The 19th Changchun Film Festival, which closed on Sunday in Changchun, capital of northeast China’s Jilin Province, offered understanding and support for the rising talent in China’s cinematic industry through initiatives like the New Force Forum and Golden Deer Ventures.
Fifteen finalists were chosen from 124 films that competed for the Gold Deer Awards, which were presented to the winners at the finale of this five-day cultural feast. The Best Film Award went to “The Great War,” a movie about China’s People’s Volunteer Army, directed by Chinese director Chen Kaige. The Best Director Award was given to Chinese well-known filmmaker Zhang Yimou for his 2024 hit film “Article 20.” New generation actors Peng Yuchang and Li Gengxi won Best Actor (Male) and Best Actor (Female), respectively.
Praising the young
Wang Junkai, the 1999-born iconic figure and the team leader of famous boyband TFBoys in China, was appointed as the image ambassador of the festival. It wasn’t just his winning of the Newcomer title in the 17th Golden Phoenix Awards that stood out. His persistent devotion to public welfare, including his efforts to initiate charity funds, was also noteworthy. His appearance as an official representative at the opening ceremony set the tone for the festival.
Both the female and male winners of Best Actor Award are also in their twenties – Peng Yuchang was born in 1994 and Li Gengxi in 2000. The duo were honored with the Golden Deer Awards because of their touching performance in “Let’s Shake the Sun Together,” directed by new generation director Han Yan, who is in his early forties.
Listening to the youth’s voice
Entitled “Inheritance, Innovation and Dedication: Movies and Audiences Together,” the 7th China Film New Force Forum was held on Thursday during the festival, inviting renowned Chinese filmmakers, film scholars and government authorities.
Focusing on “new comedy and new audiences” and “innovations in cinematic language,” guest speakers talked about how to involve young audiences, adapt to younger generations’ preferences and apply innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to sci-fi movies.
Aiming at nurturing future film talents and promoting the development of the local film industry, China Film New Force Forum was initiated in 2014.
Sponsoring the young
During the festival, the 19th Golden Deer Ventures was also launched from Thursday to Friday at the Golden Hall of Changchun International Film Metropolis. It aimed to select cinematic projects with potentials, offer platforms to new filmmakers and solve their funding problems. Fifteen out pf 183 projects were selected and sponsored by the committee in the end.
Collaborating with assets management and investment companies, Golden Deer Ventures played a vital role in incubating high-quality film and television products.
Changchun Film Festival was first held in 1992. It is China’s first film festival which is named after Changchun, titled “the cradle of modern China’s film industry.”
China’s 2024 summer box office, spanning from June 1 to August 31, generated a total of 11.64 billion yuan ($1.64 billion) in revenue, according to the data released by the China Film Administration on Sunday.
(Cover: The 19th Changchun Film Festival holds a grand closing ceremony in Changchun City, capital of northeast China’s Jilin Province, September 1, 2024. /CFP)