Born in China
Description
The Disney name has long been associated with finely crafted nature documentaries, beginning in 1948 with Walt Disney’s pioneering early experiments in the Academy Award-winning True Life Adventure films. Disneynature series has updated this technology-friendly and playful storytelling for a new generation, releasing a new film every Earth Day since 2008. Born in China marks a new, ambitious collaboration for the series, a partnership with the Chinese government to create a celebration of the country’s flora and fauna. Director Lu Chuan, one of China’s finest filmmakers, renowned for his beautiful, landscape-driven films, and a team of five legendary nature cinematographers venture to parts of China rarely seen on screen. Stunning locales include the Zhalong wetlands, the Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve, and the Qinghai Plateau, the highest mountain plateau on earth. Led by narrator John Krasinski (The Office), we follow the intimate stories of three endangered animals: Dawa, a snow leopard mother struggling to take care of her young cubs; a juvenile snub-nosed monkey named TaoTao whose place in the family dynamics gets rudely disrupted by the arrival of a baby sister; and YaYa, an overprotective giant panda mother raising her newborn daughter MeiMei. Recommended for ages 6 and up.
Born in 1971, Lu Chuan studied at the People’s Liberation Army International Relations University and then at the Beijing Film Academy. His directorial debut was The Missing Gun (2002), which was presented at the Cannes, Venice, and Sundance film festivals. He received worldwide acclaim for Mountain Patrol (2004), the story of heroic Tibetans who fought to protect chiru (a type of gazelle) from poachers. The film received the special jury prize from the Tokyo International Film Festival, and received best picture and best cinematography at the Golden Horse Awards. In 2009, City of Life and Death won best director and best cinematographer at the Asian Film Awards, among many accolades. Lu Chuan continued his success in 2012 with The Last Supper, and with his most recent release, Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe (2015).
Film Details
Language English, Chinese
Year 2016
Runtime 76
Country USA/China
Director Lu Chuan
Producer Phil Chapman, Roy Conli, Brian Leith
Editor Matt Meech
Cinematographer Irmin Kerck, Justin Maguire, Shane Moore, Rolf Steinmann, Paul Stewart
Music Barnaby Taylor
Print Source Walt Disney