In September, Arashishima, the sun is gentle, and the sea breeze is intoxicating. From the 12th to the 14th, the 3rd IM Cross-Strait Youth Film Festival (hereinafter referred to as "Pingtan IM") will be held in Pingtan, where light and shadow build dreams, and Arashishima will once again gather young filmmakers from both sides of the strait.
Some of the shortlisted works in this year's Pingtan IM main competition
It is reported that this year's film festival collected a total of 1849 entries, these works from 331 universities around the world, the number of films collected has reached a record number, of which 88.6% of the main creative group is the "post-95" new generation of filmmakers. Among the 50 works shortlisted for the main competition film festival, a total of 15 are from Taiwan, the treasure island of the motherland, and the number of Taiwanese filmmakers' works has increased year by year, which has strengthened Pingtan IM's determination to promote the integration and development of the cross-strait film and television industry.
The number of entries is the highest in the world
Youth is the most eye-catching footnote of Pingtan IM, from the first "Every wave goes to the island", the second "towards the sea breeze, savage growth" to this year's "How is the wind", these distinctive film festival themes have always continued the marine elements of Pingtan Island, and also show the courage and resilience of young people who are fearless of wind and waves.
This year's Pingtan IM theme is diverse and vigorous, trying to resonate with the times, and the number of entries is also increasing year by year. From 1195 films in the first session, 1376 films in the second session, to 1849 films in this year, the number of films collected has reached the highest number in three sessions. Data show that this year, these works come from 331 universities around the world, of which 88.6% of the main creative groups are the new generation of "post-95" filmmakers. Among the 50 works shortlisted for the main competition film festival, there are 41 feature films and 9 non-feature films, of which 27 are the director's first works. At that time, these shortlisted works will meet you in Pingtan, and more than 90 main creative members of the works will participate in the post-screening exchanges.
The reason why young filmmakers on both sides of the strait deserve special attention is not only because they may bring new film language, but also because these "new" films may open up the dimension of discussion on social issues, especially the director's first work, which often carries the momentum of "newborn calves are not afraid of tigers". The new film power on each Pingtan IM is as fierce as the sea breeze on Pingtan Island.
Zi Ge, a well-known film critic, said that Pingtan IM is a vigorous film festival where young creators show their observations and understanding of the world. Inevitably, there are still many immaturity in these works, but what is often accompanied by immaturity is often sincerity, and it is to say what you want to say the most. "These almost contemporaneous creators do not appear as some typical generational characteristic, but are different and have their own interests."
It's a "gathering of old friends."
In fact, every year, Pingtan IM is creating opportunities for young filmmakers on both sides of the strait, and when they receive firm support, they are more determined about their original intention when they created.
Yang Juan is the "old face" of Pingtan IM, in the first Pingtan IM in 2020, she was also a third-year graduate student of radio and television at Guizhou University for Nationalities, and won the excellent non-drama short film of the year with her work "Shouting Work"; The next year, she broke into people's vision again with her work "Guest House", and won the "Endless Life" creative training camp selection proposal that year.
"For me, Pingtan IM is not the end, it means a new beginning." Yang Juan said that although she is not from a professional college, her two exhibition experiences changed her life, and it was because of the prize money she received in the first award that she had the funds to produce the work "Guest House". This year, she will participate in the "encore talk" of the third Pingtan IM and exchange views with guests from both sides of the strait on the theme of "You Don't Need Encouragement to Make a Movie".
In this "gathering of old friends" of this year's Pingtan IM, there is also Liang Lulu, a mainland girl who graduated from Taiwan University of the Arts. At the second Pingtan IM, she was awarded a cutting-edge short drama film with "How Beautiful the Knot". This year, as the host, she will appear at the jury forum during the film festival to discuss with film celebrities "what kind of films our judges like", bringing "full of dry goods" to more young filmmakers on both sides of the strait.
The scene of the 2nd Pingtan IM Awards (data map)
Let the public enjoy the feast of light and shadow
"Pingtan IM, like FIRST Youth Film Festival and Pingyao International Film Festival, is a young, free, and presumptuous wonderful time and space." Xu Yuan, a well-known film critic and judge of the first Pingtan IM, said that what Pingtan IM pursues is nothing more than to dig out good creative seedlings, and then give opportunities, resources, and experience to seriously cultivate a new generation of filmmakers.
Documentary filmmaker Zhang Lao, a jury member of the FIRST Youth Film Festival and an outstanding film selector at the Guangzhou International Record Festival, said of Pingtan IM: "Every year, thousands of film festivals are held around the world, with different types and scales and rich themes. In Chinese-speaking areas, film festivals and exhibitions set up for young student creators with sufficient bonuses are the first to recommend Pingtan IM. ”
During the three-day intensive film festival in Pingtan IM, young directors will meet their soulmates, meet Bó Lè, and clearly understand the advantages and disadvantages of their works from a professional level, and at the same time, they will see many masterpieces created by other peers.
For professional film fans, during the film festival, being in a high-concentration film scene, shuttling through the theater, interview scene, concert, enjoying the new short works of young directors with high frequency, thinking and arguing with creators and commentators, enjoying the artistry of the film, while feeling the young director's observation, creation and thinking about things, is tantamount to a wanton youth carnival.
It is understood that this year's Pingtan IM also has a special exhibition of Leslie Cheung's film digital restoration version, a special exhibition of classic film works on both sides of the strait, a common future: cross-strait youth science fiction short film exhibition, the screening of the shortlisted works of the main competition, and the "Summer of Movies" island concert and many other wonderful activities.
Next week, this journey of light and shadow will begin, in the cinema, at the forum site, in Longwangtou Sea Fishing Square, I hope to see you cheering.
The 3rd Pingtan IM concept poster
Part of the preliminary jury talks about the shortlisted films
Nowadays, more and more young people have mastered the skills of film creation, using skills to express their understanding, understanding and transmission of emotions, including the hazyness of love, the warmth of family affection, and the depth of friendship. This is the beginning of their understanding of life, which is moving. Many films also reflect the curiosity, exploration and thinking of young creators about society and the times, and their expression of issues such as tradition and modernity, individual and collective, male and female, East and West, etc., voice the voice of the younger generation. ——Huang Doudou, professor and doctoral supervisor of Zhejiang Normal University
In these works, some people use their own life experience as inspiration for artistic expression, and some people try to explore the content ecology of new media platforms to broaden the boundaries of conscious expression. Whatever the point of view, they are trying to find a bridge to communicate with the audience with images, and importantly, they find it. ——Song Fagang, Deputy Dean, Professor and Master Tutor of School of Communication, Shandong University of Arts
Cinema has a different meaning for everyone: healing, questioning, redemption, release, communication, fighting nothingness. As creators, we often need to remind ourselves whether we are sincere enough, brave enough, enthusiastic enough, whether we can abandon formalism and self-imposed limitations to respond to the truest desire in our hearts: a story that has to be told, a time that resounds in your heart, a person who passionately wants to touch again through images. - Director Li Dongmei
From the works, I can deeply feel the sincere love of today's young creators for the current life, and the power of this kind of image generated by love. Works with true artistic expression have always reached people's hearts because of this love. And I was in the "sea" of the entry, looking for moments when my heart was trembling again and again. ——Tao Ye, professor and doctoral supervisor of the School of Journalism and Communication, Guangzhou University
From excellent short film works, we may find the sincere, free and dynamic expression in the current Chinese image creation. What has repeatedly moved me is the terroir of the earth, personal experience, thinking about reality and questioning history, and the sincerity of facing myself. I look forward to seeing more images of young people with an exploratory spirit and breaking boundaries in the future. ——Tong Shan, video researcher and curator
Every young creator walks alone in the dark wilderness with small flames in their hands, and if we have the opportunity, we must take care of these small flames and continue to burn. One day in the future, these lone travelers will have the opportunity to look up and see that not far away, there are companions approaching each other, and have the opportunity to turn these small flames into flames that can be inherited. ——Zhang Xiaobei, screenwriter, director, member of the China Film Literature Society
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Source: Pingtanrong Media Center
Reporter: Chen Lanqing