On September 21, the 7th Pingyao International Film Festival held a film list press conference at Louis Vuitton Beijing's Espace cultural and art space. Pingyao International Film Festival artistic director Lin Xudong and Pingyao International Film Festival chief consultant Marco Muller released the film list to the world. The official screening list of this year's film festival, including "Crouching Tiger", "Hidden Dragon", "Premiere" and "Starting from Shanxi", has been unveiled one by one.

Press conference site

This film festival will screen a total of 53 films from 34 countries and regions including China, Tunisia, Argentina, Vietnam, Brazil, Iran, Mongolia, Congo (DRC), Portugal, Czech Republic, Netherlands, and Qatar. The official screening unit brings together the world's freshest film masterpieces, of which 43% of the films are world premieres; 72% of the films are Asia premieres; 95% of the films are China premieres; and the mainland China premiere rate is 100%. It is reported that the 7th Pingyao International Film Festival will be held from October 11th to 18th at the Pingyao Film Palace in the ancient city of Pingyao, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province.

Film selection directors from seven major international film festivals are here

Jia Zhangke, founder and director of the Pingyao International Film Festival, served as the host of the press conference. He said, "The Pingyao Film Festival hopes to promote the growth and development of new directors and promote Chinese films to go global. Rejuvenation and internationalization are the directions we have been striving for." On the basis of showing excellent films from all over the world, this film festival It still focuses on discovering and actively promoting outstanding new works by young directors from non-Western countries. The 19 shortlisted films are the debut works of new directors.

Jia Zhangke, founder and director of Pingyao International Film Festival

It is worth noting that among all the shortlisted films, 64% are self-registered films. Jia Zhangke revealed that the Pingyao Film Festival has become an important window for the introduction of foreign-language films into China. In the past six editions, more than 40% of Pingyao's shortlisted foreign-language films have been purchased by domestic distribution companies; as for Chinese-language films, the Pingyao International Film Festival is still an important window for observing Chinese-speaking youth. An important window into a director’s work.

This year's Pingyao Film Festival attracted film selection directors from seven major international film festivals to participate in a dialogue event with the theme of "Meeting" and communicate face-to-face with young Chinese filmmakers. They include: Cannes International Film Festival film director Christian Joan, Venice International Film Festival Asian film selector Elena Pollachi, Berlin International Film Festival Chinese film selector Wang Qingqiang, Berlin International Film Festival Forum Unit Director Ba La Vorm, Tokyo International Film Festival Program Director Ichiyama Naozo, Toronto International Film Festival and Rome International Film Festival Asia Pacific Selection Director Giovanna Fulvi, and Rotterdam International Film Festival Far East Selection Manager Christina Fulvi Ashenbrenarova.

In addition to the films announced at the film list press conference, the 7th Pingyao International Film Festival also has 1 to 2 "Pingyao Surprise" films and a "Hidden Dragon" film that is still in post-production and will be announced before the opening. .

The theme of the film festival "Modern Era" echoes the outbreak of AI technology

Jia Zhangke said, "Everyone knows that AI technology has entered life this year, including all walks of life including movies. Movies have always developed and changed with the development of technology. AI is earth-shaking. New technology is the curatorial theme of this year's Pingyao International Film Festival, and it is also an issue that film workers around the world are observing and thinking about. In view of this, this year's Chaplin film retrospective has selected 11 Chaplin's masterpieces , and chose "Modern Times" as the theme of this year's film festival. Just as the background of the film is the huge impact it has had on the world after the emergence of the industrial assembly line, today's technical problems are AI problems."

In order to echo the theme of the 7th Pingyao Film Festival "Modern Era" and the official poster jointly completed by AI-generated images and human designers, Pingyao International Film Festival will cooperate with the "Architectural Intersection Exploration Group" of Tsinghua University School of Architecture to produce an AI short film , presented at the opening ceremony. The team of instructors includes permanent associate professors and doctoral supervisors at the School of Architecture of Tsinghua University Zhang Xin, Min Jiajian, and Yu Borou; members of the student creative team include Ai Mingsi, Xiaoyu Xiaoyu, and Zhang Xin.

In addition, the 7th Pingyao International Film Festival will also cooperate with Lian Yirui and the Industrial Park Research Center of Tsinghua Architectural Design Institute to hold an academic dialogue "Urban Images under AI Conditions." At the same time, the 7th Pingyao International Film Festival will continue the tradition of inviting a cross-border guest to give a master class every year. Artist, painter, writer, and director of Muxin Art Museum Chen Danqing will hold a master class "The Charm of Lines" in Pingyao. Talking about the murals unearthed in Shanxi.

Lin Xudong, Artistic Director of the International Film Festival

Excellent films by young directors gathered in "Crouching Tiger" and "Hidden Dragon"

Pingyao International Film Festival Artistic Director Lin Xudong introduced the works of the "Hidden Dragon" section of this year's Chinese-language new directors: In addition to this year's opening film "The Mistake by the River" directed by Wei Shujun, the shortlisted films also include: directed by Liang Ming, adapted from "Xiaoyao·you" from Ban Yu's novel of the same name; "Traveling in the Sea" produced by Guan Jinpeng and directed by Cai Jie; "Little White Boat" directed by Geng Zihan and starring Zhou Meijun, Huang Ziqi, Liang Jing and Liang Long; directed by Chen Yanqi, "One Day", which was shortlisted for the 39th Warsaw International Film Festival; the crime film "Silent Notes" directed by Hao Feihuan and starring Zhang Yu and Ma Yinyin; "Song of Wild Fruit" directed by Li Binbin; a romantic comedy directed by Yang Pingdao "Fragments of Romance"; "East Forty Points" co-directed by Tan Muqiu and Zhan Hanqi; "The Great Love" directed by Li Ran; and "Colorless Relationship" directed by Feng Yi.

"The Mistake by the River" poster

"Xiaoyao·you" poster

"There is another film that cannot be announced at the moment. It is the debut of a young director from Shanxi and is currently in intense post-production. "Rooftop Football" directed by Liao Feiyu will be screened as the closing film of this Pingyao International Film Festival. This film The film uses all amateur actors and performs in Yunnan dialect, which is very simple and touching." Lin Xudong said.

"Rooftop Football" poster

Marco Muller, chief consultant of the Pingyao International Film Festival, emphasized in his speech that in recent months, some media believe that foreign production and film and television companies have some biases against the Chinese mainland film industry this year. "I think this is not reality. I have watched more than 700 foreign films this year. Although they are the works of overseas sales companies, directors especially like to participate in the Pingyao Film Festival, especially new directors and young directors. They all know that in Asia, The Pingyao Film Festival is a very powerful platform, not only a promotional platform, but they also understand that the audience of the Pingyao Film Festival are mostly young people who love movies and experts in the industry, and they will value their unique aesthetics."

Marco Muller, chief consultant of Pingyao International Film Festival

Marco Muller introduced the works of young directors that have attracted much attention in the international film industry and were screened in this year's "Crouching Tiger" section: "The Golden Cocoon" directed by Vietnamese director Pham Thien An, which won the Camera d'Or at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. "Dear Gloria" directed by Marie Amasukri, the opening film of the 2023 Cannes Film Critics Week; "Dear Gloria" directed by Nicole Midori Woodford and starring Nagase Masatoshi "The Last Shadow"; "The Empty Net" directed by Belous Karamizadeh, which won the Special Jury Prize in the Main Competition at the 2023 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival; directed by Kamal Razrag, the 2023 Cannes Film Festival "Body Bags", winner of the "Un Certain Regard" Jury Prize; "Burning" directed by Zara Kahn, shortlisted for the 2023 Cannes Directors' Fortnight; directed by Mohammed bin Attiyah, shortlisted for the Horizon Section of the 2023 Venice Film Festival "Behind the Mountains"; "City of the Wind" directed by Ravaduramu Prev-Ochier, who won the Best Actor Award in the Horizon Section of the 2023 Venice Film Festival; directed by Agustin Carbonere, "Saint", which won the Best Director Award in the main competition of the Buenos Aires Film Festival; "Omen" directed by Baloji and won the "Un Certain Regard" New Voice Award at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival; directed by Michal ·The Czech film "Calm in the Canopy" directed by Hogner; and the Japanese film "Killing Violets" directed by Zhang Yu.

"Golden Cocoon Room" poster

"Premiere" focuses on important director works of the year "Starting from Shanxi" with a wide range of themes

The "Premiere" section focuses on important directors' works of the year, including a new work by fifth-generation director Liu Miaomiao, produced by Tian Zhuangzhuang, starring Mo Xizishi, and the film "The Tent with Colored Balls" adapted from the short story "Blooming Season" by Lu Xun Literature Award winner Shi Shuqing ; "Kidnapping" directed by Marco Bellocchio, shortlisted for the main competition of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival; "Aquarius" and "Baclau" director Cleber Mendoza Jr.'s new work, shortlisted for the 2023 Cannes Film Festival Special Documentary "Ghost Portraits" in the screening section; "Uri" directed by Lisandro Alonso, starring Viggo Mortensen and Chiara Mastroianni, shortlisted for the premiere section of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival Card"; "Fremont" directed by Babak Jalali; "The Goldman Trial" directed by Cedric Kang, shortlisted for the 2023 Cannes Directors' Fortnight; A.D. directed by Manny Ratnam The 10th-century Indian epic film "Ponnyin Selvan: Part 2"; "Disco Boy" directed by Giacomo Abruzzese, which won the 2023 Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement; "Tiger Stripe Girl" directed by Yu Xiushan, won the Best Feature Film at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival "Critics Week".

Chinese director Liu Miaomiao was admitted to the Directing Department of Beijing Film Academy in 1978. In 1985, he independently directed his first film "Anecdotes from the Ocean". In the 1980s and 1990s, the drama films directed by her, such as "Crash of Horseshoes", "The Boxer" and "The Misfits", had great repercussions overseas. "I once served as Liu Miaomiao's producer, and I can be said to be her boss. This time we also made the new film "The Tent with Balls" directed by her the first work in the premiere section." Marco Muller said .

"Tent with Balls" Poster

The "Starting from Shanxi" section focuses on outstanding films whose main creators are Shanxi filmmakers, or where Shanxi Film and Television Company serves as the first producer, or are filmed in Shanxi, or have Shanxi as the background of the story. In Lin Xudong's view, the films screened in this unit this year have a wide range of themes, "including biography, disaster, science fiction, and all aspects of life, and the techniques are different."

Films screened include "The Love of a Corner" directed by Hong Kong director Huang Qingqi, which tells the legendary story of Shanxi opera master Cheng Yuying; "Clouds and Breezes" directed by Kang Jiaxiang, which shows the life of contemporary herdsmen; and the reality-themed film "Ask the Mountain" directed by Xu Lei ; "Disaster Monitor" directed by Wu Xiaoyong; "Who Can Fly on Me" directed by Li Xiupeng; the crime movie "Eraser" directed by Li Jin; and "Second Breath" directed by Shen Yujia.

Poster of "The Clouds Are Light and the Wind is Light"

"Eraser" poster

In addition, the special screening section selected two new works by newcomers with both artistic value and market effect, including the film co-directed by Dan Miyang and Adira Bendimelad, which was shortlisted for the Venice Day section of the 79th Venice International Film Festival. "The Last Queen of Algiers"; the latest work of director Guo Ke of the documentary "Twenty-Two", the drama "All Days Are Long" focusing on "hospice care".

"The Last Queen of Algiers" poster