Hua Yu: I Help Chinese Animation to Go Global in Germany
7-hour time difference, 8,100km flight distance

2018-11-30 02:44:04

Hua Yu did not expect the German study exchange program at the age of 16 had changed the course of his life. In 10 years, she has traveled between Germany and China. She has actively promoted the Chinese culture on every occasion, and encouraged German friends to study in China.

Now, the girl smiling with crooked eyes has grown up and settled in Germany. She and her like-minded partners are building a bridge of friendship between China and Germany. “We are in Germany, helping China International Cartoon & Animation Festival of my hometown Hangzhou to go to the world.”

In 2006, Hua Yu, 16, started a study tour that changed the course of her life. The study exchange program lasted for two weeks. Because of this program, she met the most important partner in her life, Nicole, a 20-year-old German girl. Since then, the two were closely linked in life and work.

In 2008, Hua Yu went to study in Germany. From studying to graduation, and then successfully getting an offer from a local German company, she has settled to work and taken root in Germany. She has teamed up with Nicole to build a bridge of folk friendship between the two countries.

Because she’s been living in Germany for a long time, Hua Yu has become a consultant for studying abroad. From time to time, elders and friends in China consult her about the advantages and experiences of studying in Germany. Having graduated from Minzu University of China in Beijing, Nicole, Hua Yu’s good friend, has worked with Hua Yu to help small and medium-sized Germany enterprises to settle in China. The two like-minded friends have become truly best partners across the world to communicate between the two countries.

When she was still back in China, Hua Yu had heard of China International Cartoon &Animation Festival, the largest and most popular of its kind in the world. “I saw on the Internet that the festival this year joined hands with Taobao Maker to offer online and offline customer experience. I’m really proud as a native of Hangzhou.”

Hua Yu has often frequented the Cologne Game Show, Stuttgart Animation Festival, and Frankfurt Book Fair. Out of concern for the animation festival in her hometown, Hua Yu has studied the German animation market, and found it is mainly glutted with Japanese and American animation works, and Chinese animation works are not so popular there. On the whole, the German animation market is still very dependent on imports, so the China International Cartoon & Animation Festival is still very attractive for Germany. Because of this, we need to let more people know China International Cartoon & Animation Festival in Hangzhou."

Based on her current job, Hua Yu believes that in the overseas promotion work of Chinese original animation, it is necessary to cooperate with the local animation festivals, animation associations, and online animation platforms in Germany. In addition, through exchanges and cooperation with famous German film and animation colleges, we can better promote the cultivation and growth of talented people and produce more creative stories suitable for people of all ages.

“We are very willing to have the opportunity to cooperate with animation companies from my hometown. We are looking forward to seeing China Animation Day in Germany one day.”