Fantasy animation tells heartwarming tale

"The title is derived from 'Renaissance'," Yang says. "It represents two layers of meaning, not only that the little girl carries on her grandfather's spirit, but also the rejuvenation of traditional culture, injecting it with new vitality, and passing it down for future generations."

Born in 1995 in Changsha, Hunan province, Yang earned a bachelor's degree in visual design from Jiangnan University, but she has always been fascinated by animation. She sees it as a useful medium for visualizing futuristic or imaginative concepts that transcend the boundaries of reality and give people a glimpse into the future.

After graduating, she spent two years working in post-production at an animation company, but the experience did not fulfill her creative aspirations.

"There are stories I'd like to tell, emotions I'd like to share with others, and cultural elements I'd like to highlight. Post-production alone would not allow me to achieve these goals, so I thought that I should find opportunities to lead projects myself," Yang says.

"I wanted to create work that embodies shared emotions and resonates with the audience, while also incorporating elements unique to Chinese culture, that might leave an impression or spark an interest in viewers who aren't familiar with it."

In 2018, she enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts in Computer Arts program at the School of Visual Arts in New York, specializing in 3D animation. There, she met the other two members of her core creative team, and in 2019, the trio embarked on the project.