Event Coverage
Kawamura’s filmmaking, from content and VFX perspective
HONG KONG: The Digital Entertainment Summit 2017 was held on 15 March as part of the annual HKTDC Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 13 to 16 March.
The Summit invited industry leaders to discuss the latest developments under the overarching theme of “The Past and Future of Filmmaking, from Content and VFX Perspectives”. The conference opened with Japan’s innovative producer Genki Kawamura providing attendees with a fascinating insight into how he goes about choosing content for his films. The Summit then focused on visual effects (VFX), inviting three leaders in the field to offer their views on the industry.
Philosophy behind movie-guru’s success
Kawamura, producer of ground-breaking Japanese animated movie Your Name – a story about body-swapping, took part in a panel with producer Takafumi Yuki, DigiCon6 ASIA Headquarters International Alliance Officer & DigiCon6 Magazine Editorial Office Editor-in-Chief, and Aki Yamada, Festival Director of Digicon6 ASIA Headquarters.
Internationally acclaimed Kawamura said when it comes to producing films he looks for some fundamental elements – visuals, music and story. “These are the most important elements of the movie and these are things I try to focus on when I produce my films,” said Kawamura. “I often use rock music in my films and sometimes it’s not even from Japanese music but foreign bands such as British group Radiohead.”
Kawamura said he was inspired to make movies after watching Steven Spielberg’s ET: The Extra-Terrestrial when he was three years old. He said the three elements he described earlier were used effectively by Spielberg in that movie and were fundamental to the movie’s worldwide success.
“I remember watching that movie and that scene when they fly across the moon on the bicycles, it was something I always remember,” said Kawamura. “I remember when I was three years old and I actually stood up. It was very inspiring.”
Kawamura, despite his popularity overseas for movies such as Your Name, Confessions and Wolf Children, said he does not consider his audiences preferences when he comes up with ideas for his films. “I make movies that I like to watch,” he said. “I’m from Tokyo and I know what people from Tokyo want and what I want, so I try to produce movies to satisfy what I think is a good movie. I don’t really think about what the people may want.”
Kawamura related the story of how he once lost his smartphone and it benefited him by allowing him to see the world. “I was on the train and I saw a rainbow and I looked around to see who else could see the rainbow but I was the only one because everyone else was looking at their phones,” said Kawamura. “I realised that sometimes you have to lose something to find something that is more beautiful.”
Development of VFX
The second part of the Summit turned to special effects with three executives from top Asian-based VFX companies joining moderator Eddie Leung, Senior Teaching Fellow at the City University of Hong Kong (School of Creative Media).
The speakers were Zhou Yifu, Executive Director of Digital Domain; Daniel Son, Head of VFX Division for South Korean company Digitaidea; and Felix Xu, CEO of ILLUMINA Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd. The panel discussed the status of VFX in Asia and the technological advances made by companies in the region, particularly in China.
Son’s company is South Korean and he talked about his experiences working in China and the cultural differences between the two countries in terms of work practices. “Korea is between Japan and China but we don’t really have any collaborations with Japan,” said Son. “About half of our projects involve cooperation with China. There are cultural differences that result in Koreans and Chinese doing things differently.
“For instance, China is more interested in fantasy and they are very creative with their ideas. China is more or less following Hollywood and they are quite well-advanced in their technology.”
Xu agreed that Chinese VFX companies are technologically advanced and are continually working to improve the tools they use to create visual effects. However, he said the pressure to produce movies quickly and on low budgets means quality is sometimes lost. “The Chinese market is booming,” said Xu. “Many Hollywood and international companies are now paying attention to us. But in China, there are special situations. We only have a limited time to produce films so we may not pay that much attention to content.
“Also, a large share of the investments are paid to actors, so we have to cope with that. On the plus side, the low budgets force us to conduct more R&D to cope with the challenges, make up the gaps, enhance efficiency and hasten the cycle.”
Zhou’s company has offices in Los Angeles and Beijing and it is known around the world for the initial development of the NUKE compositing software. “We have developed the NUKE software and now a lot of companies are using it,” said Zhou. “I agree that we must perform much R&D to develop our technology and we have been successful in doing that and it has resulted is Digital Domain winning academy awards.”
The panel came to the conclusion that VFX companies in Asia are gradually catching up with Hollywood and Western production houses in terms of technological advancement and it was now a case of improving the quality of their content in order to produce films and shows that cater to global audience.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
