Trinity CineAsia, a distributor that specializes in bringing Chinese and Asian films to the UK market, have announced that they have secured the UK distribution rights to the highly-acclaimed Chinese animation DEEP SEA (深海, Shen Hai) from Fortissimo Films, and that it will receive a UK cinema release on 7th June 2024.
Directed by Xiaopeng Tian, DEEP SEA is described as a heartfelt coming-of-age story that follows the journey of Shenxiu, where magical creatures and enthralling deep-sea adventures await, and presents the message that courage can be found even at the deepest depths. DEEP SEA received it’s debut at the Berlin International Film Festival 2023, but has also been shown at other festivals across the world including Annecy International Film Festival 2023, the Tokyo International Film Festival 2023, and the BFI London Film Festival 2023, with the film also being nominated for Best Animated Film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2023.
About: Shenxiu was abandoned by her mother at a very young age and has been hanging onto memories of her ever since. On a family cruise with her dad and the new family, she falls into the sea and finds herself in a mysterious restaurant under the ocean. There she meets the wildly experimental chef Nanhe and embarks on a journey to meet her mother again, in a kaleidoscopic, dreamlike world of swirling color and cascading water.
DEEP SEA reportedly took seven years to make and sees the animation painted on a canvas brimming with colour and dreams, blending fantasy adventure with pioneering CG animation and the splendour of Chinese painting. The production team brings the blurry shapes of traditional Chinese ink painting into 3D through a particle technique, and lighting techniques from live action were also employed to depict both the reality and the imaginary worlds. Cedric Behrel, Managing Director of Trinity CineAsia, remarked:
“DEEP SEA marks a new direction for Trinity CineAsia in bringing bold and distinctive animation from China to UK audiences. It has proven a hit both at home and abroad in France, where it has become of the five best performing films from China at the box office. Its distinct narrative and visual style put it in a category of its own, I was completely stunned by it when I first saw at the Berlin International Film Festival and that feeling has been haunting me ever since. I am thrilled to bring this cinematic gem to British audiences on the big screen, allowing them to experience the secrets and magic of animation inspired by the Chinese ink painting in a truly breathtaking way.”
DEEP SEA will receive a UK cinema release on 7th June 2024 with the film being shown in Mandarin Chinese with English Subtitles and English dubbed at participating cinemas across the UK. Further details can be found on the Trinity CineAsia website.
