China
2024 90 mins
OV Mandarin
Subtitles : English
All things possess spirits, capable of transforming into “fairies” which carry the owners’ desires. One single piece of jade is used to create both an umbrella and a sword. These cherished items, valued by their respective owners, transform into the fairies Qingdai and Wanggui. However, from the very beginning, the umbrella and the sword are destined for different missions. Qingdai pursues her owner's desire to reunite and stay with Wanggui in the noble pavilion, while Wanggui persists in seeking vengeance for her master's death. When their missions conflict, what choices will they make?
A brand-new, top-tier work of Chinese animation, THE UMBRELLA FAIRY marks the feature-length directorial debut of Jie Shen, art director on MR. MIAO (2020). The film brings numerous elements of traditional Chinese culture, along with the arts of painting, artifacts, opera, and musical instrument building, into its overall character and detailed design, offering the audience a visual feast of rare richness to complement the engaging and distinctive fantasy tale it has to tell. By integrating unique traditional Chinese painting techniques into modern animation, THE UMBRELLA FAIRY showcases a distinctive charm and vitality. After their missions as artisanal objects come to an end, where will Qingdai and Wanggui go as spirits? – Xige Yi