From the glazed light and shadow in Beijing to the azure coasts in Cannes, the Organizing Committee of the Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) successfully held the BJIFF Promotion Conference in Cannes with the 78th Cannes Film Festival blooming as planned, exhibiting the fruitful achievements and open attitude of the Chinese cinematic cultural event to the world and providing a platform for global filmmakers to understand BJIFF in greater depth.
Yu Junsheng, Director-General of Information Office of Beijing Municipal People’s Government and Vice Chairman, Secretary-General of the Organizing Committee of Beijing International Film Festival, attended the conference and delivered a speech. He stated that “The 15th BJIFF has presented the world with a cinematic cultural event that embodies Beijing’s standards, showcases China’s confidence and leads international trends.” Tiantan Award, BJIFF’s main competition section, attracted 1,794 film submissions from 103 countries and regions, marking an 18.9% increase year-on-year. Nearly 90% of the submissions were foreign films. The International Lounge gathered over 300 filmmakers and film companies and hosted over 250 negotiation meetings in three days, inviting Chinese and international filmmakers to jointly compose a promising future for the film industry. Themed “Watch Movies, Enjoy Life”, the innovatively launched Beijing Film & Life Festival promoted new consumption scenarios integrating culture, commerce, tourism, and sports, creating a cumulative foot traffic of over 65.31 million across the municipality and boosting comprehensive consumption of over RMB 24 billion with ticket-driven economy.
Under the vision of “Endless BJIFF”, the BJIFF has continuously pushed the boundaries of cinematic art, prominently introducing the “Tiantan Image” global tour to launch dialogues with global audiences on Chinese films by showcasing selected shortlisted films and winners of “Tiantan Award”. Among the films featured in this global tour is G for Gap, winner of the Tiantan Awards for Best Feature Film as well as Best Screenplay at the 14th BJIFF. The film’s director Long Fei and actress Yue Hong, who received the Tiantan Award for Best Supporting Actress for her nuanced performance in the film, also attended the promotion conference.
Director Long Fei noted that G for Gap won admiration from numerous international audiences during the “Tiantan Image” global tour. Such resonation is another demonstration of the claim that “Cinema is a universal language that transcends geography and ethnicity.” Meanwhile, as a bridge of light and shadow across various cultures, “Tiantan Image” offered a precious opportunity for Chinese films to reach global audiences.
Actress Yue Hong further interpreted the profound value of cinema as a medium for cultural exchange: “Cultural and artistic exchanges are bridges that connect the hearts and minds and create emotional resonance among humanity. Excellent films foster bonds that promote exchanges and joint progress among civilizations.” As a part of the film’s creative team, she would continue “telling China’s stories and conveying China’s voices compellingly through cinematic language to enable global audiences to experience the distinctive charm of Chinese films and explore the profound depth of Chinese culture through cinema.”
Kevin Schmutzler, director of Nawi: Dear Future Me that won the Tiantan Award for Special Jury Honor at the 15th BJIFF, producer Lydia Wrensch, Nasrine Médard de Chardon, international sales representative for the shortlisted film Derno, and various other overseas film representatives attended the promotion conference that evening. This again demonstrated the enduring appeal and cultural connectivity of the BJIFF as a platform for international exchanges.
The BJIFF displays the vigor and potential of China’s film industry to the world with its dynamic innovation ecosystem. We sincerely invite global audiences to jointly appreciate Eastern aesthetics and enjoy the harmonious symphony between Chinese civilization and cinematic art. We look forward to continuing our journey of light and shadow with you.
