On April 20, the final jury meeting of the 15th BJIFF Project Pitches was held. Jury president, director, screenwriter, actor and executive producer Chen Sicheng, as well as director, executive producer and screenwriter Dong Runnian, director, screenwriter and executive producer Rao Xiaozhi, Hong Kong executive producer Jojo Hui Yuet-chun, and actress Zhang Zifeng appeared.

The BJIFF Project Pitches serves as an incubator for cinematic dreams, fully committed to supporting high-quality film projects. During this year's festival, more than 20 promising projects took the stage for roadshows to showcase their creativity and charm. BJIFF invited a top industry team of mentors to build a comprehensive creative guidance system. At the same time, the organizing committee provided continuous support in creative funding and abundant production resources to help these projects take root and grow.

Today, the BJIFF Project Pitches has become a powerful booster for young filmmakers on their journey to pursue their dreams. Countless young talents with film dreams set sail here, breaking the waves toward the distant light and shadow.

Chen Sicheng, a director, screenwriter, actor and executive producer, has always been exploring the infinite possibilities of Chinese films in a pioneering manner. In recent years, he has paid particular attention to the selection and support of new-generation filmmakers. Whether he is guiding creative variety shows on stage or building a project incubation platform behind the scenes, it all reflects his efforts to transform personal commercial value into industry public resources - this aligns with the mission of BJIFF, especially Beijing Film Market Project Pitches.

Regarding the young directors he has helped, Chen Sicheng said that every person is a unique code, with a unique creative gene. "Each person's characteristics cannot be summed up in a single word, but in the process of working with creators, including directors, screenwriters, costume designers, makeup artists, prop designers, cinematographers, sound engineers, and art designers, I always absorb their strengths."

Chen Sicheng also admitted that he had met some young creators who disappointed him, “Because they are in this industry not out of passion, but for fame and fortune. As the saying goes, time reveals a man's heart. Only through cooperation can one understand a person's true nature. The process of my cooperation with creators is also a process of separating the false from the true. In the end, those who share the same ideals will remain together.”

When asked about the projects in this year's Project Pitches, Chen Sicheng said that they were good overall, and there were one or two projects that he was particularly eager to participate in. He was especially happy to see that female creators are very enthusiastic. “Many female-themed scripts had very high levels of completion. What's more, they are very young. Although the scripts may not be ready for shooting immediately, their creative potential can be clearly sensed from their words.” Chen Sicheng believes that this is also the significance of BJIFF Project Pitches: discovering new talent and providing them with better platforms.

Director and screenwriter Dong Runnian has sparked public discussion with his works such as Gone with the Light and Johnny Keep Walking! He is currently working as executive producer on the new film Good Job directed by young director Tong Jiage.

Dong Runnian and director Tong Jiage met at the SIFF PROJECT. "For me, trust is the key to working with young directors. As a screenwriter and director myself, sometimes I can't help but think what this story would look like if I were to shoot it. But as executive producer, I have to respect the director's ideas and give full consideration to their creativity. The executive producer and directors need to communicate and exchange more. "

Dong Runnian said that many young directors are much more mature than expected. “What we need to do is to encourage them to boldly unleash their imagination, show their talents without worries, give them support and care, and let them shine to their heart's content.”

Rao Xiaozhi, the director, screenwriter, and executive producer of outstanding films such as A Cool Fish and End Game, once again served as a jury member for the BJIFF Project Pitches this year. Previously, he participated in the second-round review; this time, he is responsible for the final review. He remarked, “I would like to thank my colleagues in the preliminary and second-round review for sifting through the vast amount of scripts and bringing such excellent works to the final review stage.”

Comparing his experience this time with his previous role as a jury member, Rao Xiaozhi observed that the quality of Project Pitches projects has improved, “In addition, the number of female-themed projects is much higher than when I last served as a jury member.”

The 9th BJIFF Project Pitches launched the application for WIP projects for the first time. Rao Xiaozhi supported and guided Director Xu Lei's film Summer Detective, which has not yet completed post-production, and helped the Project Pitches team gradually realize the film incubation. In the end, the film gained market attention and audience recognition with its unique detective theme that wrapped up the warmth and coldness of rural human nature.

Rao Xiaozhi hopes to use the BJIFF Project Pitches platform to help more young creators, building bridges and breaking the ice for the selection and training of a new-generation filmmakers, assisting in project incubation and implementation, so as to practice the inheritance and continuation of Chinese films.

Jojo Hui Yuet-chun is Peter Chan's “golden partner”. The two have collaborated on many films, including Alan & Eric: Between Hello and Goodbye, He's a Woman, She's a Man, Comrades: Almost a Love Story, Perhaps Love, The Warlords, Bodyguards and Assassins and American Dreams in China. In recent years, Jojo Hui Yuet-chun has shifted her focus to her role as an executive producer and has produced popular films such as SoulMate, Better Days, and Leap.

Talking about her experience in supporting new directors, Jojo Hui Yuet-chun said that as executive producer, her role is to combine reality with the director's ideas. “Sometimes a director's idea can be very personal, so I have to be a bridge to ensure that the director's ideas can resonate with the audience. When the director is very wild, I must remain realistic, and when the director is very realistic, I have to be very wild, helping the director find a balance and connect with more audiences.”

Zhang Zifeng: Be Brave to Make Mistakes with Young Directors

Zhang Zifeng said that she has always hoped to collaborate with more young directors and has been actively doing so. Collaborating with young directors allows her to understand and resonate with their ideas, making every collaboration particularly enjoyable. In her view, this is not only about creation, but also about learning. “We will be bolder in trial and error, which is also an interesting experience. I like to capture those more fluid emotions or more interesting perspectives.”

The most touching significance of the BJIFF Project Pitches work lies in the bridge it builds across generations, where senior filmmakers meet young creators, not as mentors and students, but as companions who jointly explore the direction of the film industry. The jury members of the Project Pitches are using their expertise and patience to nurture the future of Chinese films, ensuring that Chinese films always keep moving forward and giving every sincere story a chance to be seen.