For nearly seven decades, Shanghai Animation Film Studio (SAFS) has shaped China's cultural identity through its iconic hand-drawn masterpieces. As a 2025 exhibition at Shanghai Film Museum reveals, these works continue bridging generations by blending traditional ink-wash aesthetics with cutting-edge techniques.
From Cultural Icons to Modern Revival
The studio's classics like Havoc in Heaven and The Deer Girl remain cultural touchstones, their vivid characters etched in collective memory. Curators note increased international interest in SAFS works this year, particularly from animation historians and streaming platforms seeking classic Asian content.
Artistic Innovation Meets Tradition
Current displays highlight SAFS' pioneering "ink-and-wash animation" technique developed in the 1960s – a marriage of traditional painting methods and frame-by-frame filmmaking. Museum visitors in December 2025 can view rare production sketches showing how artists adapted Ming Dynasty landscape principles for moving images.
"These films aren't relics," explains exhibition designer Li Wei. "They're blueprints for today's creators blending Chinese artistic heritage with digital tools."
