Director: Tian Xiaopeng
Genre: Animation / Fantasy
Release Year: 2023
Divorce, remarriage, and the erosion of familial bonds have left young Shensu timid and withdrawn, her face rarely lighting up with a smile. Her father is now wholly consumed by his new wife and infant son, offering her nothing but perfunctory attention. Meanwhile, her mother, living far away, seems to have embarked on a fresh chapter of life, steadfastly refusing to extend even a shred of love or affection toward her daughter.
Amidst these gloomy days, Shensu joins her family on a six-day, seven-night ocean cruise. As violent storms rage and towering waves crash against the vessel, the girl’s sorrow intensifies. When a chaotic, tangled vortex of wind appears on the horizon, her mother’s song drifts from afar—and Shensu vanishes into the endless night.
When she awakens again, she finds herself in a bizarre realm beneath the sea: the surreal “Deep Sea Grand Hotel,” where oddly shaped diners complain even as they feast voraciously. Here, Nanhe, a profit-driven proprietor, busily prepares his self-proclaimed “innovative dishes” with unwavering pride.
Shensu’s arrival plunges Nanhe’s world into endless chaos and trouble…