YAWEN ZHENG 鄭雅文 Animation Director Illustrator Born in China, now based in Japan
Upon earning her Masters degree in University of Southern California, she taught animation at Shanghai Theatre Academy and Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts for several years and now lives in Japan. 2019, she was selected to the Artist Residency Program at Folimage in France and directed the short animation Kiko et Les Animaux.
Her works have won more than 10 international awards, including the Young Audience Award of Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Best Short Film Award of the European Children’s Film Association, etc. Her works have also been selected to more than 100 international animation festivals including Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, Ottawa International Animation Festival, Stuttgart Trickfilm International Animated Film Festival, etc.
She primarily focuses on narrative animation, experiments digitally and draws by hand. She utilizes poetic storytelling to express the beauty and preciousness of nature and life through her Zen journey.
JURY EXPERIENCE:
World Illustration Awards, The AOI, UK, 2024 HiShorts! Film Festival, China, 2024 TOPU International Animation Week, China, 2022 Northwest Animation Festival, USA, 2018-2019
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE:
Lecturer, 2022-2023 Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts, Shanghai Lecturer, 2016-2019 Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts, Shanghai Teaching Assistant, 2015-2016 University of Southern California, USA
FESTIVAL AWARDS:
-Young Audience Award ANNECY International Animation Film Festival, France -Little Jury Award Savigny Animation Film Festival, Switzerland -Best Short Animation ECFA (European Children's Film Association) Short Film Award -Diploma for its peculiar animation Zero Plus International Film Festival, Russia -Alcime Kids Award Alcine Festival, Madrid, Espagne -Best In Show Award & Frame-by-Frame Award Florida Animation Festival, USA -Special Mention Award Alcine Festival, Espagne -Prix du public Festival Les Toiles Filantes, France -Best Short Animation Castellaneta Film Fest, Italie -Special Mention Award Reggio Film Festival – International Short Film Contest, Italie -Honored Mention (Runner-up) Sin-Yi Children’s Animation Awards, Taiwan -Prix du jury professionnel Festival jeune public Les Yeux Ouverts, Le Havre, France -First Abloom Prize Abloom Film Festival, Oslo, Norvège
FESTIVAL SELECTIONS:
Ottawa International Animation Festival Stuttgart Trickfilm International Animated Film Festival KROK International Animated Films Festival Hiroshima International Animation Festival Archives - 'Star of Student' Tokyo Anime Award CHILEMONOS International Animation Festival Children's Film Festival Seattle Anibar International Animation Festival ReAnimania International Animation Film Buchon International Animation Festival 100+ festival selections
PUBLICATIONS:
Kiko et Les Animaux / Yawen Zheng & Céline Claire / Bayard Press ISBN-13: 979-1036320378 The New Collision Between CGI and 2D Animation, Literati Artist of China Journal | 2021 Great Women in Animation History, China National Exhibition Journal | 2021
