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The 4th Pingyao International Film Festival kicks off on Saturday in the ancient city of Pingyao in North China’s Shanxi Province, bringing a response from the non-Western film industry to the world to tackle the pandemic of the coronavirus.
This year marks the 125th anniversary of the birth of cinema. “We hoped to pay tribute to the burgeoning 1920s in film history and the birth of experimental film through the Pingyao International Film Festival after 100 years,” said Jia Zhangke, Chinese film director and founder of the festival, recalling his plan from last year for this year’s festival.
But the plan was halted as China’s film industry was forced to shut down for 178 days due to the coronavirus pandemic. “As an international film festival held after the epidemic, we want to give a film response to the public health event,” said Jia, “The festival is a manifestation that workers in the Chinese film industry insist on producing good works despite all difficulties and in dialogue with the world. “
Here’s how the theme of this year’s festival, “Film only …“ comes. As it is put on the festival’s official website, “Only movies can light up the dark.”
Small size but kept to a high standard
Although small in size, more than 50 films will be screened in the five sections of the festival. Among them, 43 percent are for the world premiere, 89 percent for the Asian premiere and all of them for the national premiere.
The opening movie “This is Life” is an anthology of several short videos, many of which are filmed by ordinary people about their lives through their phones. The special presentation “So far, so close,” produced by Chinese director Zhang Yang, tells the story of a food delivery man during the epidemic.
The Crouching Tigers official selection section, which presents debuts or second films as international directors, includes “The Whale Boy”, winner of the GdA Director’s Award at the 17th edition of Giornate degli Autori in Venice, and “Residue”, winner of the Audience Award. Best Narrative Feature Film at the Slamdance Film Festival.
The Hidden Dragons section, focused on emerging Chinese talents, has “An Insignificant Affair”, winner of the White Mulberry Award for Best New Director at the 22nd Far East Film Festival.
Presenting films by renowned directors or films in a spotlight, the Galas section includes the opening film of the 77th Venice Film Festival “The TiesLacci” and “The Women Who Ran” and “Hidden Away”, which won the Bear. Silver Award for Best Director. and the Silver Bear for Best Actor respectively at the 70th Berlin Film Festival.
Other sections compile nine films made in Shanxi and nine Serbian New Wave films produced between the 1960s and 1970s in the Yugoslav era.
Since many international film festivals canceled this year, a section used to present the award-winning films of the year was cut. Instead, more films produced by new talents have been added to the Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons sections.
“Under the current situation, we hope to maintain the core competitiveness of the Pingyao International Film Festival and promote its core value in helping young directors develop,” said Jia.
One thing to keep in mind is that the more than 1,000 film projects are seeking promotion this year, twice as many as the year before. “It reflects that because of the coronavirus, fewer movies were filmed outdoors, but more scripts and shows were written at home,” Jia said.
The festival therefore decided to increase the number of projects to promote. “Like other film festivals, the Pingyao International Film Festival experienced the enigmas that the pandemic brought, but we found our own solution,” he said.
The Pingyao International Film Festival encourages dialogue between Western (Chinese, Asian, Eastern European, Latin American and African) and Western film communities, and encourages communication and collaboration between Chinese and international filmmakers.
