Earlier this year, 101 young film directors from around the world took part in a cross-cultural project called “Looking China.” Now their hard work is being rewarded. The awards ceremony for the Looking China Youth Film Project was held on Sunday at Beijing Normal University.
The awards ceremony for the Looking China Youth Film Project was held on Sunday at Beijing Normal University.
Themed “Charm, Ethnicity, and Culture” this year, 101 college filmmakers from 25 countries—including the USA, UK, France, Israel and Italy—travelled to 13 Chinese provinces and cities. They met people from 24 different Chinese ethnic groups, explored local lifestyles and customs, experienced China’s diverse ethnic culture, and ultimately made 101 short documentary films that represent China in their own eyes.
Five films took second prize, and one took first prize. Among the second prize winners was
”Search for the Manchus” by Evan Luchkow from Canada. The film shows what contemporary Manchu culture looks like against the backdrop of a rapidly modernizing China.
The Golden Lenses first prize went to “The Horse Land” by Dmitry Knooploy from Israel. The film tells the stories of three herdsmen living in Wushen Banner, who are trying to preserve Mongolian horse culture in their daily life.
While the winners accepted the awards via videos, diplomatic envoys from many of the countries' embassies in China, as well as representatives from colleges that participated in the project, attended the ceremony.
The awards ceremony for the Looking China Youth Film Project was held on Sunday at Beijing Normal University.
“It’s a great privilege to take part in this wonderful project. For the students of Israel, it's a great experience to get to know China, not just Beijing and Shanghai, but many other places. And many of them told that they will come back to China. And it’s a great honor to take the first prize, I hope we can continue this partnership in the future,” said Michal Schwartz, director of Sulture, Academic & Provincial Affairs, Embassy of Israel.
“Looking China” is co-organized by the Academy for International Communication of Chinese Culture (AICCC), Beijing Normal University and the Huilin Foundation.
Initiated in 2011, the project invites young foreigners to observe China with their own eyes and try to understand China through their own experiences. More than 300 young filmmakers from around the world have participated in the project over the past six years.
“Looking China has been successfully run six years and is gaining influence both in China and abroad. In 2011, there were only nine students from Boston University participating in the project. But this year there are 101 participants from 25 countries. And I’m always amazed by their works. Through their lenses, the foreign students always find something unique about China, different from what we usually see and take for granted,” said Huang Huilin, founder of Looking China Project.
Awards for Best Internet Reach, Best Artistic Presentation and Best Cultural Discovery were also handed out at the ceremony.
