JURY
The preliminary and final juries consist of approximately 70% international judges and 30% Taiwanese judges, ensuring professionalism and diversity in the evaluation process.
Koji Yamamura
- Oscar-nominated animation master and a distinguished member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
- Renowned director whose acclaimed short "Mt. Head" swept multiple grand prizes and was selected for 100 Films for a Century of Animation.
- "Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor" (2007) won the grand prize at Ottawa and Hiroshima.
- Accumulating 157 awards across his directorial works, the featured film "Dozens of Norths" (2021) won Annecy and Ottawa. The latest work, "Extremely Short" (2024), was selected for Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.
- Prolific picture book author with over 100 titles published, including the bestseller "Viva Vegetables !" with 519,000 copies in print, and author of "Animation Nature" (2025).
Japan
Karen Li
- General Manager of the designer brand peter wu.
- A Master’s degree in Brand Management from Istituto Marangoni.
- Former Marketing Head at luxury and premium brands, including Armani, Marc Jacobs, Vivienne Westwood, Tory Burch, and Michael Kors.
- Lecturer and Contributing Writer for Wazaiii online courses and digital platform.
Taiwan
Elaina Scott
- Animation Supervisor for Supergirl (Season 2) & Lead Animator for The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl
- Previsualization & Final Animation for Spider-Man: No Way Home
- Cinematic for Hogwarts Legacy & Video Game Animation for Star Wars Battlefront II
- Pre & Post-visualization for Avengers: Age of Ultron, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and The Marvels
- Pre & Post-visualization for Loki, Hawkeye, and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
United States
Ebele Okoye
- Animation Pioneer & Advisor.
- Two-time Africa Movie Academy Awards Winner, widely recognized as "The Mother of African Animation."
- Founder of the Ethical AI brand Noa Vista® and Chief Operating Officer of Jolly Squid Media.
- Education Leader launching pioneering animation programs (such as smedLAB).
- Advisory Board Member for the German Federal Ministry, with international awards from Amnesty International and the U.S. Congress.
Nigeria
Aki Nakazawa
- Selection adviser for the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen since 2006.
- Video artist and recipient of prestigious awards at international media art festivals, including WRO and Marler Video-Kunst-Preis.
- Video works showcased at international film and media art festivals, including the Berlinale, Videonale, and European Media Art Festival.
- Exhibited at international museums and institutions, including IMAI – Inter Media Art Institute, DASA Dortmund, and National Gallery Kuala Lumpur.
Japan / Germany
Zinnia Nizar
- Head of Apple Developer Academy @IL and Apple Developer Institute for Games Development, Indonesia
- Former Chairman of ADGI and Vice President of ICoD
- 30+ years of experience in visual communication, UI/UX, and creative technology
- Apple Distinguished Educator (2019) and Apple Professional Learning Specialist
- International awards juror and keynote speaker
Indonesia
Jon Frickey
- Creator and director of the acclaimed animated short films Zoopticon, Ploo, and Cat Days
- Recipient of over 50 international awards in design and film
- Writer and director for extra 3, Germany’s long-running, award-winning political satire program
- Served as a jury member for international film festivals and the German Short Film Awards
- Former Art Director at Scholz & Friends Berlin
Germany
Kim Keukeleire
- Stop-motion animation director and lead animator
- Animator for multiple award-winning films, including Chicken Run, Frankenweenie, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Isle of Dogs, Pinocchio, and Asteroid City
- Animation Director for the acclaimed feature films My Life as a Zucchini and The Inventor
- M.A. in Animation Cinematography from La Cambre, Brussels
- Jury member for numerous international film festivals
Belgium
Victor Orozco Ramirez
- Independent filmmaker based in Germany.
- Renowned for experimental short film blending documentary and animation.
- Selected by over 324 international film festivals worldwide.
- Recipient of the Preis der Nationalgalerie for Filmmaking, the First Steps Award, and the German Short Film Award.
- Laureled at international film festivals, including Mar del Plata, Ann Arbor, Morelia, Guadalajara, and Animafest Zagreb.
Mexico
Jalal Maghout
- Independent filmmaker and visual artist.
- Directed six short films selected and awarded at festivals including Annecy, Stuttgart, Uppsala, and the Japan Media Arts Festival.
- Combines analogue and digital 2D/3D animation to explore socio-political themes through a psychological lens.
- Served as a juror at major international festivals including Annecy and Stuttgart.
- Served as a juror at Interfilm Berlin and Viborg Animation Festival.
Germany / Syria
Marita Josephine Mayer
- Animation Producer, Director, and Co-Owner of Rainy Day Productions (Germany/Norway).
- Former Creative Producer at Fabian&Fred Animation Studio.
- Director of award-winning animation shorts I am not afraid! (2022) and Grandpa has a broken eye and Mom is an adventure (2025).
- Former Programmer of five editions of the Fredrikstad Animation Festival, Norway.
- Member of ASIFA Germany.
Germany
Panop Koonwat
- Founder & Director of FUUM Studio.
- Former Designer & Animator at Brand New School, New York.
- Former Art Director at TBWA\Thailand.
- Graduate of the School of Visual Arts, MFA in Computer Art.
- Honored by Annecy, Vimeo Staff Pick, Adobe, Adman, and the Art Directors Club.
Thailand
