Afternoon of November 8, 2025
25th Beijing Film Academy Animation Awards
The closing ceremony and awards ceremony were held at the Huairou Campus of Beijing Film Academy.
Grandly held in a theater for a thousand people
Animation colleagues from home and abroad gathered together
This award, hailed as the “Oscars of Chinese Animated Short Films,”
We received submissions from 26 countries and regions around the world.
3219 entries
Record high
The newly established “AI Unit” and “Chinese Animation School” forum
It highlights the collision and fusion of tradition and innovation.
Guided by the China Animation Association, the Animation Art Committee of the China Artists Association, the Animation Film Working Committee of the China Film Association, the China Video Industry Association, and the International Animation Film Education Alliance, and hosted by the Beijing Film Academy, the People’s Government of Mentougou District of Beijing, and the People’s Government of Huairou District of Beijing, and organized by the China Animation Research Institute of Beijing Film Academy, the School of Animation of Beijing Film Academy, and the Beijing Film and Television Animation Association , the Beijing Film Academy Animation Academy Awards has been held for 25 years. With its commitment to original animation and its empowerment of the industry , it has earned the reputation of “China’s Animation Short Film Oscars” and has become the most prestigious benchmark event in the Chinese animation field. The deep involvement of international organizations such as the International Animation Film Education Alliance and the Asia-Pacific Animation Association has further broadened the competition’s international cooperation network and exchange dimensions.
Zhou Zhijun , Party Secretary of the Beijing Film Academy , extended congratulations to the award-winning creators on behalf of the academy and expressed gratitude to the Chinese and foreign guests and the organizing committee team. She noted that the Animation Academy Awards, after 25 years of development, has grown into an industry platform that combines academic rigor with professionalism. This year’s awards, with a focus on “dual-driven academic and industry development,” linked Mentougou and Huairou districts , promoting animation art beyond the campus and serving local cultural tourism. A record high of 3,219 entries from 26 countries and regions worldwide were received . The newly established “AI Unit” and “Chinese Animation School” forum highlighted the collision and integration of tradition and innovation.
Liu Jianzhong, former director of the State Film Administration, praised the Animation School of Beijing Film Academy as a top-tier training base for animation talent in China, emphasizing that animation education needs to combine theory and practice. He looks forward to further cooperation between the Academy and Beijing Film Academy worldwide and wishes the Animation Academy Awards continued success, injecting more vitality into China’s animation industry.
Speech was delivered by internationally renowned animation master Georges Schweitzergebel , recipient of the Annecy Animation Award for Lifetime Achievement, recipient of the Beijing Film Academy Animation Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement, and visiting professor at the Beijing Film Academy; Masakazu Kubo, renowned Japanese animation producer, the creator of Pikachu, and visiting professor at the Beijing Film Academy ; He Cheng , chairman of the 25th Animation Academy Awards; and Sun Lijun , former vice president of the Beijing Film Academy and president of the China Animation Research Institute .
Domestic guests attending Liu Jianzhong , former director of the State Film Administration; Xu Tao , chairman of the Chinese committee of the World Cartoonists Congress ; Fang Ling , director and deputy general manager of CCTV Animation Group; Liu Peng , deputy secretary of the Party Committee and general manager of China Animation Group ; Sun Le, deputy head of Huairou District People’s Government ; Yu Deli , executive deputy director of the Publicity Department of Huairou District Committee ; Wang Qingjun , secretary of the Party Committee and director of Huairou District Cultural Promotion Center ; Peng Song , secretary of the Party Committee of Yangsong Town, Huairou District ; Xuan Xuejun , vice dean of the School of Animation and Game of China Academy of Art ; Chen Lingguang , dean and professor of the School of Animation and Digital Arts of Zhejiang University of Media and Communications; Li Wenyu , associate professor of the School of Arts of Sichuan University and director of “Ranbiwa” ; Liu Hu , director and associate professor of the Department of Animation of the School of Fine Arts and Design of Xihua University ; Zhao Hongwei, secretary general of the Hong Kong Bauhinia International Film Festival; and the director of the Animation Channel Center of Beijing Radio and Television Station and director of Beijing Kaku Media Group. Zhang Bin , Chairman of Media Co., Ltd.; Yu Bo , Deputy General Manager of Shanghai Animation Film Studio ; Wang Anyi , Deputy Director of Production Management Department of Shanghai Animation Film Studio Co., Ltd. and Producer of “Ranbiwa” ; Sun Min , General Manager of Youku Animation Center ; Hu Jinsong , Chairman of Beijing Huaying Planet Culture Development Co., Ltd .; Liu Kexin , Director of Beijing Huaying Planet Culture Development Co., Ltd.; Zhang Long , Deputy General Manager of Beijing Fanshi Image Culture Co., Ltd.; Li Gong , Chairman of Beijing San Niu Culture Technology Co., Ltd .; as well as Zhou Zhijun, Secretary of the Party Committee of Beijing Film Academy ; Liu Xinjun , Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission ; Lu Hua , Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee ; Sun Lijun , former Vice President and President of China Animation Research Institute ; Qi Xiaoling , former Party Branch Secretary of the Animation School ; Li Jianping , Professor of the Animation School and Director of the Animation Art Committee of China Artists Association ; Chen Zhongguo , Party Branch Secretary of the Animation School of Beijing Film Academy ; Ma Hua , Dean of the Animation School of Beijing Film Academy ; Huang Yong, Vice Dean of the Animation School of Beijing Film Academy, etc.
International guests attending the closing ceremony of this year’s Animation Academy Awards included: Georges Schwizgebel, internationally renowned animation master, recipient of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award, recipient of the Beijing Film Academy Animation Academy Awards Lifetime Achievement Award, and visiting professor at the Beijing Film Academy; Philippe Botti, renowned French cinematographer ; Jérôme-Cécil Auffret, renowned French director ; Peter Larsen , renowned New Zealand creative technology expert and playwright ; Liu Qian , the first dean and professor of the School of Film and Creative Technology at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University; Steven Scott Brown , head of the Character Animation Department at the California Institute of the Arts, internationally renowned animation artist, and visiting professor at the Beijing Film Academy; Marc Handler , renowned American animation screenwriter, former Director of Original Content at Disney China, and visiting professor at the Beijing Film Academy ; and David Lowden , Australian animation creative and AIGC expert . Canadian animation artist and visiting professor at Beijing Film Academy, Helal Uddin ; renowned Japanese animation producer, creator of Pikachu, and visiting professor at Beijing Film Academy, Masakazu Kubo ; Lee Hyun-seok , professor of animation at the Department of Design, Pusan National University, and director of the Institute of Fine Arts ; Simon Ray, professor at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand ; Mu Yi , secretary-general of the International Animation Education Alliance ; Ren Guozhong , secretary-general of the Asia-Pacific Animation Association ; Zou Kang , professor of visual design at Dongmyung University, South Korea, and expert judge at the Busan International Arts Festival; Kadokawa Kazuhiko , honorary chairman of the Kadokawa Cultural Promotion Foundation ; film producer Ko Soo-ran ; Ota Tsuyoshi , head of the Kadokawa Foundation ; film producer Katahara Yoshiko ; and Choi Won-ho , professor at Dongseo University, South Korea .
Hu Qiang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Beijing Film Academy
At the opening ceremony of the 25th Beijing Film Academy Animation Awards
This year’s Animation Academy Awards, starting from a new point, adopted an innovative “multi-venue linkage” model across Mentougou and Huairou districts , blending natural scenery with an academic atmosphere. For the first time, an “AI Unit” was established to encourage the integration of technology and art. After 25 years of development, the Animation Academy Awards has become not only a stage to showcase achievements but also an important window for Chinese animation to connect with the world, promote cultural exchange and mutual learning, and advance the spirit of the “Chinese Animation School .” Taking advantage of the 75th anniversary of the Beijing Film Academy, we look forward to working with global colleagues to promote the integration of animation with education, industry, and cultural tourism, cultivate innovative talents, and jointly witness a brighter future for world animation art.
This year’s Animation Academy Awards boasts seven key highlights: First, multi-venue collaboration empowers local cultural tourism and campus communication . This year’s event innovatively adopted a “multi-venue collaboration” model, expanding to the Mentougou and Huairou districts of Beijing, breaking down campus boundaries and building a new ecosystem integrating “animation + education + cultural tourism.” Second, a dual-drive approach of academia and industry. As an unprecedented academic animation event in China, this year’s event uses “dual-drive of academia and industry” as its core engine, hosting 26 high-level academic activities and industry matchmaking meetings throughout the main event period , covering cutting-edge technology discussions and forums. Third, record-breaking number of entries. This year’s Academy Awards saw record-breaking participation from domestic and international institutions, animation-related companies, and individuals—receiving submissions from animation school faculty and students, as well as independent creators, from 26 countries and regions across Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa, totaling 3,219 works, a record high in the competition’s 25-year history . Fourth, the establishment of an “AI Unit” for the first time. To respond to technological innovation and creative transformation in the animation field, this year’s Academy Awards has established a special “AI Animation Unit,” whose significance extends far beyond technical competition, focusing on a strategic platform for “animation education and creative innovation in the AI era.” Fifth, top global masters will be present. This year’s Academy Awards has invited several internationally renowned animation artists, producers, and scholars , including George Schweitzer and Masakazu Kubo, to participate in academic forums and creative discussions. Sixth, it promotes the spirit of the Chinese animation school. For 25 years, the Beijing Film Academy has consistently focused on recognizing original animation from universities and promoting exchanges in animation education between China and other countries, upholding the innovative spirit of the Chinese animation school— “not repeating oneself, not imitating others” —and cultivating fresh energy for the industry. Seventh, a charity auction fulfills social responsibility. A charity auction has been specially added, inviting artists and students to donate original works for bidding. The event is open to the public, and the proceeds will support public welfare projects for youth animation education, providing artists and students with a platform to fulfill their social responsibility and allowing the Academy Awards to fully play its important role in serving society and spreading warmth while deeply cultivating art and industry .
This year’s awards received extensive coverage from 108 media outlets both domestically and internationally, including Xinhua News Agency, Guangming Daily, CCTV-6 Movie Channel, China Film News, China Art News, China Press and Publication Radio and Television News, Beijing Youth Daily, Popular Cinema, Film Magazine, m1905.com, and China Screen. The total number of clicks on information related to this year’s Animation Academy Awards reached 3.02 billion , demonstrating the Academy Awards’ broad academic influence and artistic reputation.
List of winners
Experimental Innovation Award
“Two Ends”, Tokyo Zokei University
Jury’s comments:
The work fully utilizes the freedom and tension of 2D animation, presenting contemporary youth’s delicate insights into their own psychology through a unique visual language. The film, with its flowing visuals and changing rhythm, showcases the collision and coexistence of polarized emotions within the inner world, demonstrating a distinct sense of innovation and a spirit of exploration. Therefore, “The Two Ends” is awarded the “Experimental Innovation Award.”
Best Sound Effects Award
“Unfinished Mission”, Beijing Film Academy
Jury’s comments:
This film constructs a visual and auditory world brimming with metaphor and dramatic tension. The creators utilize multi-layered, multi-material sound to construct a highly hypothetical “gear world,” which not only precisely corresponds to the development of the plot but also uses sound to forge the film’s core theme. It allows everyone moving forward in the “unfinished mission” to hear the sound of the gears in their own world starting to turn again, fully demonstrating the professional power of sound in narrative and atmosphere creation. Therefore, “Unfinished Mission” is awarded the Best Sound Effects Award.
Best Design Award
“The Black Kitten Loves to Draw”, Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University
Jury’s comments:
This film uses simple character designs to enhance character recognizability. The contrast between the character designs and the intricately detailed scenes ensures both visual information density and focus on the main characters. The minimalist design also deeply resonates with the core theme of “returning to the basics,” achieving a unity of form and meaning and showcasing professional design standards. Therefore, “Black Kitten Loves to Draw” is awarded the Best Character Design Award.
Best Newcomer Award
Family Dinner, California Institute of the Arts
Jury’s comments:
This film, with its highly animated style, allows the characters’ emotions and visual forms to resonate naturally, transforming mundane family life into something fun and cleverly outlining the emotional bonds within the family. Even with its 2D presentation, the overall design is exquisite and highly polished. This short film showcases the author’s keen perception of the animation medium and their potential for future creations. “Family Dinner” is hereby awarded the Best Newcomer Award.
Best Technology Application Award
“The Ultimate” (or “The Best”), China Academy of Art
Jury’s comments:
The film employs meticulous set design and sophisticated stop-motion animation techniques, not only constructing a distinctive visual style but also resonating with its satirical and humorous plot. Form and content complement each other, with technology empowering the content, showcasing the unique charm of stop-motion animation and amplifying the work’s artistic appeal. “The Best” is hereby awarded the Best Technical Application Award.
Best Visual Effects Award
Spark, Sheridan Animation School
Jury’s comments:
The animated short film “Spark” boasts outstanding overall visual effects, with a striking contrast between warm and cool tones, precise and delicate texture creation, and harmonious color matching between characters and scenes. This not only endows the visuals with a unique aesthetic effect and recognizability but also perfectly complements the narrative of friendship between the ancient rock creature and the lonely little fox, successfully constructing a romantic fairytale atmosphere. Therefore, the animated short film “Spark” is awarded the Best Visual Effects Award.
Best Creative Award
“The Lower World”, Beijing Film Academy
Jury’s comments:
This film reconstructs traditional themes using 3D digital technology, accurately restoring the colors and textures of woodblock New Year paintings while breaking away from their traditional flatness to construct a traversable three-dimensional narrative space. It establishes a dialectical dialogue between “handmade feel” and “digitality,” achieving a contemporary translation of the frozen aesthetics of paper-cutting and showcasing creative ingenuity.
Best Screenplay Award
“Gauze”, Paris Goiblanco - School of Digital Creation and Visual Arts
Jury’s comments:
The film creates highly symbolic imagery, using the stark contrast between the ocean and the swimming pool to depict the cruelty of war and the beauty of peace. The dramatic shift in the young swimming champion’s fate, from his confident pursuit of victory to his desperate struggle for survival, is deeply moving. The author skillfully blends the grand social backdrop with the individual’s life experiences, resulting in a sophisticated structure and emotionally resonant narrative.
Best Director Award
Nicolo, Paris Goiblana - School of Digital Creation and Visual Arts
Jury’s comments :
Within just a few minutes, the film achieves a high density of emotional build-up and symbolic expression, with the rhythm of the music and visuals echoing each other, transforming the destiny and choices of a genius artist into a visual poem. This short film reminds us once again that animation can not only depict the image of the world, but also perceive the tremors of the soul.
Best Short Film Award
“Learning Swordsmanship”, Beijing Film Academy
Jury’s comments:
This film combines artistic merit with intellectual value, possessing an aesthetic rich in Eastern charm. Through exaggerated performances and anthropomorphic techniques in 2D animation, it endows the characters with vivid and humorous qualities. At the same time, it explores the philosophy of time through the changing seasons and the differences in life, integrating the theme of “life is finite, but learning is infinite” into the plot. This allows the traditional story to have both a modern perspective and cultural depth, representing a new exploration in the animated adaptation of ancient legends.
Jury Special Award
“Confessions Ferris Wheel” - University of Southern California (USA)
Rossini Garden, Paris-Gaubrand Institute for Digital Creation and Visual Arts (France)
“The Fruit Chronicle” (Zhejiang Media College)
“Stealing the Immortal Peach” - Jilian Primary School, Yuhua District, Changsha City, Hunan Province
Bark and Bone, Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand)
Mischief or Dream? - Dongseo University, South Korea
“The Sky Illuminates the Heart” (Communication University of China)
Ayiguli, China Academy of Art
The interplay of light and shadow in “The Morin Khuur”
Mulan, Hubei Academy of Fine Arts
“Celestial Illusion” by Émile Corcole and other art schools (France)
Containers, University of New South Wales (Australia)
Best AI Film Award
Gold Award
“The Letter”, Beijing Film Academy
Silver Award
“Cockfighting,” Shanghai Dexiang Culture Communication Co., Ltd.
Beyond the Picture Frame, by Hessing and Simon Arvin
“Eliminating Traitors in Macau,” Macau Zhongshan CPPCC Members Association
Bronze Award
“The Wind Rises in Longxi”, by Hefei Ye Xiaomeng Culture Technology Co., Ltd.
“The Wolf and the Sheep”, Hebei Vocational College of Arts and Crafts
“Jingmai People”, China Academy of Art
“The Fool: Shell, Glory, and Survivors,” Chengdu Lingyi Zhichuang Media Technology Co., Ltd.
“The Seed of the Wind”, Beijing Film Academy
During this year’s Animation Academy Awards, scholarships such as the Qian Jiajun Scholarship, Ada Scholarship, Xin Huo Yinghua Scholarship, Chi Yong Zhiren Scholarship, Kadokawa Scholarship, as well as the iQiyi Popularity Award, Skybox Game Art Award, Kangzhida Lehua Award, Huaying Culture Award, Disheng Digital Technology Award, and Fanshi Starlight Award were established to encourage independent spirit, highlight creative individuality, and effectively stimulate students’ creative enthusiasm.
Qiao Jingjing – China Academy of Art
Sun Cong – Beijing Film Academy
Yu Chunna – Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts
Liu Hu – Xihua University
Qiao Hui – Zhejiang Shuren College
Yu Tianliang – Nanjing University of the Arts
This year’s Beijing Film Academy Animation Awards, a grand event that transcends boundaries and integrates diversity, has written a vibrant and hopeful chapter for Chinese animation. From the “Lucky Leopard” inflatable model standing tall in western Beijing to the global showcase of works; from AI animation exploring the forefront of technology to hand-drawn and stop-motion animation upholding artistic warmth; from the exchange of ideas among international masters to the initial emergence of craftsmanship among young creators— every step is a vivid example of animation art both rooted in tradition and oriented towards the future amidst the tides of the times.
May we cherish this memory together, and in the name of animation, gather more diverse voices, cutting-edge technologies, and moving expressions to continue writing a brilliant new chapter for Chinese animation and for world animation, interwoven with technology and humanity! Thank you to the creators worldwide for their talent and passion, to the masters and guests for their wisdom, and to all our partners for their strong support. Thank you to all participants for their support of this year’s Animation Academy Awards.
Light and shadow never fade, creation never stops.
Let us join hands and walk together
Let’s meet again next year and celebrate this grand occasion together!
Sun Lijun's ink paintings won awards at the Louvre.