Fortissimo Films, a Chine- and Netherlands-based sales agency which previously snagged Tian Xiaopeng’s visually adventurous Deep Sea, has picked up another Chinese animated feature: The Umbrella Fairy. The directorial debut from animator Shen Jie (Mr. Miao, Crystal Skies of Yesterday) and the first animated feature from online ticket platform-turned-producer Maoyan Entertainment will launch at the Cannes Film Market this month.
The film tells the story of a royal umbrella fairy names Qingdai, who fails in her mission to guard a sword fairy on the run from the royal pavilion in search of vengeance. To put the situation right and prevent the outbreak of war, Qingdai joins forces with a young craftsman and sets out into the world outside the court.
The Umbrella Fairy boasts a 2D animation aesthetic heavily influence by classical Chinese arts and crafts, architecture and opera. The film will open in mainland China this summer. Fortissmo handles overseas sales, excluding China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Japan.
[Source: Variety]
