Following the successful North American theatrical debut of the modern fairytale Mina, the popular independent social media and video streaming platform Gan Jing World1 (GJW) premiered the animated feature on September 12 on its streaming platform GJW+ and Gan Jing Kids3—a new children’s platform that provides child-friendly content without addictive algorithms.
Produced by Magic Frame Pictures and Creation Entertainment Media, Mina reinvents the fairy tale genre with humor, adventure, and heartwarming lessons designed to uplift families and children.
In this modern twist on a classic fairy tale, a headstrong princess is kidnapped by an evil sorcerer. While her scholarly fiancé embarks on an epic quest and must use his wits to rescue her, she refuses to wait—boldly challenging her captors and plotting a daring escape.
Directed by award-winning filmmaker, Alex Tsitsilin (The Snow Queen series), and written by Analisa LaBianco (Beverly Hills Chihuahua) and Jeffery Spencer (Secret Magic Control Agency), the film features a cast including Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld, Dan Edwards, and Vanessa Johansson, with an original score by Sefi Carmel.
The film tells a story of a princess, Mina, who is kidnapped by an evil sorcerer targeting princesses. Her father promises that whoever can rescue her can have his daughter’s hand in marriage and inherit the kingdom. While her suitors and the scholar Ronan, to whom she has already promised to marry, venture into the unknown to rescue her. Mina, a heroine who refuses to wait for rescue, and other captured princesses take their rescue into their own hands.
Close-Up Culture had the chance to interview Alex Tsitsilin about the animated film, which has been praised as “a modern fairy tale for a new generation.”
‘Mina’ reinvents the classic fairy tale with a modern twist. What inspired your approach to Mina’s character as a proactive, resilient princess who challenges the “damsel in distress” trope?
I’ve always been inspired by images of determined, strong-willed women. In the Middle Ages, fairy tales gave women hope that someone would come and rescue them from hopeless situations — there were often no other options. Today, times have changed, and women can influence their own destiny, which I think is wonderful. It’s important to show viewers who doubt themselves that they too can succeed if they are as determined and strong in spirit as Mina.
How did collaborating with writers Analisa LaBianco and Jeffery Spencer, known for family-friendly films, shape the tone and narrative of ‘Mina’?
This collaboration influenced the language of storytelling — it became softer, more thoughtful, and more appealing to family audiences.
The film integrates humor, adventure, and lessons for children and families. What key messages did you most hope to convey to young viewers?
Love can overcome any hardship, but one should not rely on it completely; you must take action and pursue your goals.
‘Mina’ features characters from diverse cultural backgrounds. Can you talk about your vision for representing diversity in an animated fairy tale and its importance today?
Today, most cultures share a fairly unified understanding of good and evil. Bad actions are clear to everyone — as are good ones — there’s no need to overexplain them. This unites us all, no matter where a person comes from; what matters is whether they choose to do good or stand on the side of evil.
Gan Jing World chose ‘Mina’ as its first exclusive original film in North America for its positive values. How do you see streaming platforms like Gan Jing influencing the animation industry and audience reach?
Platforms like Gan Jing are creating a positive space for meaningful storytelling, giving families access to content that inspires kindness, creativity, and hope.
The movie was praised for its spectacular locations and visual effects. What were the biggest creative or technical challenges in bringing Mina’s world to life?
The challenge was not only for the artists but also for the technical departments — bringing such large-scale ideas to life was difficult and required many custom technological solutions, especially for the interaction between hair and water.
With Gan Jing Kids offering content without addictive algorithms, how important is platform design in supporting positive viewing habits for children? Did this influence creative choices?
It’s crucial that the platform promotes healthy viewing habits for children — this helps them focus on the story rather than addictive algorithms, making the experience more mindful and beneficial.
Princess Mina and the other captured princesses take their rescue into their own hands. How did you approach balancing action, empowerment, and emotional storytelling?
For us, this creative decision came naturally even at the script stage — the rhythm was built right into it. Maintaining that rhythm throughout the entire production was challenging, but we managed to keep it alive thanks to our belief in what we were doing.
Having previously helmed the ‘Snow Queen’ series, what lessons or experiences from your past projects informed your direction of ‘Mina’?
First and foremost, it’s all about a well-coordinated team. Each person knows their role and strives to do their part better every time. That’s inspiring — and it’s what carries over from past projects: the understanding that things can always be improved.
Looking forward, what stories or themes in family animation do you feel are most needed, and how do you hope your work will contribute to a “new generation” of modern fairy tales?
The world is changing, and so are fairy tales. As we see with Mina, the era of reinterpretation is ending — audiences now want new experiences that reflect today’s spirit and challenges. I believe strong, meaningful works will emerge, and they are the ones that will endure in this era of countless mediocre productions. We must strive to reflect the times we live in and show how both we and the world can become better — right now.
https://www.ganjingworld.com/
https://www.ganjingworld.com/gjwplus/kids