Celebrating the International Animation Day (IAD) 2024 - the 23rd Anniversary!

Dear Friends,

Happy International Animation Day (IAD) 2024!
This year again, I am most delighted to celebrate this “day for animation” together with all of you around the world.

IAD is the day established by the Association Internationale du Film d'Animation (ASIFA). On and around October 28th, the day when Emile Reynaud (1844 - 1918) is said to have the first public showing of animation in 1892, we are pleased to hold celebrations ‘simultaneously’ throughout the world for the development of animation art. The first IAD was held in 2002, and this year will be the 23rd anniversary. In Japan, ASIFA-JAPAN has been celebrating this day since 2005, by holding animation screenings, exhibitions, lectures, workshops, etc.

This year, IAD in Japan will be held at four venues: HAJINOSATO, KYOTO, ATSUGI, and OSAKA. “IAD 2024 in HAJINOSATO” will be held by Hiroko Matsui (ASIFA-JAPAN Member), and “ASIFA-JAPAN Film Collection Vol.1” will be shown at a café Nowhere Hajinosato, with their kind cooperation.
“IAD 2024 in KYOTO” will be held as a special open class of the Graduate School, Kyoto University of the Arts. Welcoming Yoriko Mizushiri (ASIFA-JAPAN Member) as a guest lecturer, a film show of animation shorts and a talk will be held together with Kotoko Nakamura (ASIFA-JAPAN Member) and Mika Seike, both teaching animation at the Graduate School, and Nobar Yeganehbakhtiary (ASIFA-JAPAN Member, Student of the Doctoral Course).
“IAD 2024 in ATSUGI” is planned by Hiromitsu Murakami (ASIFA-JAPAN Member) to be held at Kanagawa Institute of Technology, and “IAD 2024 in OSAKA” is planned by Takashi Fukumoto (ASIFA-JAPAN Board Member) to be held at Osaka University of Arts.
All details will be posted on this website as soon as they are ready.

The activities of ASFA-JAPAN are supported by your enthusiasm and volunteer spirit. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all of you who have supported us, and to all our members who have been involved in the planning and operation of the projects.

In my greeting message of last year, I was mentioning that “although the Corona disaster has finally subsided and people have resumed exchanges, the war still shows no sign of ending, and international relations are becoming increasingly tense.” However, a year has passed since then, a new war has started, and the situation has become even more difficult. As I continue the activities of ASIFA and ASIFA-JAPAN, and as I talk with Graduate students from various countries and regions, I am reminded that the world situation is not a story on TV or the Internet, but a reality that is happening to our friends and acquaintances.
I hope that we will cherish IAD, not only as a day to celebrate animation, but also as a day to remember the significance of LOVE & PEACE, which has been nurtured by the founders and senior members of ASIFA.

October, 2024

Hiroshi Onishi
Board Member of ASIFA/ President of ASIFA-JAPAN