Have you ever peered through a kaleidoscope and imagined a spectacular sea adventure in the enchanting and hypnotic patterns? Well, your prayers have been heard! This groundbreaking Chinese animation blends traditional ink art with cutting-edge techniques to create a hypnotic visual feast.
Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, the 3D screening of Deep Sea has been canceled. Those who have already purchased tickets will receive a refund.
Genre: computer animation, adventure, fantasy
Language: Mandarin, subtitles: English
Length: 1h 52m
Ever since her mother left the family, Shenxiu has felt a deep sadness. She cannot shake off that feeling of utter loneliness and grief. On a cruise with her father, stepmother and little brother, she wanders the ship alone. But when a violent storm hits, Shenxiu goes overboard and finds herself in a surreal underwater world. Guided by a many-eyed creature, the Hyjinx, she ends up in chef Nanhe's chaotic Deep Sea Restaurant. Together they embark on a quest to find the Eye of the Deep Sea.
Tian Xiaopeng’s Deep Sea defies anything you've ever seen in animation with its innovative technique that combines animation with traditional ink art, resulting in an overwhelming aesthetic experience. The film is an avalanche of colors and impressions, as if drowning in a kaleidoscope. Each frame is a joy to swim in. Behind that dazzling shell also lies a deeply human story: an intimist quest to recover from depression and trauma. Deep Sea may look like a maximalist epic, but it feels like an intimist, poignant aquatic reverie that leaves an indelible impression on your soul.
Awards
The film was nominated for Best Film in the Generation Kplus section at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Reviews
“Truly groundbreaking, this astonishing animated adventure from China is worth seeing on the big screen for its outrageously eye-catching imagery.” Shadows on the Wall
“Despite the tonal unevenness, however, the mix of hyperreal animation and impressionistic compositions using the techniques of Chinese painting is unique to behold, like a tableaux roused into breathtaking life.” The Guardian
“It manages to burst through the surface of its frequently stormy narrative waters and grab hold of your heart just as it does your eyes.” Collider
The Studium Generale film program is created in collaboration with the Student Film Committee and Natlab.