Animation Film to Recreate Oscar-winning Documentary “Kukan”

Chongqing - An animated film revealed the creation of the Oscar-winning documentary "Kukan" (subtitled The Secret of Unconquerable China initially) in Chongqing after three years of preparation, and production is about to be complete. The new film is adapted from the book "Kukan and Wartime Chongqing," published in 2020 by Professor Zhou Yong, president of the Chongqing History Research Association. 

It is the first animated film in Chongqing that will be on the big screen to tell the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

The documentary "Kukan" was planned and funded by Chinese-American artist Li Ling-Ai and produced by American reporter Ray Scott. It records the life of the people in the rear areas during the Chinese people's Resistance against Japanese Aggression. It is the first large-scale color film documentary filmed during World War II and the only documentary with a war theme that won an Oscar.

The animated film "Fire and Phoenix" (Chinese: 火凤重天; pinyin: Huofeng Chongtian) combines the history of Chongqing. It tells the story of Li and Scott, who came to Chongqing and photographed the Chinese people under the hail of bullets. It reproduces the theme of "Kukan," which means fighting with courage. 

"Nowadays, the domestic animation film market is becoming increasingly mature, and many young audiences love it. As a native of Chongqing, I have always wanted to make an animation work with realistic themes related to Chongqing so that the audience can understand the heavy period of the War," said Zhang Lianhong, chairman of Chongqing Xianghong Film and Television Co., Ltd. 

Zhang Lianhong introduced that the whole play lasts 105 minutes, with more than 1,500 background drawings and hundreds of thousands of animation drawings. "We carefully polish every painting scene and frame; some have been revised dozens of times."

To better depict the magnificence of the mountainous city of Chongqing, the team consulted many images and archives. At the same time, they showed in detail the stilted buildings by the river and the living habits of the Chongqing people. These features, through the brushstrokes of the production team, have been extended to the character and scene design of the movie.

Zhang Lianhong emphasizes the sense of reality. For this reason, they especially invited many old Chongqing people to participate in the creation, combining their memories and historical materials. The landscapes and scenery, such as the Kangjiantang, a former theater site during the War, the Joseph Church, the Wartime Nursery School, and Dandan Noodles, filled the screen with the pleasant taste of Chongqing.

In addition, they also put lots of effort into the design of characters. Zhang Lianhong said that the character image design has the Chinoiserie style, showing the sense of time without losing fashion. All kinds of details, the bombing by the planes, the fire in Chongqing, and the citizens struggling to save themselves, portray the life of the citizens under the bombing, and inject the film with more Chongqing elements.

"Shooting 'Fire and Phoenix' is one of my dreams, to create an animated film with a Chongqing theme," said Zhou Yong, the president of the Chongqing History Research Association. He and Zhang Lianhong's team have worked hard to achieve "creative transformation."

It is understood that the production progress of "Fire and Phoenix" is nearing completion, and the creative team is polishing the theme song and soundtrack. The film plans to be released in theaters across the country next year.