A Story about Fire
燃比娃

Inspired by the ancient myths of the Qiang ethnic grounp from China’s southwestern mountains, A Story About Fire marks the magnificent return of the legendary Shanghai Animation Film Studio—the birthplace of Chinese animation. Founded in the 1950s by pioneering animators, the studio has been at the forefront of the industry for decades, creating timeless classics that have captivated generations of audiences.

This film blends tradition with innovation. Rendered in exquisite 2D hand-painted ink-wash style, A Story About Fire follows a monkey’s perilous journey to steal sacred fire for humanity. The visuals pay homage to classical Chinese aesthetics while reimagining a mythic primal world with poetic grandeur. Through this allegory of sacrifice, the film revisits the eternal themes of love and selflessness—values that feel ever more precious in today’s fragmented society. Acclaimed actors Zhou Xun and Yang Haoyu lend their voices, breathing soul into the characters.

After being selected for the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival’s Work in Progress section, A Story About Fire is set to make its world premiere at the Berlinale Generation Kplus Competition, bringing a mythic Chinese tale to global audiences with its artistic mastery and philosophical depth. In recognition of Shanghai Animation Film Studio’s groundbreaking contributions to the field of animation, Red Lotus Asian Film Festival Vienna has decided to present this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award to this distinguished collective.

We are presenting the RED LOTUS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2025 to Shanghai Animation Film Studio for its achievements to date. Representatives of the studio will be present to receive the award in person.

Prof. Daisy Yan Du, Associate Professor Division of Humanities, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, will present the award.

LI WENYU
Li Wenyu graduated from Peking University and currently working as a professor in Animation and Digital Art Department at Sichuan University. His animated short films A Bus (2019), Oh & Yeah (2017), Go to City ELE (2015) have won numerous international awards, including those from the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, Warsaw Film Festival. A Story About Fire (2025) is his debut feature.

Sat Apr 26, 2025 | 16:00
Stadtkino
Red Lotus 2025

Buy ticket

China 2025
85 Min | Color | Chinese with English subtitles

Directed by LI Wenyu

A Story about Fire ©️ Shanghai Animation Film Studio