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Exclusive Interview with Director Xie Da: It’s Always Great to Have Sensitive and Courageous Creators
“I met a lot of interesting friends and saw many meaningful stories at the BJIFF. Those friends and stories are not top box office earners in common sense. But it’s admirable that so many creators would turn their eyes to corners worth attention, and muster the courage to write for them. It’s always great to have sensitive and courageous creators.”
Writer and director Xie Da of the Sick Child expressed his feelings about participation in the BJIFF Project Pitches during the exclusive interview.
  
The BJIFF Project Pitches receive about 1,000 entries every year. Every project owner is a storyteller. The BJIFF Project Pitches is like a treasure box full of stories. Only touching stories and good storytellers can unlock the treasure box. Director Xie Da is a great storyteller.
In the summer of 2022, director Xie attended the second-round interview of the 12th BJIFF Project Pitches with his project Sick Child. Instead of lengthy paragraphs as presented by other project owners, he explained the storyline clearly through comic strips, and rendered the sick child Le Le in the story eye-catching.
  Director Xie Da (first one from right) makes a presentation during the second-round interview at the 12th BJIFF Project Pitches
Director Xie explained his reasons for creating the project, “Actually, Le Le was me. The story tries to express the idea that there is not just one standard for growing up. The current standard is all about grades, school districts and talents. Not that fun. It becomes a child’s quirk, or so-called ‘sickness’. Let’s follow this sick child, see how he’s transformed by grown-ups and if he grows up to the standard, and becomes a ‘good child’ in the view of grown-ups.”
The jury was impressed by his one-of-a-kind narration, and witty and humorous style. Jury member Wei Shujun of the second-round interview expressed concise but inspiring encouragement after his presentation, “Well done. It definitely works.” Director Derek Yee offered practical advice, such as how to attract actors and how to start shooting as soon as possible. Xie Da replied, “These actual issues are to be faced with and overcome. Thanks to the advice, I was able to adjust the script, and completed the third version.”
  The Sick Child project owner collects honor at the Award Reception for Project Pitches
Finally, director Xie Da won the Best Creativity Award at the 12th BJIFF Project Pitches for the Sick Child with solid script and outstanding presentation. Many film companies, directors and producers contacted the project after the final-round pitching. The project owner signed the Chao Feng Pictures after careful thinking. Xie Da also signed the company as a writer and director. 
For Director Xie Da, a first-time entrant for the Project Pitches, it’s a perfect film festival experience. The Project Pitches is generously inclusive, enabling every film lover to participate the selection and review equally; it’s exceptionally professional as dozens of jury members are gathered to create opportunities for young filmmakers to communicate, exchange and make progress with industry mentors; it’s full of market possibilities as over a hundred film companies empower projects to be matched industry resources through online and offline negotiation, allowing more projects to have access to financing, post-production, marketing and distribution opportunities. The BJIFF Project Pitches is always looking for good stories and outstanding young filmmakers, and committed to matching them thoroughly with market resources so as to realize their vision of “turning stories into films”.
At the end of the interview, director Xie Da said, “I used to work in the advertising industry. And I’d always found those participating the Project Pitches cool. I felt cooler after being able to exchange ideas with them this time.” The 13th BJIFF Project Pitches is now open to entries. Click the hyperlink for entry, and let’s become cool together! 
Registration:http://system.bjiff.com/market/loginController.do?entranceJsp&type=ct
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