In the vast coordinate system of cinematic art, film works from different countries and cultural backgrounds resemble unique constellations, each illuminating the expansive map of the human spirit with its own light. The Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF)'s "Tiantan Image" acts like a beam traversing borders, projecting the Eastern constellation of Chinese cinema onto screens across the globe. In November, this beam of light reached Moscow and Almaty, lighting up theaters amid the winter chill. Through six remarkable films - The Composer, Song of Spring, The Shadowless Tower, Lost in the Stars, Trapped, and Floating Clouds Obscure the Sun - each distinct in style and tone, it offered audiences in both cities a feast of light and shadow, weaving together emotion, culture, and aesthetics.

　　

BJIFF's "Tiantan Image" global itinerant exhibition

As the capital of Russia, Moscow has for centuries stood as a converging point of literature, art, and ideas. Almaty, as a fortress connecting East and West along the ancient Silk Road, has witnessed the meeting and integration of various civilizations over millennia. These two cities, bearing profound cultural memories, provided a deeply resonant space for dialogues during this "Tiantan Image" global itinerant exhibition.

　　

"Tiantan Image" global itinerant exhibition

The six films screened in the two cities served as prisms, allowing international audiences to see different facets of Chinese society through various narrative perspectives and cinematic styles. The Composer reconstructs historical memory on an epic scale, Song of Spring contemplates the essence of life through the bond between mother and daughter, The Shadowless Tower explores urban spirituality with poetic imagery, Lost in the Stars reflects social realities through genre storytelling, Trapped interrogates existence with stylized visuals, and Floating Clouds Obscure the Sun sketches contemporary psyches with a documentary touch. Together, they form a carefully arranged constellation, shining brightly in the cultural skies of distant lands. Among them, The Composer brings to the screen the moving story of Xian Xinghai's stay in Almaty and his friendship with local musician Bakhytzhan Baikadamov, reviving a legendary memory that transcends time and space.

Audience members take photos with movie posters

During the post-screening Q&A sessions for Trapped, director Sagara engaged in a cross-cultural discussion with audiences in both Moscow and Almaty. He elaborated on the unique symbolism of the film's core imagery - "wind" - explaining that it does not signify grand historical shifts but rather metaphorically represents the subtle, often unnoticed changes that accumulate in everyday life. Through this, the film reveals that everything is in a state of flux, challenging the conventional notion that "change occurs only at significant moments". When discussing the spiritual essence of the film, Sagara expressed his attempt to seek something enduring amid the ever-changing reality, ultimately capturing "the courage to empathize" rather than a narrow sense of romance. The audience responded enthusiastically. One fan praised the film for "embedding profound humanistic care within a genre film", while a film student specializing in directing remarked, "I gained tremendous insights from both its visual language and thematic expression". This post-screening discussion not only expanded local audiences' understanding of contemporary Chinese cinema, but also highlighted film's importance as a vital link in cultural exchange.

　　

Post-screening scene of Trapped

As the itinerant exhibition comes to a close, the impact of these films lingers and unfolds in both cities. In the name of art, they have planted seeds of understanding and dialogue in the hearts of every moved viewer - a most precious closing gift from the "Tiantan Image" stops in Moscow and Almaty. Moving forward, we will continue to uphold our original mission of promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. We will carefully select more outstanding films that showcase the contemporary Chinese spirit and feature artistic innovation, engaging in deeper dialogue with global audiences through richer and more diverse screening formats. Cinema is more than just a reflection of our times; it is also a spiritual bond that unites different civilizations. Let us meet again in next year's "Tiantan Image" global itinerant exhibition, where we look forward to writing new chapters of "Light and Shadow Connecting the World" in new destinations!