How an Annecy Winner Found Its Italian Co-Producers at a Tokyo Market

From TIFFCOM Meeting to Annecy Top Prize

An accidental meeting at the 2023 TIFFCOM content market successfully connected the Singaporean creators of the animated feature The Violinist with their Italian co-producers, according to director and producer Ervin Han. Speaking at a panel during the Tokyo International Film Festival's market, Han shared how the connection ultimately helped lead the film to capture the top prize at France’s prestigious Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

Han, the co-founder and CEO of Singapore-based Robot Playground Media, co-directed and produced The Violinist, a project that spanned a decade from its initial conception to completion. During his first visit to TIFFCOM, Han crossed paths with Italian producer Cristiano Bortone and his team at Altri Occhi, paving the way for a cross-continental collaboration that brought the project to fruition.

Insights on International Animation Co-Productions

Han’s remarks were part of an industry panel titled “Anime’s New Frontier: Structuring & Financing International Co-Productions,” which was moderated by Into Global program manager Kawano Masao. Throughout the session, industry leaders emphasized that successful international anime and animation partnerships rely on early engagement—incorporating overseas partners during development while mapping out financing, deal structures, and rights management from the start.

Building on his experience, Han returned to the Tokyo market to pitch his latest animated feature, A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts, a project blending food, horror, and temptation developed alongside partners spanning Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Ireland.

Industry Perspectives and Platform Rules

Other panel speakers expanded on the complexities of cross-border financing and talent management. Ilan Urroz, CEO of France’s Foliascope, noted that co-production remains an established path but underscored the growing influence of streaming platform regulations. Urroz highlighted France's mandatory investment rules, which require streaming services to allocate a portion of their local revenues—at least 20%, scaling up to 25% for platforms offering rapid theatrical release windows—into European and French-language original productions, covering animation alongside live-action formats.

Meanwhile, Sakurai Taiki, CEO of Salamander Inc., drew upon a quarter-century of industry experience spanning more than 100 titles to emphasize that human relationships remain paramount in the creative business, declaring that dedicated partners form the foundation of project success.

Analysis and Verification Guide

Practical Implications

For independent animation producers and creators looking to scale operations, the panel's takeaways suggest prioritizing international markets early in a project's timeline to secure vital co-producers, legal structures, and regional funding before production ramps up.

What is Confirmed vs. Unknown

• Confirmed: The Violinist secured its Italian co-producers (Cristiano Bortone and Altri Occhi) via a meeting at the 2023 TIFFCOM market; the film later won the top prize at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival; Ervin Han discussed these details at a Tokyo market panel.
• Unknown: Specific financial terms of the co-production agreement, exact distribution rollout schedules for individual territories, and future streaming acquisition details for The Violinist were not disclosed in the source report.

How to Verify

Readers can review the original industry reporting and event coverage via [Variety](https://variety.com/2026/film/markets-festivals/annecy-winner-violinist-found-italian-partners-tiffcom-1236934868/).