Episode Details

I had the grand opportunity to cover the 50th Aniversary of the Toronto International Film Festival. With animation being one of my favourite topics in the world, I am grateful that I was able to join this epic conversation and now share it with you. :)

DIALOGUES: Creative Visions in Animated Feature Films is a specific TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) event/panel where acclaimed directors like Domee Shi (Pixar's Elio), Mamoru Hosoda (Belle, Summer Wars), and Momoko Seto (Dandelion's Odyssey) discuss balancing artistic vision with studio realities, creative authorship, and the future of bold animation, showcasing diverse global perspectives. This dialogue offers insights into the challenges and triumphs of making visionary animated features, featuring both indie and major studio voices.

From intimate, auteur-driven projects to collaborations with major studios, discover how directors Domee Shi (Elio), Momoko Seto (Dandelion's Odyssey), Mamoru Hosoda (Scarlet), and Kid Koala (Space Cadet) balance artistic integrity with industry realities, and what it takes to make animated films that captivate audiences and spark global imaginations. Join us for a candid conversation about creative authorship, industry pressures, and the evolving space for bold, visionary animation.

Domee Shi began as a story intern at Pixar Animation Studios in 2011 and was soon hired as a story artist on the Academy Award–winning Inside Out. She went on to work on The Good Dinosaur, Incredibles 2, and Toy Story 4. In 2015, she was greenlit to write and direct Bao, which won the Oscar for Best Animated Short. She made her feature directorial debut with 2022's Oscar-nominated Turning Red and most recently co-directed Elio, released June 2025. Born in Chongqing, China, and raised in Toronto, Shi now lives in Oakland, California.

Momoko Seto was born in Tokyo and lives