CATDOLL: Chinese animated film "The Return of the Great Sage" was shortlisted for the Media Awards and valued at over 100 million US dollars by Hollywood

"Journey to the West", one of the four great classics, has always been loved by people all over the world. There are many kinds of animation and even live-action film and television works. However, it is extremely rare for a domestic animated film with this theme to be shortlisted for the strictly judged media awards. On June 18, "The Return of the Great Sage" held a national media screening in Shanghai. As the world's first 3D animated film with the theme of Journey to the West, it has previously set the highest overseas sales record for Chinese animated films in Cannes. This time it has achieved another success: it has become the only animated film shortlisted in the Shanghai Film Festival Media Awards since its establishment 12 years ago. Domestic animated films have actually begun to "gain both fame and fortune"? Let's see what calm media people and picky "professional audiences" have to say?

This is what an "Oriental fantasy movie" should look like!

"I was floored at the beginning. Tang Sanzang was actually a naughty kid named "Jiang Liu'er", so cute! And that funny Bajie who could transform into 36 different forms... The director has such a big imagination!", "Great! This unruly and down-and-out uncle Sun Wukong is full of humanity. The father-son relationship between him and Tang Sanzang moved me a lot. He can put aside his ego to save others. That's what a superhero should be!", "This Monkey King is so cool, especially when his little universe exploded at the end, it was so handsome that it made me cry!"

Yes, it has a subversive image, unexpected plot, bursts of joy and tears, but it is truly a Journey to the West story that is faithful to the original.

This is actually the first film in a series of movies. The whole film tells the story of "five hundred years after the havoc in heaven and before the journey to the West, the four masters and apprentices experienced nine reincarnations together, continued to grow, and found the story of faith." In this film, Tang Seng is just a 7-year-old monk named "Jiang Liuer", an orphan. He grew up listening to the story of "The Monkey King". In his heart, Sun Wukong is like an invisible father. Until one day, he accidentally released the idol from the Five Elements Mountain, only to find that the Monkey King was already in decline and had lost all his magic power. He just wanted to go back to the Flower-Fruit Mountain where he might never go back again... In the end, it was this nagging bear child who aroused the Monkey King's passion, allowing him to achieve himself while saving others and revive with full blood.

In addition to the story and feelings, the audience talked most about its very typical oriental magical style and oriental martial arts spirit after the screening: the tough folk city of Chang'an, the dreamy and gorgeous Zhongnan Mountain, the enchanting Hanging Temple, and especially the white dragon with both form and spirit: "This is the first dragon I have seen in the 3D world with a visible head and tail. The Chinese dragon finally flies!" "The fight was so exciting. I can tell that this Monkey King is Bruce Lee + Li Xiaoshuang!" "I didn't expect that an animated film could have the flavor of King Hu, Chang Cheh, and Yuan Heping, and interpret the oriental chivalrous spirit very well!" "It's so unexpected that Chinese animation can finally move! The camera movement is very mature, and the grand scenes are completely in the way of live-action films. This is not animation, this is a movie!"

"Incredible! To achieve something like this in Hollywood would cost at least 100 million dollars, right?"

The person who said this was Andrew Mason, a famous Hollywood producer who had produced many famous films such as "The Matrix" and "Silent Hill". After watching the premiere, he asked excitedly: "Is this really not involving Hollywood? Based on my understanding of the Hollywood industry, such a movie would never have the cost of yours! Sun Wukong is very famous. I was already very familiar with Sun Wukong when I was in Australia. The story is very exciting. You have portrayed his image very vividly. This is a family movie for the whole world. Everyone can understand it, and it is very Chinese. It's incredible. The Chinese are amazing!"

Yes, not only is this a movie made entirely by Chinese people, but it was also a gift from director Tian Xiaopeng to his son. Before that, Tian Xiaopeng and his team had been doing Hollywood animation outsourcing for many years, busy every day making wedding dresses for other people's Super Heroes. They had the technology but lacked dreams. It was not until his son was born that he realized: compared with the bright-colored superheroes, his childhood idol Sun Wukong had been covered in dust for a long time... It took eight years from preparation to completion, and he experienced countless failures, just so that one day he could pretend to be relaxed and say to his son with a little pride: "Come on, Dad will tell you about the Monkey King!"

I hope that the story told by this father can help more Chinese parents and children find a common hero. Two generations, or even several generations, can rely on the Monkey King to find their original aspirations and grow together.

To create "China Super Hero", Chinese filmmakers have the mission to tell good oriental stories!

"Superheroes are a kind of culture in themselves, directly reflecting the qualities that young people today admire most. Sun Wukong is free, brave, and dares to face himself, which is very consistent with today's aesthetics. Especially for contemporary young people, they need a yellow-skinned superhero rooted in their own culture to represent their youth and dreams. Chinese parents also need a childhood idol that can be shared with their children and passed down from generation to generation. 'Creating an oriental superhero suitable for all ages' is exactly our original intention." Lu Wei, the producer of "The Return of the Great Sage" and the founder of Gaolu Animation, said in an interview, "The oriental magical style is also the biggest feature and selling point of this film that distinguishes it from similar Western themes. At the Cannes Film Festival a month ago, "The Return of the Great Sage" was well received by the overseas market. The oriental characteristics are undoubtedly the key factor. Although this is a small achievement, it really makes us very proud of our culture!"

As the co-producer of the film, Liu Zhijiang of Hengdian Film and Television said: "The Monkey King: Hero is Back" is a 3D domestic animation film invested by Hengdian Film and Television Production Company. He joined this film because of the sentiment of creating oriental heroes and international vision. "Domestic animated films need a work that can go global and be recognized by the world. I believe that The Monkey King: Hero is Back has such strength! Using my best technology to make the best animated film on Journey to the West is my dream as a Chinese film producer."

The most potential dark horse in the summer season

In recent years, there has been a Journey to the West almost every year, and every one of them has been a box office hit. Faced with the summer movie market that is as hot as the "Flame Mountain", can this legend continue? At least from the grand occasion of today's press conference: compared with "Monster Hunt" and "Nie Yinniang" behind it, this leading Chinese story is indeed a bit of a dark horse!

As the release date approaches, people's expectations for "The Return of the Great Sage" are getting higher and higher. The film's executive producer Hu Mingyi excitedly told reporters: "We have a fan club full of big names: Huang Xiaoming, Huang Bo, Chen Sicheng, Ren Quan, Yu Quan, Xia Yu, Qin Lan, Lu Yi, Chen Xiao and nearly 100 other film and television stars, as well as influential public figures such as Ma Dong, Li Xia, and Wang Xiaofei have sent their blessings in various ways and sincerely recommended "The Return of the Great Sage". This is not only a recognition of the film's production level, but also a common call for China's own superhero!"

The summer season has always been full of youth and joy. In the past, it only belonged to children, but with "The Return of the Great Sage", several generations can finally play together during this holiday: looking forward to a summer season with the most passion, the most blood, the most common laughter and dreams; looking forward to the common superhero of the Chinese people - July 10, "The Return of the Great Sage"