Tuesday, April 30th, 2013
Official Selection 2013
On top of a frozen lake, a legendary warrior confronts the god of Winter. This god devoured the spirit of Spring and thus the world has lived in darkness for centuries. An epic battle ensues between man and god. When the battle seems to have turned for the worst the warrior regains his blade, defeats the god-beast and brings the Spring back to our world.
Original Title: 冬 冰雪连天霜满地
Director: Haiwei Hou
Producer: Haiwei Hou
Writer: Haiwei Hou
Director’s Statement
‘My inspiration is taken from the infamous Canadian winter. What if the winter never left our land? Will there be a warrior to stand up against the beast of winter and bring back the vibrant spring? Based on this idea, I tried to tell a poetic story that is innovative and original. The message behind my story is that our fears can be defeated. In order to deliver this message in an engaging and entertaining way, I chose to do a film within the action-adventure genre. Animation is all about simplicity and clarity; within one and half minutes, I have done my best to tell a traditional three-act story, a hero’s journey without any dialogue. I also tried to push the boundaries of the medium by combining the traditional Chinese painting style with 3D effects and backgrounds. Last, but not least, creating this film was a journey of exploration, and I have learnt more about myself and my capabilities as an artist by going through the trials that have lead me to where I am today.’
Haiwei Hou
Director’s Bio
‘I was born in Beijing, China, in 1986 and currently live and work in Toronto, Canada. I enrolled in the Fine Arts program and Architecture program at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in China from 2005 to 2007, and then studied in the BAA Animation program at Sheridan College from 2008 till April 2012. I have been working as a freelance character designer for Sideshow Collectibles for over a year, and have recently completed an internship with the SpongeBob team in Nickelodeon over the summer last year. Over the years I have won several contests: these include the SatelliteSoda Contest ‘De Lineation,’ (2011), the Marvel‐Tron contest, also held by satelliteSoda.com (2011), and was nominated as the Academy Star in the 6th OACC Golden Dragon comic Award, Beijing (2009).’
Posted in: Official Selection, NFF2013, 2013 Films In Detail