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In the name of science fiction, Chinese films appeared in Cannes

In the name of science fiction, Chinese films appeared in Cannes
In the name of science fiction, Chinese films appeared in Cannes

At 11 a.m. Cannes time on May 17, at the Main Stage of the Cannes Film Palace, the China International Film Cooperation Summit with the theme of "New Prospects for Chinese Film, New Waterway for International Cooperation" was officially held. This is the first time in the history of the Cannes film market to pay attention to Chinese science fiction films, and it is also after the end of the epidemic, Chinese films have started from science fiction and appeared on the stage of international film festivals with a more confident attitude.

At this summit, Zhang Hong, vice chairman of the China Film Association, delivered a remote opening speech, starting from the origin of Chinese films and Cannes, reviewing the process of China's film marketization and the development of science fiction films; Wang Hongwei, Chairman of Blue Planet Science Fiction Film Week, discussed the creation, genre and cultural positioning of Chinese science fiction films from the perspectives of science fiction context and cultural differences. The famous director Guo Fan reviewed the creation and filming process of the "The Wandering Earth" series and elaborated on the value of international cooperation for Chinese science fiction films; Ma Heliang, co-initiator/curator of Blue Planet Science Fiction Film Week, sorted out the unique context of the development of Chinese science fiction films, and looked forward to the vision of using Chinese science fiction films as an opportunity to jointly create "new futurism".

At the roundtable forum themed "New Opportunities for Chinese Films, New Channels for International Cooperation", filmmakers Michael Gobroy (Independence Day, Stargate), Cedric Behrel (UK distributor of The Wandering Earth 2), Brent Emery (Twilight, Percy Jackson Series From the international production and distribution of science fiction films, the discovery and training of film talents, combined with the development of China's film industry, the cooperation space in the international film market was discussed.

Zhang Hong: Science fiction films will promote more valuable and imaginative international cooperation

In the name of science fiction, Chinese films appeared in Cannes

Zhang Hong, vice chairman of the China Film Association, recalled that Chinese films from "A Q Zhengzhuan" represented Chinese films in Cannes for the first time to "Farewell My Concubine" and "In the Mood for Love", saying: "Chinese films can go global, and their artistic achievements have been discovered and recognized by the world, which is closely related to professional film festivals like Cannes. The market-oriented operation of Chinese films has developed local genre films, especially sci-fi films, so that Chinese films can return to the international stage more confidently after the epidemic, especially the Chinese Film Summit at the Cannes Film Market, keenly discovered the rise of Chinese science fiction films, and hoped that "science fiction films, which can connect Chinese films more closely with world films, explore film art innovation with science fiction, and will promote more valuable and imaginative international cooperation." ”

Wang Hongwei: How should Chinese science fiction movies be defined?

In the name of science fiction, Chinese films appeared in Cannes

Wang Hongwei, chairman of Blue Planet Science Fiction Film Week, said in a remote speech that the theme of this summit is "Science Fiction Context, China Exploration", "In fact, Chinese filmmakers have been exploring the sinicization of science fiction context for decades since "Death on Coral Island", "Thunderbolt Babe", "Atmosphere Disappearing" and other films (from the beginning to the present). Wang Hongwei discussed the development path of sinicization of science fiction context from the three levels of "Chinese, Chinese stories and Chinese culture", believing that "science fiction context must be the world context", and science fiction, as a genre story that explores the fate of all mankind, should avoid emphasizing regionality. Chinese science fiction films based on Chinese culture should be "developed from China's long history, and should also be a new culture created by China when facing the future and facing the world."

Guo Fan: Science fiction movies bring us curiosity about the world and the future

In the name of science fiction, Chinese films appeared in Cannes

The famous director Guo Fan created the first year of Chinese science fiction films with "The Wandering Earth", and "The Wandering Earth 2" promoted the progress of China's film industry system, director Guo Fan said in a remote speech that "The Wandering Earth 1" was screened in Cannes, "I am very pleased to learn that this summit can focus on science fiction movies, and I also feel that I have a special fate with Cannes." Guo Fan recalled that he became a director because he loved science fiction movies, and "Terminator 2" planted the seeds of science fiction movies for him, "Science fiction movies bring us curiosity about the world and the future. When I filmed the "The Wandering Earth" series, I also hoped to bring this feeling to the audience, especially young audiences. He filmed the "The Wandering Earth" series, and also wanted to bring the same feeling to the audience. Then, Guo Fan recalled that "The Wandering Earth 2" was filmed in the United States, France, Iceland and Colombia, and was released in 35 countries around the world, science fiction films are the most international film genre, but the road to Chinese film genre and industrialization is still very long, and it is worth exploring together.

Ma Heliang: Under the changing times, science fiction needs to be reconstructed

In the name of science fiction, Chinese films appeared in Cannes

Ma Heliang, co-initiator/curator of Blue Planet Science Fiction Film Week, analyzed in his keynote speech that science fiction fantasy movies are the mainstream consumption of the Chinese film market, which is basically consistent with the global mainstream film market, because of "The Wandering Earth", the Chinese film industry ushered in the "first year of Chinese science fiction films", which is the result of the Chinese film industry learning Hollywood. "The Wandering Earth" and Blue Planet Science Fiction Film Week appeared at the same time in 2019, and now Chinese filmmakers are trying to create rich and diverse science fiction films. Beginning with 1938's "Shanghai Beach Sixty Years Later", China has its own science fiction films to express thinking about the times and the future. Therefore, when innovative technologies such as AI and the metaverse have a subversive impact on human life, science fiction needs to be reconstructed and open up a new space for international cooperation.

Roundtable Forum: Science fiction leads the new trend of international film cooperation

At the roundtable forum of the summit, Michael Gobroy (Independence Day, Stargate), Cedric Behrel (UK distributor of The Wandering Earth 2), Brent Emery (Twilight, Percy Jackson Series), International Producer/Blue Planet Science Fiction Film Week co-curator Li Zhu, Tenten Wei (EST Maria Soccor (founder of Maria Soccor Productions) discussed the potential space for exploring young directors and excellent projects using Blue Planet as a platform to explore the potential space of young directors and excellent projects, starting from the new trends and opportunities emerging in the Chinese film market, combined with the successful international production of science fiction and fantasy in terms of commercial and artistic value.

In the name of science fiction, Chinese films appeared in Cannes

After listening to Zhu Li's introduction to Blue Planet's promotion of science fiction film creation through virtual production, and watching the promotional video of Blue Planet Bocai Fantasy Film Project, the international guests were amazed by Blue Planet and the Chinese film industry's exploration and achievements in science fiction films; When Zhu Li talked about the "multiverse" created by domestic young directors of science fiction and played the trailer of the "Tomorrow's Survival Guide" sci-fi series produced by Station B, the guests who focused on the international production and distribution of science fiction films on the scene became very interested in this work and expressed strong expectations for innovative and diversified international science fiction film production and distribution cooperation.

Michael Gobroy Mike Gabrawy said that he developed 4 and 5 feature films at the same time with Chinese elements, and while he maintained cooperation with Chinese companies, some films were also shot in China. He lamented that after the epidemic, the cooperation between international filmmakers and China is slowly recovering and prospering. Cedric Behrel believes that the two most advantageous genres of cross-cultural communication and global production cooperation are animation and science fiction fantasy. Tenten Wei, as the head of sales and distribution at EST Studios, combines her own distribution and international sales experience to believe that genre films with Chinese characteristics and fantasy elements will have a lot of room in overseas markets.

In the name of science fiction, Chinese films appeared in Cannes

Group photo of the roundtable forum 

In the name of science fiction, Chinese films were reloaded and unveiled in Cannes, which not only demonstrated the great progress and future development space of Chinese science fiction films, but also launched a new type of international cooperation from the perspective of science fiction. This year's China Film International Cooperation Summit is jointly sponsored by Silver Wing Culture, Blue Planet Science Fiction Film Week and Cannes Film Market, opening up a broader space for Chinese science fiction films to go international, and the Cannes Film Market China Film International Cooperation Summit will focus on the development of Chinese science fiction films and the new opportunities for international cooperation created by them.

Blue Planet Science Fiction Film Week is China's first science fiction film festival, since its inception in November 2019, Blue Planet has collected more than 3,800 science fiction films from more than 130 countries and regions around the world, showing the new exploration and vision of young filmmakers in China and around the world in science fiction films. More than 40% of the projects of the Blue Planet Science Fiction Film Venture Capital Conference have signed contracts with domestic first-line companies to advance. At present, Blue Planet has become China's largest screening of science fiction films, the largest science fiction film and television talent exchange platform, the largest science fiction film and television content gathering place, at the same time, Blue Planet has built a global cross-border integration platform for science fiction, film and television, science and technology and science communication.

In the name of science fiction, Chinese films appeared in Cannes

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