Vortrag: "Das Ökosystem chinesischer Filmfestivals und ihr Beitrag zur Vielfalt der Filmkultur"

In the organizer's words:

Every second Friday of the month, the ex oriente Foundation, sponsor of the Confucius Institute Munich, cordially invites you to the Jour Fixe. In an informal setting with lectures and a cultural program, the Jour Fixe offers an opportunity for social exchange.

This month, CAO Liuying (曹柳莺) will speak on the topic: The ecosystem of Chinese film festivals and their contribution to the diversity of film culture

Although the Chinese film market has a large population base and a strong production landscape, the distribution sector suffers from increasing "uniformity" for various reasons. The space for independent and low-budget films, especially art films, has been further restricted after the pandemic. At the same time, the film festival landscape in China is experiencing a remarkable flourishing. From large-scale state-sponsored festivals (such as Beijing and Shanghai) to medium-sized and small festivals curated by professional teams (such as Pingyao and FIRST), as well as specialized independent festivals focusing on short films, women's films and queer cinema, there are a variety of new forms of events springing up like mushrooms. These diverse festivals form a rich ecosystem and offer art films that have no place in mainstream cinema the opportunity to reach an audience. This is a useful addition to China's homogeneous film system.

This presentation will highlight the history and current state of these film festivals and share some case studies of festivals that have gained great recognition from film fans in recent years.

The event is free of charge and registration is not necessary - just come to the Confucius Institute Munich. We look forward to seeing you there!