Russian animators are drawing inspiration from the booming success of Chinese animated films, which have captivated both domestic and global audiences with their unique blend of cultural storytelling and cutting-edge production techniques.
In recent years, China's animation film industry has been producing a series of masterpieces, attracting a great number of domestic and international fans. The industry impressed the world again with the remarkable box office performance of the phenomenal work "Ne Zha 2", which has recently become the highest-grossing animated film of all time, globally.
Moscow's SMF Animation Studio has been closely tracking the groundbreaking accomplishments of its Chinese counterparts, seeking to learn from their innovative approaches and successes.
"China's animation industry posts significant growth annually, with about 10,000 minutes of animation being produced each month. For any developed market, this is a record number," said Yuliana Slashcheva, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Russian film studio.
According to Slashcheva, the phenomenal success of "Ne Zha 2", a film rooted in ancient Chinese mythology, demonstrates the vast market potential of content that draws upon traditional cultural heritage, which resonates with audiences worldwide.
"The animation movie has strong ethnic characteristics. It tells the story in an ethnic way and it also has strong ethnic style. You can tell it from both the appearances of the characters and the storytelling," she said.
The impressive box office performance of "Ne Zha 2", boosted in part by its stunning visual effects, has led Slashcheva to conclude that technological advancements will play a crucial role in the future of animation production.
"In terms of self-developed technology, Chinese animation industry goes further than us in the field of artificial intelligence," she said.
"It (Ne Zha 2) has enchanting storytelling, rich aesthetics, values that fit with most of the audience and high-quality visual effects. High-quality animation always needs high integration of art and technology, and this is what our Chinese colleagues showed to us," Slashcheva added.
With Chinese animation poised to make a significant impact on the global market, Slashcheva expressed optimism about its international prospects. The SMF Animation Studio has formed a partnership with Chinese filmmakers and a TV channel under the China Media Group (CMG) will broadcast its animated series "Umka", marking a key collaboration between the two nations.
"Animation has cultural influence. China's sport culture is as developed as that of Russia, and we attach great importance to this point. Of course, 'Umka' tells the story about remote northern minorities. They live in harsh natural conditions, overcome difficulties, and also hold kind nature," she said.
China's booming animation industry inspires Russian filmmakers
