On the fifth day of the 10th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) opened on August 22, various screenings and forums continued to be delivered in an organized way. Let’s take a look back on the major events and activities on Day 5.

1. Summit on the Beauty of Film: Opportunities and Challenges

　　The Summit on the Beauty of Film was held at the Beijing Yanqi Lake International Convention & Exhibition Center on the morning of August 26.

　　With the theme of “Opportunities and Challenges to the Film Industry”, the Summit was held online and offline. Russian director Anton Megerdichev, American director Tim Miller, and American director Rob Minkoff delivered keynote speeches online while Yu Dong, William Feng, Tony Chan and Zheng Zhihao gave keynote speeches on the site. Professor Yin Hong hosted the forum, started exchanges with keynote speakers, Sid Ganis, Vice President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and Yao Chen, renowned actress and producer, had discussions about the recovery of the film industry, and contributed their thoughts to the healthy growth of the film industry.

2. Development and Reform of Film in the Era of 5G: Fast-growing Film Industrialization System

　　The theme forum on Development and Reform of Film in the Era of 5G of the 10th BJIFF was convened at the Beijing Yanqi Lake International Convention & Exhibition Center on the afternoon of August 26.

　　The forum delivered an in-depth discussions and exchanges about hot topics such as the overall impact of 5G on film development, reform of the industrywide supply chain led by 5G, and opportunities and challenges brought by 5G to Internet film & television enterprises. And it also addressed many key questions about film development and reform in the era of 5G, and how the application of the 5G technology in the innovative development of the film industry is of great epochal significance. Besides, the launch ceremony of the Film Industrialization Laboratory was also held.

3. Summit on China's Film Investment and Financing: Crossover of Film and Financing

　　The Summit on China’s Film Investment and Financing & Launch Event of 2020 Report on Survey of China Film Investment and Financing was hosted at the Beijing Yanqi Lake International Convention & Exhibition Center on the afternoon of August 26.

　　The Summit on China’s Film Investment and Financing aimed to gather domestic and international filmmaking companies and venture capitals, and build a well-established professional platform for exchanges and cooperation between the film industry and financial and investment fields. The edition took place online and offline. It included the report launch, keynote speeches, ceremony of establishment of the Film Investment and Financing Advisory Committee, selection of annual investment and financing lists, and major signing and launch events. The 2020 Report on Survey of China Film Investment and Financing was released at the summit. And four categories of awards, namely the Production Company of 2019, Investment Agency of 2019, Rising Production Company of 2019, and Rising Investment Agency of 2019. In addition, a special financial product “Film Marketing and Distribution Loan”, and a list of key works from film production companies were announced. A signing ceremony for financing and investment projects was also held.

4. Jessica Hausner Masterclass: Path of Female Filmmakers

　　Jessica Hausner Masterclass of the 10th BJIFF was presented at the Beijing Yanqi Lake International Convention & Exhibition Center on the evening of August 26. The Austrian director, whose works Little Joe was up for nomination in the In Competition Section of the Festival de Cannes, shared her personal growth and her “International Path of Pioneer Female Filmmaker”.

5. The Films of ?ric Rohmer: In Honor of Film Master

　　The Films of ?ric Rohmer section of the 10th BJIFF Beijing Film Panorama was open on August 26 in honor of French film master ?ric Rohmer, including his six classics, namely La Collectionneuse, My Night at Maud’s, Claire’s Knee, Love in the Afternoon, The Green Ray and Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle.

　　In particular, La Collectionneuse released in 1967 was a romantic comedy directed by Rohmer. It started a wave in the film community because it broke many taboos then. The section is a rare viewing chance for Rohmer fans.

6. Beijing College Student Film Festival: The Youth Festival Starts Online

　　The online launch ceremony of the 27th Beijing College Student Film Festival was held on the evening of August 26. Zhou Zuoyu, Vice President of Beijing Normal University, Wang Jiequn, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, Director of the Beijing Municipal Film Administration, Vice Chairman & Secretary General of the Organizing Committee of the Beijing International Film Festival, and Di Tao, Deputy Secretary General of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, attended and addressed the event. At the ceremony, events and activities of the festival, and 34 films recommended by the Organizing Committee of the Beijing College Student Festival were introduced. Then, Professor Huang Huilin, the founder of the festival, Tao Yuling, performing artist, director Pema Tseden and actress Yan Bingyan shared stories about the festival and Chinese films.

　　With the theme of “New Era, New Mainstream and New Image”, the 27th Beijing College Student Film Festival highlights four major features, that is, being young, specialized, academic and international. It’s aimed to build up “film classes” and a “new learning platform” popular among college students. The festival is composed of the International Academic Forum, Forum for International Young Scholars, Original Short Video Competition, Online Thematic Film Exhibitions, Online Workshop, and Online Thematic Dialogue Salon. The festival won’t be concluded until September 19.

7. Meet-and-greet with Cast & Crew of Damp Season

　　On August 26, the Damp Season of the Chinese New Wave Section was screened at the Broadway Cinematheque, and the cast & crew of the film including director and screenwriter Gao Ming, actress Chen Xuanyu and actor Liang Long, producer Huang Xufeng and Wang Lei were present.

　　It’s about a story where a young couple living in Shenzhen get attracted to and fall in love with a dancer and a mysterious guy respectively, and how the ties of the four are interwoven…

　　As Gao Ming explained, he wasn’t himself a few years ago. His observation of the world was exaggerated, and he came up with ideas about the film. He thought everyone’s got their thing. And he’d really like to present people’s inner world when the door is shut.

　　It was the first time for leading actress Chen Xuanyu to watch the film, and she was impressed by its editing. Producer Wang Lei mentioned that he and director Gao once lived in Shenzhen, “That’s why we are able to present the creases of the city.” Liang Long, lead vocal of the Second-hand Rose also made guest appearance in the film. When answering questions from the audience, he explained how he liked about the character’s mystery, a kind of southerner with northerner’s look.

8. Online Screenings: The Painted Bird and Reflection on Warfare

　　The Online Screenings of the 10th BJIFF screened The Painted Bird on August 26. The film was shortlisted in the In Competition Section of the 76th Festival de Cannes, and top 10 of the Best International Feature Films at the 92nd Academy Awards (Oscars). It is an adaptation of Jerzy Kosiński’s maiden novel of the same name. The original story depicts how a boy tries to find a shelter in the war-torn Eastern Europe. It manages to reflect on and understand ridiculous behaviors of marginalized characters from social and historical perspectives.

9. Outdoor Screenings: Film Illuminates Summer Night

　　The Outdoor Screenings of the 10th BJIFF screened Australian film The Bikes of Wrath (2019) at the Maple Garden Drive-in Cinema tonight.

　　The film depicts how five cycling enthusiasts from Australia set out to bike from Oklahoma to California in USA, the same route the families travelled in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. The whole trip is 2,500 km and it takes more than 30 days to bike. But they’ve only got 420 U.S. dollars, which means they have to have street performance or begging to support them through the trip.

10. TV Screenings: Tune in Well-rated Movies

　　In addition to well-rated Chinese films such as the Crossing the Border – Zhaoguan and Operation Mekong screened in the TV Screenings of the 10th BJIFF today, American comedy Permanent was also screened to meet diverse viewing needs of film fans.

11. First Film Screening of Online Cinemas: Vacation in South Thailand and Mysterious Adventure

　　“A Decade of Images in the Autumn” Online Cinemas of the 10th BJIFF started today. In four weeks since August 26, the BJIFF will stream five films from different countries, namely Krabi, 2562, Helene, The Best Years of a Life (Les Plus Belles Années d’Une Vie), Udine, and Carmine Street Guitars?.

　　The Online Cinemas feature a virtual VIP hall with a capacity of 500 audiences. On the day of the event, fans will enter a WeChat group to select seats online, and then log in iQIYI to watch the movie. After the screening of the Online Cinemas, special guests related to the works will join the WeChat group and communicate with fans via voice messages. The Online Cinemas enable audience from around the world to be part of the online BJIFF.

12. Game-Based Animated Films Exhibition: Promote E-Sports in the Name of Film

　　The first edition of Game-Based Animated Films Exhibition of the BJIFF started on August 26. It’s the first crossover event between the BJIFF and e-sports. With the theme of “Promoting E-Sports in the Name of Film”, the first activity—a forum was convened at the Tangzitou Film and Television Base, Shunyi District. Bian Jian, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Chief Editor of Beijing Radio & Television Station and Deputy Secretary General of the Organizing Committee of the Beijing International Film Festival, and Fan Fuliang, Chairman of Shanghai Qianjing Cultural Media Co., Ltd., addressed the forum, and He Yalan, Member of the Standing Committee and Director of the Publicity Department of Shunyi District Committee of the Communist Party of China, was present. Leading filmmakers and representative of e-sports delivered keynote speeches, shared their ideas and contributed to concerted innovation and development of the film industry and e-sports industry. Apart from the forum, Game-Based Animated Films Exhibition—“E-Sports Celebration for Filmmakers” will be held on August 27 and 28. During the exhibition, Chen He and Lu Han will participate in related activities as “co-initiators and ambassadors”.