The animated feature La violinista, a production co-directed by Raúl García and Ervin Han, depicts a historical drama set during the Japanese occupation of Singapore during World War II.
The film centers on the lives of two musician lovers, Kai and Fei, whose story is shaped by the trauma of the conflict. According to elDiario.es, the project is a 2D animated melodrama that draws inspiration from large-scale classical Hollywood cinema. García, who was born in Madrid in 1958, describes the film as, “Un melodrama en 2D orgulloso de ser un melodrama, y en 2D.”
The collaboration between García and Han began while García was teaching at the Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore. The two filmmakers, who describe themselves as “animated soulmates,” initially intended to create a short film about the history of Singapore to mark the 50th anniversary of the state’s founding.
García, a Spanish animator known for his work on Disney productions such as Aladdin and The Lion King, brought a “European gaze” to the project, while Han, the founder of Robot Playground Media, provided a perspective rooted in the history of his own country. Han described the story as “very visceral, for being the history of his people and his country.”
Bridging Global Traditions
To establish a visual identity, the production team blended influences from Eastern and Western animation traditions.
“La diferencia Oriente-Occidente iba a volver a notarse porque yo he crecido con Disney, la Warner y la Metro Goldwyn-Meyer de Tom y Jerry, mientras que en Singapur las referencias animadas nos llevan más bien al anime.”
The film utilizes a hybrid style that incorporates the aesthetic and movement of anime with the “clear line” style of European graphic novels, while maintaining a focus on realism reminiscent of Studio Ghibli. Originally conceived as a modest production for the Asian market, the project expanded into a co-production involving Italy and Spain.
García said that since the 1980s, Spanish animators have been a presence in international cinema, adding, “Desde los 80 puedes ver cualquier película de animación estadounidense y te topas con un equipo español; no podemos olvidar que Skydance Animation está en Madrid.”
