Many have probably read about the famous Monkey King Sun Wu-kong (孫悟空) in the Chinese classical novel Journey to the West (西遊記), but few have seen him on the screen.
If you haven't, don't miss the chance to see him on the big screen in this year's Taiwan International Animation Festival held from May 20 to May 29 in Taipei. Inaugurated in 2002, TIAF is a non-competitive festival that aims to promote international animation exchanges and better understanding of animation, and to build dialogue between professionals, filmmakers and the audience.
This year more than 400 films (including short films) from 29 countries will be presented to local audiences. Two major animation masters from Japan and the US -- Mamoru Oshii and Bill Plytom -- will participate in this colorful annual event.
"Animation is not only one kind of film; it is sometimes, at its best, the essence of cinema," said festival curator Chen Su-Li (陳素麗).
For example, the magic lantern -- an early illustration projector also know as fantasmagorie -- is often regarded as the predecessor of the cinema. The technical principal of the motion pictures derived largely from what is known today as animation.
The festival includes the Birth of Animation section showcasing some rare turn-of-the-century French animations that shed light on theoretical as well technical aspects of animation. The first Chinese animation, Princess Iron Fan, adapted from classical novel Journey to the West, (where one can see the first animated version of the Monkey King), is also in this section.
For connoisseurs of the beauty of animation, the pinboard-style animation is a must-see. A marvelous creation of Russian-born French director Alexandre Alexeieff, pinboard animation uses a screen containing a large number of pins that can be pushed in or out to create a variety of shades from black to white. The end result is very much like a mezzotint. The astonishingly beautiful Night on Bald Mountain (1933), Alexandre Alexeieff's first film, is based on the music of Moussorgsky and was enthusiastically received by critics of its time.
To better appreciate the unique charm of pinboard animation, the festival presents not only an entire retrospective dedicated to Alexeieff, but also includes an exhibit of 26 original pinscreens brought by his daughter, who will also give a free workshop at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store during the festival.
Mamoru Oshi, the creator of the Japanese animation masterpieces Mobile Police Patlobor and Ghost in the Shell, will be the festival's opening presentor. Mamoru Oshii's works are reputed for their unique observation of the problems concerning the technological progress in modern society. Ghost in the Shell 2 is the opening film.
Another featured director is Bill Plymton. While they do contain some violent and adult material, his films are usually very humorous and satirical. His dark humor about the insanity of American society evokes both laughter and tears.
Of course there are also many other recent extraordinary films from all over the world waiting to be discovered. In addition to screenings, three panel discussions, conferences and an animation-making exhibition will be held during the festival. Animation fans and professionals alike will surely enjoy this exhilarating animation event.
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