The White Snake Enchantress

Six decades after its creation, this spectacular anime film continues to enchant children and adults alike. The White Snake Enchantress is the first Japanese animated feature film shot entirely in color—an adaptation of a Chinese legend about the love between a snake disguised as a beautiful princess and a young man. They face many dangers on their way to happiness, but various animals come to their rescue. This ambitious production was inspired by the American model and was intended to compete with Disney, which at the time, already controlled the international market. It was a steppingstone in the history of anime and a source of inspiration for Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Ponyo). A digitized version recently screened at the Cannes FF.