Cinema Club at the Auditorium: Screening and Discussion of the Animated Film "Little Demons Lost in the West" (Yu Shui, 2025)

We are watching this year's vibrant Chinese animated hit — a playful comedy-fantasy inspired by the classic novel "Journey to the West." Director Yu Shui offers his own take on the legendary story, where alongside the great heroes, their unexpected doubles set off on a journey.

The plot follows two minor demons, Yaoguai, named Kabanchik and Frog, who have been expelled from their clan. We learn that a Tang dynasty monk and his powerful group of yao are traveling westward in search of sacred scriptures. They hatch an adventure: assembling their own band of impostors — the talkative demon Laska and the shy oaf Gorilla. Their goal is to beat the real heroes, reach the sacred scrolls first, and gain immortality.

After the screening, we will discuss the film together: talking about how modern Chinese animation reinterprets classic tales, the comedy-fantasy genre, and why stories about impostors and adventurers remain so captivating.