Forum
Film Power Forum—A New Journey Ahead: Unremitting Pursuit of Dreams on a Journey toward a Brilliant Film Future
At the 12th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF), the “Film Power Forum—A New Journey Ahead: Unremitting Pursuit of Dreams on a Journey toward a Brilliant Film Future”, jointly organized by the China National Film Museum and the China Film Association, was held at the Beijing Yanqi Lake International Convention & Exhibition Center (BYCC) on the afternoon of Sunday, August 14.
Yu Junsheng, Deputy Secretary General and Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and President of Beijing Radio & Television Station, and Vice Chairman & Secretary General of the Organizing Committee of the 12th BJIFF, Chen Ling, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the China National Film Museum, and Yan Shaofei, Secretary of the Party Leadership Sub-Group and and Secretary General of the China Film Association, attended the event and delivered speeches. The forum invited Li Daoxin, vice dean and doctoral supervisor at the School of Arts, Peking University, and Yang Meizi, hostess of Beijing Radio & Television Station, to serve as the moderators.
Panelists present were Fu Ruoqing, Chairman of China Film Group Corporation and Chairman and General Manager of China Film Co., Ltd.; Gong Yu, founder and CEO of iQIYI; Li Weiqiang, Chairman of Poly Pictures Investment Co., Ltd.; Wang Changtian, Chairman of Beijing Enlight Media Co., Ltd.; Wang Jian’er, Chairman of Shanghai Film Group Corporation and Chairman of Shanghai Film Co., Ltd.; Wang Zhonglei, co-founder, Vice Chairman and CEO of Huayi Brothers Media Corp; Yu Dong, founder and Chairman of Bona Film Group Co., Ltd.; Zhao Haicheng, Chairman of Huaxia Film Distribution Co., Ltd.; Bao Shenghua, Chairman of Changchun Film Group Corporation, as well as famous filmmakers including director Yin Li, actress Bai Baihe, art director Huo Tingxiao, editor Zhou Xinxia, and screenwriter and producer Gong Ge’er.
Mr. Yu Junsheng stressed that our country will thrive only if our culture thrives, and our nation will be strong only if our culture is strong, and that film is an important pillar of a country’s cultural power, and the building China into a film power has been at the heart of Chinese cinema as it proceeds to develop in the days to come. In the next five years, Chinese cinema needs to make strategic plans and further define the goals and paths of high-quality development. Only with this effort can we achieve the goals toward “an remarkable increase in film creation and production capacity, the continuous emergence of a deluge of high-quality masterpieces highlighting the Chinese spirit, Chinese values, Chinese strength, and Chinese aesthetics, a leading global film market dominated by Chinese films, a more well-established film industry and public relations service system, the cultivation of a large number of world-renowned film artists, and a significant increase in the right to speak and influence of Chinese films in the global film scene”.
Yu Junsheng, Deputy Secretary General and Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and President of Beijing Radio & Television Station, and Vice Chairman & Secretary General of the Organizing Committee of the 12th BJIFF
Ms. Chen Ling said in her speech that as an important platform for bringing together outstanding achievements in world cinema and promoting exchanges, cooperation and dissemination of Chinese and foreign films, the BJIFF has brought new momentum and growth drivers to the development of Chinese and world cinema with its unique style and increasingly far-reaching international representation, and has also presented new opportunities for enhancing the public cultural service function of the China National Film Museum. We will make the best use of the film museum’s role as a bridge connecting the people and the film industry, display the milestones and achievements of the film festival on a regular basis by highlighting interactivity and engagement in popular forms, advance wider cultural exchanges, innovation and integration, and improve the long-lasting attractiveness, influence, and appeal of the film festival. With these efforts, we will bring more audiences closer to the film festival, and make them participate in it and feel the beauty of cinema.
Chen Ling, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the China National Film Museum
Mr. Yan Shaofei stated that the China Film Association will continue to give full play to organizational advantages, strengthen professional advantages, and develop a newer work system. In line with people-centered work principles, we, together with filmmakers, will plunge into the thick of life and take our roots in the people. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and in the joint efforts and unremitting struggle of Chinese filmmakers, our goal of building China into a film power will certainly be fulfilled as soon as possible.
Yan Shaofei, Secretary of the Party Leadership Sub-Group and and Secretary General of the China Film Association
To actively act on the 14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Chinese Films, the BJIFF Organizing Committee specially launched the Film Power Forum—A New Journey Ahead: Unremitting Pursuit of Dreams on a Journey toward a Brilliant Future. The professionals of the film industry were invited to review the achievements of Chinese film especially in the past decade, discussing the opportunities and challenges for Chinese film industry in modern era, so as to encourage the filmmakers to stick to their original aspirations, strengthen their confidence, promote the high-quality development of Chinese film industry and the establishment of a film power with unremitted efforts.
In the session of conversations with industry representatives, nine leaders of China’s film industry were invited to review their achievements and talk about the current development of the industry.
Mr. Fu Ruoqing proposed that new technology should be used to serve as a booster to film recovery, allowing the audience to treat films as a supreme enjoyment in the audio-visual field. And he hopes that the renewal and iteration of technology can bring Chinese films, especially lift the quality development of world cinema to a new level.
According to Mr. Gong Yu, a good platform can be defined from two aspects: firstly, a broad variety of content can be seen on this platform; secondly, a good platform provides channels for content producers, creators and investors to get their due economic returns, so that they can have funds to freely express their love for the film and create more better works.
Mr. Li Weiqiang pointed out that through the click-and-mortar business model with a focus on the offline mode as well as interactions among large and small screens, Poly Culture can further combine the advantages of both sides to create more works.
Mr. Wang Changtian revealed that Enlight Media is building a “mythical universe” for Chinese animation films, which requires an extremely ambitious worldview where all character relationships and events occur. But this is a huge project that requires deep respect for traditional Chinese culture, a pious attitude, and a responsible attitude for the future. He hopes that these animation films can shape Enlight Media into a “Marvel” peculiar to the Chinese people.
Mr. Wang Jian’er said that in the next few years, Shanghai Film Group Corporation will continue to deepen the three major strategies of high-quality content, the development of big IPs, and digital transformation, and promote cooperation and development driven by opening up and innovation. He encouraged more like-minded people to join and support Shanghai Film Group Corporation.
Mr. Wang Zhonglei stated that Huayi Brothers has been committed to studying how to continuously foster excellent film artists and make outstanding films together with creators in recent years, so as to continue the commercial vitality of works with an extensive consumer base.
Mr. Yu Dong looked back on the achievements and perseverance of Bona’s growth in the past decade, and believed that if we keep the faith and never “tang ping” (or lie flat), we can come up with works carrying weight.
Mr. Zhao Haicheng commented that as a state-owned distribution company, Huaxia Film Distribution Co., Ltd. will focus on guiding and supporting the creators in expressing and feeling the new era, the ordinary people in real life and the heroes among the ordinary people.
Mr. Bao Shenghua revealed that Changchun Film Group is remaking old classic IPs, such as Heroic Sons and Daughters and Battle on Shangganling Mountain, and also plans to transform some animation movies among old IPs in a new way to sit well with young people.
In addition, representatives of filmmakers who are active in the front line of creation also shared their views on the achievements of China's film development based on their own experiences.
Yin Li, a famous director, pointed out that in the process of developing China from a country with a huge number of films to a film power, in addition to infrastructure and the provision of more cinema audiovisual enjoyment, what we need to do more is to foster young talents. In the next five, ten or more years, this generation will grow up to be the real stalwart of Chinese cinema and the most important foundation for building a film power.
Actress Bai Baihe modestly quipped herself as still an “elementary school student” in the film industry. The framework of a film needs a good scriptwriter, and the creation of content needs various types of work in lighting, art, and costumes in a unified efforts. As characters in the film, actors should work at the scene with enthusiasm in mind, which is a never-changing dream!
Famous art director Huo Tingxiao said that in recent years, with the advances in technology, the requirements for the aesthetic system of visualization are getting increasingly strict, which brings more and more challenges to visual creators. In the new era, the most important thing for developing China from a country with a large number of film resources to a film power is to foster the talent system, which also represents its greatest mission.
Editing director Zhou Xinxia believes that it is film editing skills that make the style of a film, which is not accomplished by the editor himself/herself, but a feeling presented by the director, screenwriter, cinematographer, performance, and art direction combined. Then, only with techniques matching to the film can the style take shape.
Gong Ge’er, a famous screenwriter and producer, believes that new processes are having a new impact on films, and science fiction is a specific genre that is easier to try out technical and process innovation. The means of virtual shooting and pre-shooting throughout The Wandering Earth II allows the creative team to understand the film’s general style content first, and also helps the team to be more comfortable when shooting on location. The Wandering Earth II is making some attempts. Film will never have a completely consistent process, but there will always be something new and imaginative, which is part of what he loves most about the film.
At the end of the forum, guest moderator Prof. Li Daoxin concluded that with the presence of this group of rational and emotional, capitalistic and artistic, and technology-savvy and people-oriented helmsmen, I believe that the dream of China’s endeavor to be a film power will come true.
The “Film Power Forum—A New Journey Ahead: Unremitting Pursuit of Dreams on a Journey toward a Brilliant Film Future” was rich in content, broad in vision, and novel in views. Filmmakers further explored the development prospects of the film industry and analyzed the development trend of film creation in the meeting of ideas and wisdom. The panelists are full of confidence in the development of China’s film industry and believe that the film industry will be able to break new ground, climb to new heights, and create new glories in the midst of changes.