Three Monks

Dir: A Da
Scr: Bao Lei
Prod Co.: Shanghai Animation Film Studio
1980 / Colour / DCP / No Dialogue / 19min

Inspired by a comedic dialogue exchange by Hou Baolin, director A Da asked children’s literature author Bao Lei to write a script based on the idiom about three monks featured in the dialogue. The result is this comical tale of three monks that combined the visual aesthetics of a comic book and the philosophical element of the original quote. The film strikes a delicate balance between making something unique to Chinese culture that will connect to a universal audience. Amazingly, this critically acclaimed short film was made with a small crew and a relatively short production period for a hand-drawn animated film.

Screening Courtesy of the China Film Archive

The Deer Fairy

Dirs: Qian Jiajun, Dai Tielang
Scr: Pan Jiezi
Prod Co.: Shanghai Animation Film Studio
1981 / Colour / DCP / Mandarin / 25min

Based on a mural inside Dunhuang’s Mogao Caves, this short film follows a gorgeous deer fairy who saves a lost Persian caravan in the desert, only to be betrayed by greedy humans who want to kill her for her skin. Combining the simple, yet elegant drawing style of the original mural and Buddhist philosophy about karma, Qian Jiajun and Dai Tielang’s film tells an insightful story that makes audiences think twice about the consequences of their everyday actions and whether kind acts really do go duly rewarded.

Screening Courtesy of the China Film Archive