A press conference and preview ceremony for the first Nantong-made animation, A Fishboy's Story: Tortoise from the Sea is held in the city, Jan 24. The previews of the new movie will last for a week and a nationwide release is planned for March. [Photo/ntjoy.com]

A new Nantong-made animated film, A Fishboy's Story: Tortoise from the Sea, jointly produced by Gangzha district's publicity department and a local animation production team, was previewed on in cinemas across the coastal city on Jan 24.

The movie tells the story of a young boy, Man Jiang who aspires to become a fisherman. He fights an unscrupulous businessman named Ma who attempts to seize the fishing village and catch a supernatural tortoise carrying an island.

Made with 2D computer animation technology, the movie adopts the style of traditional Chinese paper-cutting art and highlights the cultural connotation of rivers and sea.

Gangzha district has been focusing on developing several emerging industries to boost economic growth, including its animation sector, attracting a number of exciting animation startups, such as Tiantai Animation to the district.

Over several years of development, the animation industry has developed into the most promising of the district's emerging industries, with a series of productions released and thriving animation services thriving.