The Violinist Found Italian Co-Producers at TIFFCOM, Ervin Han Says
Singaporean filmmaker Ervin Han recounted at a TIFFCOM panel how a 2023 meeting at the Tokyo market brought Italy's Altri Occhi onto The Violinist.
Singaporean filmmaker Ervin Han said a meeting at TIFFCOM in 2023 led the Italian co-producers to join his animated feature The Violinist, according to Variety. Han, co-founder and CEO of Singapore's Robot Playground Media, co-directed and produced the film.
Speaking on a TIFFCOM panel, Han said he met Italian producer Cristiano Bortone and his Altri Occhi team during his first visit to the Tokyo market. They later came on board The Violinist as co-producers.
The film won the top prize at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this year. According to the background given at the panel, it took 10 years from conception to completion.
Return to Tokyo with a new project
Han returned to TIFFCOM as a producer to pitch A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts, an animated feature about food, horror and temptation, with partners from Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia and Ireland.
The panel, titled “Anime's New Frontier: Structuring & Financing International Co-Productions,” was moderated by Kawano Masao of Into Global. Ilan Urroz, CEO of France's Foliascope, said streamers must put at least 20% of French revenue into European or French-language original production, rising to 25% for some services. Sakurai Taiki, CEO of Salamander Inc., said partners are the key to success.
Quick answers
What prize did The Violinist win?
It won the top prize at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this year.
Who are the Italian co-producers on The Violinist?
Cristiano Bortone and his Altri Occhi team, whom Ervin Han met at TIFFCOM in 2023.
What is Ervin Han's new project?
A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts, an animated feature about food, horror and temptation, with partners from Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia and Ireland.