Short-Short Animation
The “Short-Short Animation” category is an audience-participation competition.
During the first-round selection to determine nominees, submitted works will be made public for a certain period on the official Japan-China International Animation Film Festival website and official social media channels (YouTube, etc.), and audience voting will be conducted.
Nominated works will be selected with reference to the voting results during the public release period.
In addition, the final jury selection will determine the award-winning works, including the Grand Prix.
Application Period:
Monday, Feb 2, 2026 10:00
– Sunday, Mar 8, 2026 23:59
Short-Short Animation — Entry Regulations
Article 1 ＜Eligibility＞
Works submitted to the competition must meet the following requirements.
(1) Animated works completed in or after May 2024 with a running time of 2 minutes or longer and less than 5 minutes.
(2) In principle, works that have not been commercially released through theatrical screenings, TV broadcasts (including terrestrial, satellite, and cable), paid internet distribution (including IPTV), in-flight screenings, DVD, VOD, or other commercial platforms are preferred.
*Works that are World Premiere, International Premiere, or Japan Premiere will be given priority consideration.
(3) If selected as a nominated work, the entrant must be able to provide the materials listed in Article 4.
(4) The work must comply with the Japan-China International Animation Film Festival’s Purpose and Ethical Guidelines.
Article 2 ＜Awards＞
In the competition categories, the festival will confer the following awards based on the decision of the international jury.
“Grand Prix,” “Runner-up Grand Prix,” “Audience Award”
*Audience Award: The voting results will be used as a reference.
*Prize money for each award will be announced at a later date.
Article 3 ＜How to Apply＞
(1) Application
Please apply via the Entry Form on the official Japan-China International Animation Film Festival website.
*The Entry Form will be available from Monday, Feb 2, 2026 10:00.
Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements in Article 1 must complete the required fields in the Entry Form and submit the download link for the video file (file uploader, etc.) in the designated field.
【Video File Requirements】
・File format: MP4 or MOV
・Video codec: H.264 (recommended)
・Audio codec: AAC (recommended)
・Resolution: 1920×1080 (16:9) recommended; 3840×2160 (16:9) maximum
・Frame rate: 23.98 / 24 / 25 / 30 fps recommended
・File size: up to 2GB
・Works in languages other than Japanese must include Japanese subtitles (simple subtitles acceptable).
・Do not set a password. (If absolutely necessary, notify the Secretariat by email separately.)
(2) Application Period
Monday, Feb 2, 2026 10:00 – Sunday, Mar 8, 2026 23:59
(3) Notification
Results of the first-round selection (nomination) will be notified to all applicants by email by mid-April 2026.
(4) Acknowledgement
Entrants shall be deemed to have fully understood and accepted all regulations (including “Handling of Entry Information”) and the contents of the Entry Form. Any matters not stipulated in these regulations or the Entry Form, as well as any questions, shall be determined by the festival Secretariat.
Article 4 ＜Nominated Works＞
During the first-round selection to determine nominees, submitted works will be made public for a certain period (approximately one month) on the official Japan-China International Animation Film Festival website and official social media channels (YouTube, etc.), and will be subject to audience voting. Nominated works will be selected with reference to the voting results during the public release period.
*However, works judged by the Secretariat to violate the Japan-China International Animation Film Festival’s “Purpose and Ethical Guidelines” will be excluded from public release and voting.
(1) Nominated works must submit the following materials by Friday, Apr 24, 2026.
(a) Key visual image(s), several stills, and a director photo (jpg)
(b) “Work Information” in Japanese and English (festival-designated format)
*The submission address for the above materials will be provided together with the result notification.
Article 5 ＜Copyright＞
The Japan-China International Animation Film Festival respects the rights holders of works in accordance with international standards.
All submitted works must be original works; the applicant must hold the copyright and have the right to use the work.
Submitted works must not infringe any third-party rights, including copyright.
Purpose and Ethical Guidelines
The Japan-China International Animation Film Festival (the “Festival”) is held with the following purposes:
1) Promoting cultural exchange between Japan and China
2) Developing talent involved in animation production and advancing the industry
3) Strengthening the international outreach of animation culture
In order for the Festival to be widely accepted by the international community and to contribute to cultural development, submitted works are required to align with the above purposes and to comply with the ethical guidelines below.
Ethical Guidelines
1. Freedom of expression shall be respected to the greatest extent, but must not violate the human rights of others.
2. Works must not promote discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity, origin, or similar attributes.
3. Works must not harm the honor or privacy of individuals or organizations.
4. Unless serious human rights violations would occur, the sovereignty of all countries shall be respected, and the handling of heads of state, national anthems, and national flags must be undertaken with care.
5. Unless serious human rights violations would occur, all religions and freedom of belief shall be respected, and due consideration must be given to the handling of religious symbols.
6. Unless serious human rights violations would occur, all cultures, customs, and practices must be respected.
7. Excessive sexual expression, especially sexual expression involving minors, must be avoided.
8. Expressions that justify or glorify crime, illegal drugs, or excessive violence must be avoided.
Japan-China International Animation Film Festival Secretariat
Established on December 1, 2025
*These guidelines may be revised without prior notice.
Handling of Entry Information
The Japan-China International Animation Film Festival Secretariat (the “Secretariat”) will handle personal information and entry details obtained in connection with competition entries appropriately in accordance with the policy below.
1. Information Collected
The Secretariat collects the following information through the Entry Form:
・Name, organization name (if applicable), phone number, email address
・Information related to the work and entry content
・Other information necessary for receiving entries and conducting selection
2. Purpose of Use
Collected information will be used for the following purposes:
・Accepting entries and conducting selection
・Confirming entry details and responding to inquiries
・Notifying selection results and contacting entrants
・Administrative processing necessary for festival operations
・Performing related tasks, or other purposes with prior consent
・Creating and utilizing statistical data that cannot identify individuals
3. Provision to Third Parties
The Secretariat will not provide personal information to third parties except in the following cases:
・With the individual’s consent
・When disclosure is required by laws or regulations
・When necessary to provide services, to contractors within the necessary scope
*In such cases, the Secretariat will require appropriate management by contractors.
4. Security Management
The Secretariat will take appropriate security measures to prevent leakage, loss, or tampering of personal information.
5. Disclosure, Correction, Suspension of Use, and Deletion
Entrants may request disclosure, correction, suspension of use, or deletion of their personal information held by the Secretariat.
If you wish to do so, please contact us via the contact information below.
Contact
Japan-China International Animation Film Festival Secretariat
For inquiries, please contact us via the “Contact Form.”
*The Entry Form will be available from Monday, Feb 2, 2026 at 10:00.