Talents Gather! Half of the Applicants Have Award-Winning Experience at International Film Festivals
The submission of making a theme-based short film for the 2023 Maritime Guangdong Young Director Support Program officially ended on May 20th. The event has drawn great attention and participation of many Chinese young filmmakers domestically and internationally, including Chinese of foreign nationality, overseas graduates and students in universities. In addition, nearly half of the applicants boast experiences of being selected or awarded at international film festivals at home and abroad, making the competition increasingly keen.
The program, initiated exclusively by the Yangcheng Evening News, aims to find young filmmakers with unique insights into Lingnan culture and the culture of overseas Chinese. The program is expected to reinterpret Lingnan culture through works around overseas Chinese culture and present the international aspect of Lingnan culture. With the current selection of entries in high gear, the list of selected directors will be announced at the end of May. Six selected young ones will each receive up to 200,000 yuan and will complete their themed short film under the guidance and assistance of a professional mentor team.
From the registration of the competition, many overseas Chinese and overseas students in universities, same as their domestic counterparts, are also interested in this theme. The common concern and emotional resonance for the fate of overseas Chinese have brought these creators from all over the world together in the program.
More than three-quarters of the applicants are under the age of 35, of which the youngest is only 20 years old. Many of the applicants come from professional art schools at home and abroad such as New York Film Academy, London Film School, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Beijing Film Academy, The Central Academy of Drama, Shanghai Vancouver Film School, and Qingdao Film Academy. Some have graduated from film-related majors at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, University of Macau, Jinan University, South China Agricultural University, Shanghai University, Kingston University London, Lancaster University, Temple University, University of Southern California, and UCLA. Among them, there are also professionals with master’s or doctoral degrees.
Notably, nearly half of the young creators who registered for the program have been selected or awarded at international film festivals at home and abroad, including Beijing International Film Festival, Shanghai International Film Festival, Festival de Cannes, Moscow International Film Festival, Tokyo International Film Festival, San Sebastian International Film Festival, Manhattan Film Festival, The Asian University Film Festival, International Film Festival and Awards in Macao, Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival, China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival, FIRST International Film Festival, Pingyao International Film Festival, Silk Road International Film Festival, Beijing College Student Film Festival, and Guangzhou College Student Film Festival. The participation of these talents has driven the competition more intense.
According to the organizer, the creative process for the themed short film is from June to August, covering script writing and short film production. After the final check and acceptance, these short films are about to display in theMaritimeGuangdongShortFilmFestivalheld in September this year. The Yangcheng Evening News will work with partners in the Greater Bay Area and overseas to make a global tour for the young directors, helping them win their “first audiences” athomeandabroad. At the same time, the festivalwill deeply link the overseas Chinese community and individuals through the screening and exchange of short films themed around overseas Chinese culture and promote Lingnan culture to the world.
“Master Gathered! Nearly half of the applicants of “Mountain and Sea Project” have the experience of winning awards at international film festivals”
——Overseas Chinese-themed short film creation recruitment ends on the 20th, and the list of selected directors will be announced at the end of May
On May 20th, the 2023 “Walking to the Mountains and Seas” Young Directors Creation Support Program (hereinafter referred to as the “Shanhai Project”) themed short film creation track officially closed for recruitment. The event attracted the attention and participation of many young Chinese video creators at home and abroad. Among the applicants, there are many foreign Chinese and graduates and current students of overseas universities. In addition, nearly half of the applicants have been shortlisted or awarded in international film festivals at home and abroad, making the competition in the short film creation track of the “Shan Hai Project” more intense.
The “Mountain and Sea Project” was exclusively initiated by the Yangcheng Evening News, a major cultural newspaper in Lingnan, looking for young film talents who have unique insights into Lingnan culture and the culture of the hometown of overseas Chinese in the Greater Bay Area. It is expected to reinterpret Lingnan culture through creations on the theme of Chinese and overseas Chinese, and present the internationalization of Lingnan culture. facing. The registration and selection work is currently underway, and the list of selected directors will be announced at the end of May. At that time, the six selected young directors will each receive a creation support fund of up to 200,000 yuan, and will complete the theme short film creation with the guidance and help of a professional mentor team.
Judging from the registration situation, in addition to domestic creators, many overseas Chinese and overseas college students are also very interested in this theme. The common concern and emotional resonance for the fate of overseas Chinese brought these creators from all over the world together in the “Mountain and Sea Project”.
More than three-quarters of those who signed up were under the age of 35, with the youngest creator just 20 years old. Many applicants come from professional art schools, such as New York Film Academy, London Film Academy, Art Institute of Chicago, Beijing Film Academy, Central Academy of Drama, Shanghai Vancouver Film Academy, Qingdao Film Academy, Shandong Communication University, etc.; In Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, Macau University of Science and Technology, Jinan University, South China Agricultural University, Shanghai University, Kingston University, University of Central Lancashire, Temple University, University of Southern California, University of California Film-related majors at institutions such as UCLA. Many of them have master’s and doctoral degrees.
It is worth mentioning that nearly half of the young creators who signed up for the “Mountain and Sea Project” have been shortlisted or won awards in international film festivals at home and abroad, including Beijing International Film Festival, Shanghai International Film Festival, Cannes International Film Festival, Moscow International Film Festival, etc. Festival, Tokyo International Film Festival, San Sebastian International Film Festival, Manhattan Film Festival, Asian College Student Film Festival, Macau International Film Festival, Kassel Documentary Film Festival, China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival, FIRST Youth Film Festival, Pingyao International Film Festival, Silk Road International Film Festival, Peking University Student Film Festival, Guangzhou University Student Film Festival, etc. The addition of these contestants has brought together masters in the short film creation track of the “Mountain and Sea Project” theme and fierce competition.
According to the organizing committee of the event, the creation cycle of this theme short film is from June to August, covering script writing and seminars, short film shooting and post-production. After the short film has completed the final review and acceptance, it will participate in the “Mountain and Sea Project” short film screening season held in September this year. Yangcheng Evening News will join hands with the Greater Bay Area and overseas partners to create a global tour stage for young directors to screen and communicate, and help young directors gain their “first audience” in the dissemination of their works at home and abroad. At the same time, the Overseas Short Film Screening Season will deeply link Chinese communities and individuals at home and abroad through the screening and exchange of overseas Chinese-themed short films, and promote Lingnan culture to all continents and all over the world.
Text｜Yangcheng Evening News all-media reporter Li Li
Translation｜Chen Xuan
Editor in charge｜Wang Yuying