You haven't seen this before: stop-motion animation with figures made of Chinese porcelain. In the short film Mr Sea Chinese artist Xue Geng has depicted an ancient legend about an explorer, a prostitute and a snake
brought to life with home-fired ceramics. A glossy, dreamlike depiction of eroticism and violence.
Mr Sea is part of the inaugural programme with which Wednesday's Holland Animation Film Festival (18-22 March) starts in Utrecht.
"An extraordinary film by a great upcoming talent", festival director Gerben Schermer calls this fantasy in china. With another seven titles, China - not well known here as an animation country - is a striking presence at this 18th edition of HAFF. Exciting work, often with an intriguing interplay between tradition and experiment, as in Mr Sea.
Work by a new generation of young artists who make completely different things, but often come from the fine art corner. Schermer explains that although the art academy there has an animation course, it only trains for television and commercial productions. Those who want to make other work choose a different direction, and from there possibly move on to film. Xue Geng has so far made sculptures and other objects - Mr Sea is her first film.
There is another reason why there is such a strong link between animation and visual art. Autonomous filmmakers in Europe and America can often rely on government or private funds. There is no such thing in China. There, animation filmmakers often collaborate with galleries. The films can then be part of installations, for instance.
Utrecht is another example of this. HAFF is screening the film What Happened in Past Dragon Year By Xun Sun. An associative reflection on developments in China. At City Hall until 28 March, one of his installation to view, about a land that has existed as long as a whale has surfaced to breathe.
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