Toronto CentrepieceLove/RomanceComing of AgeMusic/DanceHistory/WarArt/ArtistAnimation
Kai, a boy who grew up on the streets without ever knowing his father’s face, comes to work as a servant boy in the household of Fei, a girl from a wealthy family. Having long listened to Fei practice the violin, he soon reveals a perfect pitch and prodigious musicality of his own. Bound together by music, the two grow up side by side and form a violin duo, bringing brief moments of joy whether in high-society salons or in the streets where workers gather. But as the shadow of World War II falls over British-colonial Singapore, their beautiful harmony is ultimately swept into the violence of history. Co-directed by Singapore’s Ervin Han and Spain’s Raúl García, The Violinist drew attention by winning the Grand Prize for Feature Film and the Music Award at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Unlikely as it once seemed, their love — etched forever into each other’s lives — meets an inescapable parting before the vast tragedy of war. With delicate handdrawn artistry and classical melodies, the film beautifully and tenderly captures personal memory and the scars of an era.
Ervin Han is a co-founder of the animation studio Robot Playground Media. He has produced several animated series, including the Disney+ series Mickey Go Local (2019) and the Warner Bros. Discovery series Lamput Season 4 (2022), and has also written and directed more than a dozen animated short films. He is a four-time recipient of the Asian Academy Creative Award.
From Busan International Film Festival 2026, No. 31
Raúl García worked as a senior animator at Disney Animation and Paramount Pictures, contributing to the production of numerous feature-length animated films, including Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Aladdin (1992), The Lion Ling (1994), Pocahontas (1995), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), and Tarzan (1999). His short films include The Tell Tale Heart (2005) and The Fall of the House of Usher (2012). His feature film Extraordinary Tales (2015) earned him a nomination for an Annie Award.
From Busan International Film Festival 2026, No. 31
