Credit: Film Fund Luxembourg

A delegation composed of representatives of the National Production Support Fund / Film Fund Luxembourg, accompanied by 3 animation production companies (Fabrique d'Images, Doghouse Films, Zeilt productions), 2 fiction production companies (Tarantula Luxembourg, Calach Films) and Realab, a Luxembourg-based start-up specialising in virtual reality, took part in the diplomatic and multi-sectorial mission in Tokyo organised as part of the state visit of HRH the Grand Duke to Japan.

Following the last visit to the Land of the Rising Sun in 2014, the objectives of cinema professionals were to renew contacts with established relations and promote Luxembourg productions to local distributors for distribution in the Asian market. It also meant opening new doors for artistic collaborations with publishing houses, authors or producers, and even raising the awareness of Japanese professionals to the know-how of Luxembourg's audiovisual production sector, particularly the animation sector.

70 Japanese professionals attended the seminar entitled "Film production made in Luxembourg - a focus on animation" organised by the Film Fund Luxembourg at the French Institute of Japan in collaboration with Unijapan (organisation for the promotion of the Japanese audiovisual sector), the Chamber of Commerce of Japan and the Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office in Tokyo (LTIO).

"Animation studio visits and individual meetings have shown us that Japanese professionals remain highly interested in European audiovisual production in general and Luxembourg in particular. The sector hopes to develop deeper relations between the two countries that have had close relations for 90 years," said Guy Daleiden, Director of Film Fund Luxembourg.