Ａｎｉｍａｔｉｎｇ　Ｃｈｉｎａｔｏｗｎ――Ｃｏｌｏｒ，Ｃｕｌｔｕｒｅ　ａｎｄ　Ｃｕｌｉｎａｒｙ　Ｄｅ.docVIP

Ａｎｉｍａｔｉｎｇ　Ｃｈｉｎａｔｏｗｎ――Ｃｏｌｏｒ，Ｃｕｌｔｕｒｅ　ａｎｄ　Ｃｕｌｉｎａｒｙ　Ｄｅ 　　GIVEN the vast cultural and linguistic differences between China and Australia, writer-director Eddie White knew he would need some serious help when he dreamt up the idea of an animated film co-production between the two countries. Working across cultures is never easy, but producing a movie in the labor-intensive world of animation, with two teams speaking different languages, would be a major achievement. 　　A year later, in February 2007, the 17-minute Sweet and Sour was unveiled to the world. The film is the result of a collaboration between the venerable Shanghai Animation Film Studio (SAFS) and Eddie White’s People’s Republic of Animation (PRA), a company of youthful filmmakers based in the southern Australian city of Adelaide. Theirs is the first animated co-production between the two nations. 　　 　　It’s a Dog’s Life in 　　Chinatown… 　　 　　Appropriately for such a groundbreaking cross-cultural collaboration, Sweet and Sour tells the story of a small dog discovering the color, energy and cuisine of Chinese culture through his exploration of Chinatown in an imaginary Western city. The metropolis of the film’s setting is a cold, bleak place, until one night the main character inadvertently stumbles upon Chinatown’s golden carved gateway. He enters, passing into a warm, dynamic world of startling sights and tantalizing aromas. 　　Like so many others, the dog begins his love affair with Chinese culture by sampling the myriad culinary delights on offer, from noodles to soups to steamed dumplings. After reveling in the rich tapestry of all things Chinese for several nights, the little dog’s romantic image is suddenly shattered when he realizes that he and his canine comrades may be destined for some of the area’s restaurant menus. 　　Chinatown’s hospitable ambiance is suddenly transformed into a threatening air of menace, full of monsters and knife-wielding chefs, and the dog flees in terror. Enticing scents e