Synopsis

A group of ants goes on a field trip underground to explore Earth’s history. As they descend through the geological layers, they turn ancient fossils into a playground. First, they encounter Cenozoic-era wall paintings, stone tools, bones, and mammoths, and have fun doodling on the murals or sliding down bones as if on a playground slide. Next, the ants travel to the Mesozoic, wake an ancient ant deeply preserved in amber, and play a xylophone on dinosaur bones. Finally, in the deep Paleozoic layer, they bring an ancient sea to life, and have a fantastical experience exploring the ancient seas. However, their playful chaos triggers an earthquake. A mountain collapses, burying the ant village. In the end, the ants who explored the past become the newest layer of fossils themselves. This story conveys beautiful visuals and music, entertains with cute characters and intimacy, and also sparks scientific curiosity about extinct animals and their eras.

Director's Comment

Staff

Producer/Scenario/Storyboard/Character Design/BG Design/Lay Out/Animation/Camera/Effect/Editing CHOI Yeoleum

Music JEON Sangmo

Detailed description

As the ants playfully journey back through history, little do they know that they themselves are destined to be fossilized into another layer of time. Against the backdrop of the ants' dance, Saint-Saëns' ‘Danse Macabre’ plays, foreshadowing their tragic demise. They dance, play instruments, and delight in the moment, yet meet an eventual end as cold fossils. Life is full of happiness and adventure, yet mortality is inevitable and history flows mercilessly. Even so, the film never loses its whimsical charm and playful wit. Its true virtue lies in its gracious flexibility, leaving it entirely up to the viewer whether to contemplate its deeper philosophical layers or embrace it as pure, cheerful fun.

PARK Hyeona