There is no IP, no label, and no well-known director, but this "three-no" work has many industry big names such as Wang Junkai, Zhou Shen, Huang Bo, and Ma Dong coming to "lend their voices".
On May 21, 2025, the original domestic animated film "Children of Time" held its premiere in Shanghai. Directors Yu Ao and Zhou Tienan, producer Sun Lingyu, voice actors Wang Junkai, Zhou Shen, Liu Xiaoyu and other main creators gathered at the scene to share the behind-the-scenes stories of the creation with the audience.
As an original animation, "Children of Time" uses the imaginative setting of the wheel of time to build a fantasy space with both visual wonders and emotional depth. The film style combines the modern style of Shanghai style with the surreal sense of time variation. In the fantasy background, it unfolds a love story that touches the heart and evokes real emotional resonance.
A group photo at the premiere, from left: Director Zhou Tienan, Yu Ao, the film's dubbing actors Wang Junkai, Liu Xiaoyu, Zhou Shen, and producer Sun Lingyu. Photo by Xue Song, reporter of The Paper
A new director spends five years honing his skills
The film tells the story of Qian Xiao, a girl from a fishing village, who took a boat to the metropolis she had longed for. Due to an accident, she was "selected" by the Wheel of Time and gained the ability to control time, becoming the one and only "Child of Time".
As the first feature film directed by Yu Ao and Zhou Tienan, "Children of Time" takes "time" as the core proposition and constructs a healing story about separation and release. The film not only has a fantastic imagination about controlling time, but also conveys the romantic courage to defy fate for love. The original story has both novel settings and emotional impact, and the unique Shanghai retro modern painting style also adds a fantasy and romantic color to the story.
When talking about the original intention of creation, director Yu Ao said frankly: "This is a story about parting. Each of us will encounter farewell to important people in our lives. Faced with the regrets and pain at the end, we need to find a way to let go. This is the starting point of the story." She revealed that the script creation took as long as five years, during which it was overturned and reconstructed many times.
Directed by Yu Ao. Photo by Xue Song, reporter of The Paper
Director Zhou Tienan shared the challenges of changing identities: "The transition from actor to screenwriter to director is very stressful. We are still novices in the directing field. Just like Seventeen in the movie exploring the unknown world, we are also exploring how to tell a good feature story. I hope the audience can feel moved and healed by the film." He especially mentioned that the film attempts to make the audience reflect on the meaning of "cherishing the present" through the universal theme of "time."
"Child of Time" poster
Producer Sun Lingyu described the film as a "three-no product" - no IP, no label, no famous director, but with more than 100 production teams and over 2,000 shots. "Thanks to the support of the voice actors and teachers, the 'three-no' has been transformed into 'with love'." She especially thanked the predecessors in the animation industry for their support: "When the project encountered technical difficulties, the predecessors always helped with all their heart, which is the inheritance of Chinese animators."
At the premiere, seniors in the animation industry spoke highly of "Child of Time". Chang Guangxi, director of "Nezha Conquers the Dragon King" and "The Lotus Lantern", praised the film as "innovative and touching"; Ge Yi, co-animation director of "Nezha 2", affirmed that the film's "100% originality" is "rare" in the current market; Huang Jiakang, director of "White Snake: Origin" and "Green Snake: The Tribulation", affirmed the film's innovation in worldview construction and character creation.
Wang Junkai and Zhou Shen challenge animation dubbing for the first time
This film, described by the producer as a "three-no movie", has attracted a luxurious dubbing lineup - Wang Junkai, Liu Xiaoyu, Zhou Shen, Huang Bo, Jia Bing, Ma Dong, Jin Jing, Zhou Tienan, Yan Peilun, Zhang Xiaowan, Liu Yang, Luo Shengdeng, Xuan Xiaoming, Cao Xue, etc., gathered in the metropolis to perform a fantasy time journey together.
Wang Junkai, Liu Xiaoyu, Zhou Shen. Photo by Xue Song, reporter of The Paper
Actor Wang Junkai lent his voice to an animated film for the first time, showing surprising performance. He took dubbing courses in advance, carefully studied the character's speaking tone, rhythm and stress, and went all out to interpret the cold-faced killer Seventeen. Wang Junkai's clean voice and his own dry humor are a natural fit for the role.
Wang Junkai admitted that he was "very confused" when he received the invitation: "I had no experience in animation dubbing before, and I didn't know why they chose me. But after reading the script, the first thing that attracted me was the character of Seventeen, and the whole story, which is very touching, and I like its theme." At the same time, Wang Junkai said that the directors' sincerity and enthusiasm for this animation, as well as their trust in himself, made him decide to accept this new challenge.
Wang Junkai voices the cold-faced killer Seventeen. Photo by Xue Song, a reporter from The Paper
Talking about his understanding of the character, Wang Junkai explained, "Although Shiqi has a cold appearance, his heart, after experiencing a cruel childhood, always maintains a hot and gentle little flame. This is what moved me the most. He always keeps his most passionate heart to live."
Zhou Shen dubbed the film and sang the theme song. Photo by Xue Song, a reporter from The Paper
Zhou Shen was the atmosphere maker at the premiere. He failed several times just to say the very long name of the character he played in the movie. This time, he not only sang the theme song, but also served as a voice actor for the first time. Talking about the opportunity for this collaboration, he said that he was initially moved by the song demo, and was very nervous when he received the dubbing invitation. "I have always liked the job of a voice actor and have always been very interested in it. It is magical to bring others into a story just by using the voice. I hope to convey the humor and loyalty of the character through the voice."
It is reported that "Children of Time" will be released nationwide on May 30, and pre-sales have been opened. The film will also carry out offline joint check-in activities in Shanghai Metro City, Jing'an Joy City and other places from May 21 to June 3. This animated film, which combines the retro aesthetics of the Republic of China with the fantasy setting of time loop, is expected to inject new vitality into domestic animation, and it is worth going to the cinema to find out.
The premiere scene was decorated to attract audiences to stop and check in
