A SHENZHEN animation studio has created China's first 3D cartoon film, entitled "Thru the Moebius Strip."

The animation film will be screened in cinemas during the coming summer holiday, and will also be available on mobile phones and PDAs.

Jin Guopin, chairman of Institute of Digital Media Technology (Shenzhen) Ltd. (IDMT), the studio behind the film, said the company had signed a 3.8-million-yuan (US$475,000) contract with Shenzhen mobile Internet service provider Caishow yesterday, which will allow the latter to release the movie on mobile devices and sell related products through such devices.

Jin also announced that the long-awaited film would be shown in domestic cinemas when students are on summer holiday. Negotiations are currently underway over the film's overseas release.

The 3D feature film is a science-fiction adventure about a boy who travels to another galaxy to rescue his stranded father. The story was originally written by famous French cartoonist Jean Giraud, whose pen name is Moebius.

The film is funded by IDMT's Hong Kong parent company, Global Digital Creations Holdings Ltd., and thus regarded as a product of Hong Kong and Shenzhen cooperation in the animation field.

Hong Kong boasts diversified channels for overseas release and attracts many mature film investors, said IDMT general manager Xu Ling.

The tie-in with the mobile value-added service provider marks an advancement in the industrial chain for animation films, Jin said.

Mobile users now can access the official wireless Web site of the English-language film by texting 28 to 8257-6000. They can download film footage, pictures and ring tones and receive updates on the latest news about the film.

"Analysis shows that the age curve of mobile users is very close to that of cartoon film watchers, which drive us to make the investment," said Bai Wentao, general manager of Caishow.

Editor: Wing