Tokyo, October, 2021

Dear Friends,

On behalf of ASIFA-JAPAN, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to your kind support and understanding to our activities.

Animation is an art form that brings together every kind of cultural endeavors created by mankind, including music, fine art, literature, history, philosophy, science, nature, imagination, etc., and it is an art form that pursues human kindness. --- Animation is to move our soul (anima), and to give life to the lifeless ---.

ASIFA is the only international association for animation in the world with a long history, and it is a non-profit organization. We have a vision that the art of animation can be enriched and be greatly developed through the close international co-operation and free exchanges of ideas, experience, and information between all who are concerned with animation, and that animation, a universal medium beyond nations and languages, should help promote progress towards peace and mutual understanding between all people. As one of the national groups, ASIFA-JAPAN also wishes that, through the promotion of animation art, various artistic cultures will flourish and international understanding of different cultures will deepen, to lay a steadfast base for peace. I believe that our activities under such spirits will also lead to a better situation for our animation field.

Today, ASIFA-JAPAN is a group of 76 members, consisted of talented animation filmmakers and directors, as well as animation professionals working in the front line, including producers, photographers, editors, critics, teachers, scholars, curators and distributors, etc.

During 1984 - 2020, ASIFA-JAPAN co-organized the Hiroshima International Animation Festival in Japan, biennially, together with Hiroshima City, as the first ASIFA endorsed manifestation in Asia, and its programs and administration was highly evaluated in Japan and abroad. Aiming to provide outstanding works to the audience, the festival leaded the animation field internationally for 36 years, by treasuring and supporting animation filmmakers. Also, the festival venue was well-known for its very homely and friendly atmosphere, where filmmakers and audience could meet and have warm relationships, heart to heart. Today, we have started to prepare the establishment of a new festival, “International Animation Festival in JAPAN”, which succeeds the spirit of ASIFA.

Also, as part of our activities for disseminating animation art, we have been holding special screenings and seminars to celebrate the "International Animation Day" of October 28th, every year.

Thank you very much for your continued cooperation!

Sayoko Kinoshita
President of ASIFA-Japan and President of ASIFA

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