BEIJING -- "Thru the Moebius Strip", the most-expensive animated film ever
made in China which features more than 400 artists from eight countries, will
hit screens in China Friday.
The US$16.25-million animation, about a resourceful boy's adventure, is
thoroughly western in terms of visual style, content and characterisation,
Teresa Cao, assistant to the general manager of the Institute of Digital Media
Technology (Shenzhen) Limited (IDMT), the movie's producer, told Xinhua
Thursday.
"We spent five years making the three-dimensional film," Cao said, adding
that many famous foreign artists appear in the credit list, including director
Glenn Chaika ("Mulan 2"), animation supervisor Kelvin Lee ("City of Angels" and
"Stuart Little") and Bob Koch ("Toy Story 2" and "A Bug's Life").
The film was inspired by Frenchman Jean "Moebius" Giraud, who is widely
acknowledged as one of the major influences in the visual arts field for his
contributions to "Alien," "The Abyss" and "The Fifth Element."
"We will deliver more than 100 copies nationwide and expect to earn over 10
million yuan (US$1.25 million) at the box office on the Chinese mainland," Cao
said.
Overseas distribution rights for the movie have been sold to more than 10
countries. Merchandising products such as illustration albums, novels, clothes,
accessories and toys will go on sale later, she said.
The film was made in English with Chinese as second language, a first for
China-made films.
After peaking in the 1960-70s, China's animation industry was overwhelmed by
Japanese and American rivals. "Thru the Moebius Strip" is another attempt to
climb up the rankings following "Lotus Lantern" (1999), "The Butterfly Lovers"
(2003) and "Little Soldier of Zhangga" (2005).