung Rail Station) from October 13 to October 17. Tickets will be sold at noon (12:00) September 23 at the Arts Tickets system. The tickets for adults will be NT$130. When purchasing early bird tickets from September 23 to October 12, the tickets will be sold at a special price of NT$80. In this year, there will be free outdoor shows, international seminars, and workshops. For more information concerning the animation festival or peripheral activities, please visit the official website of Taichung International Animation Festival twtiaf.com and its FaceBook fans page facebook.com/tiaf.taichung.