Although geographically separated, China and Kenya share a profound cultural resonance.
Play Video
Ubuntu, the African philosophy centered on the idea that “I am because you are”, focuses on collective coexistence and harmonious inclusiveness, highlighting the close connection between individuals and society. This core spirit is highly consistent with the concepts of “benevolence” and “harmony within diversity” in traditional Chinese culture.
For the event, 2025 Kenya “China Animated Film Festival” opened grandly at the Confucius Institute of the University of Nairobi on November 11, 2025, the organisers selected six excellent animated works that feature both Chinese aesthetic characteristics and the spirit of the times.
Chang An is an epic story of the rise and fall of the Tang Dynasty through its multi-dimensional characters and striking Tang-style aesthetics. New Gods: Yang Jian reinterprets the Creation of The Gods myths from a fresh perspective, integrating oriental fantasy with top-tier visual effects, opening a window for Kenyan audiences to understand China’s traditional mythological system.
White Snake and White Snake 2: Green Snake form a complete narrative about female growth-ranging from the timeless love between Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian to Xiao Qing’s self-awakening in the crucible of conflicts.
I Am What I Am 2 combines traditional Chinese martial arts with modern combat, demonstrating the spiritual essence of Chinese lion dance culture while depicting ordinary people’s perseverance and struggle in the face of hardships.
Boonie Bears: Future Reborn adopts a time-travel sci-fi setting to expose the profound crisis of environmental pollution, conveying the universal values of solidarity, responsibility and safeguarding one’s homeland.
These works show the richness of Chinese culture and the production standards of contemporary Chinese animation from various angles, and also offer Kenyan audiences a new way to learn about Chinese culture.
The exhibition area of the film festival took “New Chinese Chic” as its core design concept. The main exhibition area created an oriental artistic conception of “Splendid China” through the use of iconic Chinese landscape elements: lucid waters, lush mountains, and crimson cloud patterns.
Meanwhile, the photo zone incorporated Kenyan geometric totems and bright colours, forming a visual echo between the two cultures.
Through the colour layout that embodies the concept of “prosper individually and collectively”, the exhibition area directly promotes cultural communication and resonance.
While boosting film and cultural exchanges, China UnionPay, the sponsoring brand of the festival, has continued to expand its payment service layout in Africa. At present, UnionPay cards are accepted in 51 countries and regions across Africa, with basically full coverage at merchants and ATM terminals in Kenya and other regions.
As the sponsoring brand of this film festival, China UnionPay has supported outstanding Chinese animated works in entering the African market, thereby forging a new bridge for cultural exchanges between China and Africa through the art of film.
The festival was co-hosted by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Kenya, the Kenya Film Commission and the China Film Archive and organised by four Confucius Institutes in Kenya.