Wild Animal by Tianyun Lyu
Animation Film August 8 2025
Intro
"In the Mongolian wilderness,
an heir to a hunter and his father share an unspoken bond.
A kind heart buried beneath nature’s might—
a requiem of love sung in the battles of the wild."
Wild Animals
Tianyun Lyu:
This story is a parable about survival and human nature. When we face the harsh rules of nature, the point is not just good versus evil, but the complicated ways life behaves under pressure. The father represents practical survival skills, the boy stands for untouched innocence, and the wolves are pure wild instinct. Together, they create a harsh picture of what growing up can be.
The story also shows a clear truth: we often treat others kindly and hope for the same in return, but real life doesn’t always work like that. The world won’t become softer just because you are gentle. Wolves won’t stop hunting because you feel sorry for them. And people won’t always repay your kindness. In the end, survival is something you face on your own.
From the Artist
“The idea for this story first began in a basic directing class. We had to make an animated storyboard, and the goal was to learn how to guide the audience’s eye. While thinking about my assignment, my personal feelings toward wolves became the center of the story. I’ve always been fascinated by wolves—their proud, untamed nature and their refusal to ever be fully controlled. I truly believe they are creatures that can never be completely domesticated.
There is a moment in Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox that deeply moved me. When Mr. Fox, dressed in a suit, meets a wolf who is totally wild—not wearing clothes, not speaking, just being itself—that scene left a strong mark on me. The wolf represents the free, wild spirit that Mr. Fox wishes he could follow, but can’t, because of his responsibilities to his family. This longing for wild freedom resonated with my own dreams of the open grasslands—the endless horizon, the sense of space, the image of horses running freely. These feelings have stayed with me for a long time.
With all of this in mind, I created the first version of Wild Animals. To my surprise, my instructor loved it. So when it came time to prepare for my final graduation project, I decided to expand this small piece into a fully developed story—one that carries my emotions, memories, and thoughts.“
Interpretation
On the open grasslands, animals, humans, and nature form a harsh but delicate balance, they depend on each other, yet also limit each other. Herders raise livestock to make a living. The animals eat the grass and damage the land. Then the wolves, losing their habitat, attack the livestock just to survive. It becomes a cycle with no simple answer, and every life is struggling to keep going.
A hunter father understands how unforgiving nature can be. He teaches his child to protect himself, because weakness can mean death. But the child still believes in innocence, thinking that kindness can bring kindness back. The wild does not work that way. Nature has no pity, and “survival of the fittest” is the rule that never changes.
Humans like to believe we can change nature, or hope that wild animals will show us warmth in return for our kindness—but that is only a story we tell ourselves. In the real natural world, there is no kindness without reason. There is only the instinct to survive.
From the Artist
“The idea for this story first began in a basic directing class. We had to make an animated storyboard, and the goal was to learn how to guide the audience’s eye. While thinking about my assignment, my personal feelings toward wolves became the center of the story. I’ve always been fascinated by wolves—their proud, untamed nature and their refusal to ever be fully controlled. I truly believe they are creatures that can never be completely domesticated.
There is a moment in Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox that deeply moved me. When Mr. Fox, dressed in a suit, meets a wolf who is totally wild—not wearing clothes, not speaking, just being itself—that scene left a strong mark on me. The wolf represents the free, wild spirit that Mr. Fox wishes he could follow, but can’t, because of his responsibilities to his family. This longing for wild freedom resonated with my own dreams of the open grasslands—the endless horizon, the sense of space, the image of horses running freely. These feelings have stayed with me for a long time.
With all of this in mind, I created the first version of Wild Animals. To my surprise, my instructor loved it. So when it came time to prepare for my final graduation project, I decided to expand this small piece into a fully developed story—one that carries my emotions, memories, and thoughts.“
Behind the Scene
About the Artist
Tianyun is an independent animation director with many years of experience. Her work covers a wide range of forms, including 2D animation, stop-motion, live-action mixed with animation, music videos, and projection animation. She enjoys exploring different ways of making animation and loves studying how various art styles can be transformed into smooth 2D movement.
Her short films have been shown at major film festivals across Europe, North America, and Asia. Driven by her passion for storytelling, she is never afraid to try new methods to bring her characters to life.
Credits
Special Adviser
Zhichao Yuan
Jinzhi Du
Music
Chenyang(Lou Zhang)
Produced by
Xiaowen Wu
Director
Tianyun Lyu
Animation(Rough)
Tianyun Lyu
Nuodi A
Guyu Liang
Hongyin Ju
Mingwei Ma
Yihong Pan
Kaiting Zhuang
Xuan Fan
Advisor
Kathy Smith
Maks Naporpwski
Sound
Lu lu
Kevin Remy
Vioce Actor
Design + Background + Storyboard + Compositing
Tianyun Lyu
Tianze Lyu
Yadong Lyu
Kevin Remy
Special Thanks
Sheila Sofian
Lisa Mann
Arlyn Villaruz
Michael Patterson
Einar Baldvin
Miguel Jiron
Christine Panushka
Everett Lewis
Charlene Xu
Shengwei Zhou
Aisha Harper
Dina Garatly
Shiqi Hu
Shon Xiao
Vicky Shunyi Xie
Delaney McCallum
Fuhua Shi
Baoxingchen Yi
Sixuan Kuang
Color
Tianyun Lyu
Mei La
Yiting Liu
Chuyang Han
Yihong Pan
Kaiting Zhuang
Vicky (Xingyu) Gu
Xin Zhao
Tingfang Gong
Shengluo Zhang
Hongyin Ju
Mingwei Ma
Ruohan Du
Sixuan Kuang