Kuandu 15th International Animation Festival - 26 October to 1 November 2025 - Taipei, Taiwan
I was looking forward to seeing what life was like on this island so close to mainland China
All AWN Content
Kenichiro Akimoto Talks Ominous Color in ‘All You Need Is Kill’
The director of the anime feature based on Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s sci-fi novel, previously adapted in the Tom Cruise thriller ‘Edge of Tomorrow,’ discusses unconventional, exaggerated character designs and beautiful, vibrant colors that depict some less than friendly plants; from GKIDS, hits U.S. theaters today, January 16.
‘Elio’: A Challenging Outer Space Tale Finds its Way Home
Directors Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi discuss the Pixar sci-fi adventure’s circuitous route to the screen - including creative leadership changes, an actors’ strike, key story shifts and a condensed production schedule - via a path that has led to multiple Annie, VES, PGA and Critics Choice Awards nominations.
‘The Bad Guys 2’: It’s Still Hard to be Bad at Being Good
Director Pierre Perifel, co-director JP Sans, and VFX supervisor Matt Baer discuss their animated comedy sequel, recently nominated for 5 Annies and 3 VES Awards, about our favorite now reformed animal felons getting hijacked into a huge heist by a new team of criminals.
In 3D, Awards, CG, Digital Media, Films, People, Visual Effects, Voice Acting | ANIMATIONWorld | Special Events: Academy Awards, Annie Awards, VES Awards | Geographic Region: All
Call For Entries - Submission Ends Soon for Annecy!
Participate in the upcoming Annecy Festival before it's too late!
The Studio Behind ‘All You Need is Kill’: the Eiko Tanaka Interview
As Studio 4°C’s time-looping adventure hits U.S. cinemas, Andrew Osmond talks to the studio’s CEO about four decades of animation.
In 2D, 3D, Anime, Business, Comics/Manga/Webcomics, Films, People, Television | ANIMATIONWorld | Columns: Do You Know Your Anime? | Geographic Region: All
Prime Video Orders ‘Odd Jobs’ Animated Comedy
From the minds of ‘Solar Opposites’ EP duo Mike McMahan and Dominic Dierkes, the series, set in an extreme late-stage capitalist hellscape, follows a reluctant team of gig-workers.
In 2D, Business, Digital Media, People, Television, Writing | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News | Geographic Region: All
Peacock Drops ‘Ted’ Season 2 Trailer
New 8-episode season, set in 1994, sees Ted and his best friend John as seniors in high school; the hybrid live-action / CG series from Seth MacFarlane streams March 5.
Milo Productions’ Animated ‘Time Hoppers: The Silk Road’ to Hit U.S. Theatres
Fathom sets February 7-8 release of feature film adaptation of the ‘Time Hoppers’ mobile game and upcoming animated series on Muslim Kids TV.
Guillermo del Toro Finds Beauty in the Grotesque with ‘Frankenstein’
The Oscar-winning filmmaker discusses his unique approach to visual design, color, and often delicate use of visual effects, where you shouldn’t use a shotgun to kill a fly, in his haunting new adaptation of Mary Shelley’s iconic 1818 novel, now streaming on Netflix.
In 3D, Acting, Books, CG, Digital Media, Films, People, Visual Effects | VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All
Netflix Drops ‘Rise Of The Baroques’ Teaser for ‘One Piece: Into The Grand Line’
The Baroque Works, a dangerous and formidable secret society of assassins, join Season 2 as the Big Bads; begins streaming March 10.
‘Madagascar’ at 20: A Q&A with Tom McGrath and Eric Darnell
To mark the 20th anniversary of the first film in DreamWorks Animation’s storied franchise, the writers / directors revisit the film’s long development journey, discussing its core comedic premise, evolving themes, improvisational performances, and collaborative storytelling that turned a fish-out-of-water comedy into something truly memorable.
What Happens Next? The Post-Impact World of ‘Greenland 2: Migration’
Writer/Director Ric Roman Waugh and VFX Supervisor Marc Massicotte discuss how they depict a shattered Earth’s damage, danger, and rebound from an extinction-level meteor strike, in Lionsgate’s ‘Greenland’ sequel, now in theaters.
In 3D, Acting, CG, Films, People, Previs/Postvis/Visualization, Visual Effects | VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Leads VES Awards Nominations
James Cameron’s latest epic garnered 10 nominations, while ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ ‘Elio,’ and ‘Zootopia 2’ each snagged 5, as nominees are announced in 25 categories across film, television, real-time, and special venue projects; ceremony set for February 25 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in LA.
In 3D, Awards, Commercials, Digital Media, Event, Films, Games, Guilds/Unions/Organizations, People, Post-production, Previs/Postvis/Visualization, Technology, Television, Theme Parks - Installations, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Special Events: VES Awards | Geographic Region: All
‘Hey A.J.!’ Reignites the Imagination in All Of Us
Show creator and EP, former Super Bowl champion Martellus Bennett, and EP Jeff “Swampy” Marsh discuss their unique creative partnership on the whimsical and music filled series about an imaginative young girl and her stuffed bunny sidekick, based on the NFL star’s children’s books; kicks off January 13 on Disney Jr., next day on Disney+.
In 2D, Books, CG, Digital Media, Music and Sound, People, Short Films, Television, Voice Acting | ANIMATIONWorld | Geographic Region: All
Warner Bros. Taps ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Writers for ‘Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman’
Danya Jimenez and Hannah McMechan will pen the Tim Burton-helmed remake of the 1958 B-movie, which follows an heiress who grows enormous following radiation exposure and exacts revenge on her cheating husband.
‘Bé Hồng’ – ‘Little Persimmon’: A Unique Fellowship of Asian Animators
A team of recent Asians in Animation Immersive Lab participants spent 9 days crafting a 2-minute 2D short about a young girl on a quest to honor her late grandfather by tracking down his favorite fruit… with the aid of some unexpected visitors.
Creators Coalition on AI Forms to Protect Human Creativity
Guided by 4 core pillars, the agnostic convening organization has reached broad alignment on a set of principles for responsibly implementing AI across the entertainment industry – growing list of signatories include Guillermo Del Toro, Domee Shi, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
Watch the Breakdown Reel: Union Crafts Apocalyptic Hailstorm for ‘Anemone’
The project, which stars Daniel Day-Lewis and serves as the directorial debut for Ronan Day-Lewis, required a monster-sized storm, a giant salmon, enhanced water interactions, and more.
‘Fairly OddParents’ Composer Guy Moon Dies at 63
The Annie Award winner passed away from traumatic injuries sustained in a car accident last Thursday.
In Films, In Passing, Music and Sound, People, Television | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News | Geographic Region: All
‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Takes Home 2 Golden Globes Awards
Netflix’s animated musical comedy about a girl group that balances pop stardom with battling supernatural demons won twice last night, for Best Motion Picture – Animated and Best Original Song – Motion Picture, at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s 83rd Annual awards.
In 3D, Awards, Digital Media, Event, Films, Guilds/Unions/Organizations, People, Television | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Special Events: Golden Globe Awards | Geographic Region: All
‘Butterfly:’ A Filmmaker’s Homage to Her Father and His Olympic Idol
Painter and animator Florence Miailhe’s hauntingly beautiful hand-painted short was inspired by her dad Jean’s fellow resistance fighter, Jewish French swimmer Alfred Nakache, who competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics and 1948 London Olympics after surviving imprisonment in Auschwitz, where his wife and daughter were murdered.
Sony Future Filmmaker Awards Sets 2026 Jury
The jury includes director and producer Will Gluck; Rachel O’Connor, producer and President of Film and Television at Pascal Pictures; animation co-director Adam Rosette; and director Justin Chadwick, who returns for the fourth consecutive year.
‘South Park’ Chaos Heads to Fortnite
Players can channel series characters with their Outfits in the Shop, get rewarded from the free Born in Chaos Pass, and wreak havoc with the new Quints 5-person playlist; live until February 5.
In 3D, CG, Digital Media, Games, Television | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News | Geographic Region: All
Arturo Hernandez and Andrew Gordon Talk ‘Out of the Nest’
The director and co-director of the Thai-Chinese 3DCG adventure discuss the challenges – and subsequent fun - of jumping onto a project with much of the animation completed but a story, and production pipeline, which needed significant reworking.
Pages
Kuandu 15th International Animation Festival - 26 October to 1 November 2025 - Taipei, Taiwan
I was looking forward to seeing what life was like on this island so close to mainland China
Kenichiro Akimoto Talks Ominous Color in ‘All You Need Is Kill’
The director of the anime feature based on Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s sci-fi novel, previously adapted in the Tom Cruise thriller ‘Edge of Tomorrow,’ discusses unconventional, exaggerated character designs and beautiful, vibrant colors that depict some less than friendly plants; from GKIDS, hits U.S. theaters today, January 16.
‘Elio’: A Challenging Outer Space Tale Finds its Way Home
Directors Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi discuss the Pixar sci-fi adventure’s circuitous route to the screen - including creative leadership changes, an actors’ strike, key story shifts and a condensed production schedule - via a path that has led to multiple Annie, VES, PGA and Critics Choice Awards nominations.
‘The Bad Guys 2’: It’s Still Hard to be Bad at Being Good
Director Pierre Perifel, co-director JP Sans, and VFX supervisor Matt Baer discuss their animated comedy sequel, recently nominated for 5 Annies and 3 VES Awards, about our favorite now reformed animal felons getting hijacked into a huge heist by a new team of criminals.
In 3D, Awards, CG, Digital Media, Films, People, Visual Effects, Voice Acting | ANIMATIONWorld | Special Events: Academy Awards, Annie Awards, VES Awards | Geographic Region: All
Call For Entries - Submission Ends Soon for Annecy!
Participate in the upcoming Annecy Festival before it's too late!
The Studio Behind ‘All You Need is Kill’: the Eiko Tanaka Interview
As Studio 4°C’s time-looping adventure hits U.S. cinemas, Andrew Osmond talks to the studio’s CEO about four decades of animation.
In 2D, 3D, Anime, Business, Comics/Manga/Webcomics, Films, People, Television | ANIMATIONWorld | Columns: Do You Know Your Anime? | Geographic Region: All
Prime Video Orders ‘Odd Jobs’ Animated Comedy
From the minds of ‘Solar Opposites’ EP duo Mike McMahan and Dominic Dierkes, the series, set in an extreme late-stage capitalist hellscape, follows a reluctant team of gig-workers.
In 2D, Business, Digital Media, People, Television, Writing | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News | Geographic Region: All
Peacock Drops ‘Ted’ Season 2 Trailer
New 8-episode season, set in 1994, sees Ted and his best friend John as seniors in high school; the hybrid live-action / CG series from Seth MacFarlane streams March 5.
Milo Productions’ Animated ‘Time Hoppers: The Silk Road’ to Hit U.S. Theatres
Fathom sets February 7-8 release of feature film adaptation of the ‘Time Hoppers’ mobile game and upcoming animated series on Muslim Kids TV.
Guillermo del Toro Finds Beauty in the Grotesque with ‘Frankenstein’
The Oscar-winning filmmaker discusses his unique approach to visual design, color, and often delicate use of visual effects, where you shouldn’t use a shotgun to kill a fly, in his haunting new adaptation of Mary Shelley’s iconic 1818 novel, now streaming on Netflix.
In 3D, Acting, Books, CG, Digital Media, Films, People, Visual Effects | VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All
Netflix Drops ‘Rise Of The Baroques’ Teaser for ‘One Piece: Into The Grand Line’
The Baroque Works, a dangerous and formidable secret society of assassins, join Season 2 as the Big Bads; begins streaming March 10.
‘Madagascar’ at 20: A Q&A with Tom McGrath and Eric Darnell
To mark the 20th anniversary of the first film in DreamWorks Animation’s storied franchise, the writers / directors revisit the film’s long development journey, discussing its core comedic premise, evolving themes, improvisational performances, and collaborative storytelling that turned a fish-out-of-water comedy into something truly memorable.
What Happens Next? The Post-Impact World of ‘Greenland 2: Migration’
Writer/Director Ric Roman Waugh and VFX Supervisor Marc Massicotte discuss how they depict a shattered Earth’s damage, danger, and rebound from an extinction-level meteor strike, in Lionsgate’s ‘Greenland’ sequel, now in theaters.
In 3D, Acting, CG, Films, People, Previs/Postvis/Visualization, Visual Effects | VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Leads VES Awards Nominations
James Cameron’s latest epic garnered 10 nominations, while ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ ‘Elio,’ and ‘Zootopia 2’ each snagged 5, as nominees are announced in 25 categories across film, television, real-time, and special venue projects; ceremony set for February 25 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in LA.
In 3D, Awards, Commercials, Digital Media, Event, Films, Games, Guilds/Unions/Organizations, People, Post-production, Previs/Postvis/Visualization, Technology, Television, Theme Parks - Installations, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Special Events: VES Awards | Geographic Region: All
‘Hey A.J.!’ Reignites the Imagination in All Of Us
Show creator and EP, former Super Bowl champion Martellus Bennett, and EP Jeff “Swampy” Marsh discuss their unique creative partnership on the whimsical and music filled series about an imaginative young girl and her stuffed bunny sidekick, based on the NFL star’s children’s books; kicks off January 13 on Disney Jr., next day on Disney+.
In 2D, Books, CG, Digital Media, Music and Sound, People, Short Films, Television, Voice Acting | ANIMATIONWorld | Geographic Region: All
Warner Bros. Taps ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Writers for ‘Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman’
Danya Jimenez and Hannah McMechan will pen the Tim Burton-helmed remake of the 1958 B-movie, which follows an heiress who grows enormous following radiation exposure and exacts revenge on her cheating husband.
‘Bé Hồng’ – ‘Little Persimmon’: A Unique Fellowship of Asian Animators
A team of recent Asians in Animation Immersive Lab participants spent 9 days crafting a 2-minute 2D short about a young girl on a quest to honor her late grandfather by tracking down his favorite fruit… with the aid of some unexpected visitors.
Creators Coalition on AI Forms to Protect Human Creativity
Guided by 4 core pillars, the agnostic convening organization has reached broad alignment on a set of principles for responsibly implementing AI across the entertainment industry – growing list of signatories include Guillermo Del Toro, Domee Shi, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
Watch the Breakdown Reel: Union Crafts Apocalyptic Hailstorm for ‘Anemone’
The project, which stars Daniel Day-Lewis and serves as the directorial debut for Ronan Day-Lewis, required a monster-sized storm, a giant salmon, enhanced water interactions, and more.
‘Fairly OddParents’ Composer Guy Moon Dies at 63
The Annie Award winner passed away from traumatic injuries sustained in a car accident last Thursday.
In Films, In Passing, Music and Sound, People, Television | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News | Geographic Region: All
‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Takes Home 2 Golden Globes Awards
Netflix’s animated musical comedy about a girl group that balances pop stardom with battling supernatural demons won twice last night, for Best Motion Picture – Animated and Best Original Song – Motion Picture, at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s 83rd Annual awards.
In 3D, Awards, Digital Media, Event, Films, Guilds/Unions/Organizations, People, Television | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Special Events: Golden Globe Awards | Geographic Region: All
‘Butterfly:’ A Filmmaker’s Homage to Her Father and His Olympic Idol
Painter and animator Florence Miailhe’s hauntingly beautiful hand-painted short was inspired by her dad Jean’s fellow resistance fighter, Jewish French swimmer Alfred Nakache, who competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics and 1948 London Olympics after surviving imprisonment in Auschwitz, where his wife and daughter were murdered.
Sony Future Filmmaker Awards Sets 2026 Jury
The jury includes director and producer Will Gluck; Rachel O’Connor, producer and President of Film and Television at Pascal Pictures; animation co-director Adam Rosette; and director Justin Chadwick, who returns for the fourth consecutive year.
‘South Park’ Chaos Heads to Fortnite
Players can channel series characters with their Outfits in the Shop, get rewarded from the free Born in Chaos Pass, and wreak havoc with the new Quints 5-person playlist; live until February 5.
In 3D, CG, Digital Media, Games, Television | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News | Geographic Region: All
Arturo Hernandez and Andrew Gordon Talk ‘Out of the Nest’
The director and co-director of the Thai-Chinese 3DCG adventure discuss the challenges – and subsequent fun - of jumping onto a project with much of the animation completed but a story, and production pipeline, which needed significant reworking.
