Source: CCTV.com

04-23-2007 09:29

The Beijing Student Film Festival, in its 14th year, is an event run by college students, for college students. And it's the students that are both the audience and jury for festival's awards. Now the event is attracting attention from the industry's professionals.

College Student Film Festival falls every spring, the season for fresh new growth. This the event's 14th running has thirty five films entered. They are being screened over twenty days on the campuses of 30 of China's top universities. And the results and awards will be announced on the 28th of April.

Roots and shoots

With 12 universities as its main organizers, and over one hundred others affiliated, the festival reaches out across the whole country. The results are decided by a nationwide online student vote and the student-dominated judging panel. Apart from the film screenings, the festival includes forums, lectures, and even press conferences held by production crews as well as seminars for students with well known directors. It's a unique opportunity for the younger generation to make their feeling known to the "industry of dreams".

And with an audience of tens of millions of students, it's also an opportunity that no budding directors can afford to pass up.

Of the films being shown a few like "The Banquet", "A Battle of Wits", and "Postmodern Life of My Aunt",are from industry veterans. But most represent fresh talent with the likes of "Crazy Stone", "One Foot Off the Ground", "Going Home", "Call for Love", and "Tuya's Marriage". All of these proved unexpected hits internationally or at the mainland's box offices.

Since starting in 1993, the festival has promoted many films from obscurity and seen them go on to wider success. "San Mao Joins the Army", "On the Beat", "Beautiful World", "The Straw House", and "Kala My Dog" all being cases in point. While many directors like Huo Jianqi, Yang Yazhou, Zhang Yang, Lu Xuechang, Zhang Yibai, Lu Chuan, Ma Liwen all started their careers here.