Guest Country: China: Princess Iron-Fan

As part of the special programme paying tribute to China, the Annecy Festival is giving you the opportunity to discover the first animated feature ever made in China, Princess Iron-Fan, directed by the Wan brothers Laiming and Guchan in 1941.

Made during the Second World War in very difficult conditions, this first Chinese animated feature revealed the immense talent of the Wan twins. The story traces the westward journey of the monk Xuan Zang accompanied by his three disciples, a monkey, a pig and a stuttering monk. Their trek, intended to bring back the sacred Buddhist texts from the West, is strewn with obstacles, including the terrifying blaze of the volcanic mountains. The four companions must succeed in seizing the princess’s iron fan as it is the only object that can extinguish the flames.

For a better understanding of the spectacular evolution of Chinese animation, the Festival invites you on a trip to the heart of traditional China and the beginnings of an industry destined for success.