Based on the traditional Chinese ink wash painting style, the poster integrates the architectural features of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Temple of Heaven with the imagery of pine and cypress bonsai. The graceful flow of lines and the interplay of light and dark tones of ink highlight the BJIFF’s core values of “Beauty in Variety, Harmony in Diversity”. This poster with graceful ink painting was officially released at the press conference of the 14th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) on March 28, 2024.
Official Main Poster for the 14th BJIFF
The 14th BJIFF is guided by the China Film Administration, hosted by the China Media Group and People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, and organized by the Beijing Municipal Film Administration, Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau, Beijing Radio & Television Station, Huairou District People’s Government of Beijing Municipality and Beijing Enterprises Group Company Limited.
Press conference of the 14th BJIFF
Under the theme of “Enlightened by Films, United as One”, the 14th BJIFF, with a focus on creating an international, professional, people-centered and influential event, will continue to play its role as an international exchange platform during the construction of a film and television highland in Beijing. Within nine days, the BJIFF will organize nearly 100 activities in diverse forms, such as the Competition Section, Tiantan Award, Opening & Closing Ceremonies, Red Carpet, Beijing Film Panorama, Theme Forum, Beijing Film Market, Film Carnival, Beijing College Student Film Festival, Closing & Awards Ceremony, “Film+”, etc., dedicated to creating a grand gathering for filmmakers, citizens and moviegoers.
Yu Junsheng, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the
Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China,
Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and President of Beijing Radio & Television Station,
and Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the BJIFF Organizing Committee
▍ 15 outstanding domestic and foreign films are nominated for Tiantan Award; The Jury is made up of Emir Kusturica, David White, Kris Phillips, Jessica Hausner, Carlos Saldanha, Ma Li and Zhu Yilong
The Tiantan Award Jury of the BJIFF this year is made up of seven filmmakers, including prestigious Serbian director Emir Kusturica as Jury President, and six members, namely Australian film sound designer David White, Chinese American actor Kris Phillips, Austrian director Jessica Hausner, Brazilian director Carlos Saldanha, Chinese actress Ma Li, and Chinese actor Zhu Yilong.
Tiantan Award Jury
Huo Zhijing, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department
of Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China,
Director of Beijing Municipal Film Administration, and
Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the BJIFF Organizing Committee
In terms of the Tiantan Award Official Selection, this year's BJIFF has received a total of 4,273 entries, among which 1,509 feature films from 118 countries and regions have signed up for the Competition Section of Tiantan Award, with the number hitting a new high. In the end, 15 films were nominated for the Official Selection, including 12 foreign films and 3 domestic ones, shown as follows:
Among the 15 shortlisted films, the Tiantan Award Jury will select the winners of ten categories, including Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Artistic Contribution, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Music, and announce the final results at the Closing & Awards Ceremony.
Xu Tao, Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Chief Editor of Beijing Radio & Television Station
and Executive Deputy Secretary General of the BJIFF Organizing Committee
The Forward Future section focuses on soliciting the first or second feature films of new directors around the globe. The International Jury is made up of Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski as Jury President, and four members, namely Chinese director Gu Xiaogang, Dutch cinematographer Kees Van Oostrum, Chinese director Yang Lina and Chinese actress Yang Zishan.
Forward Future International Jury
The ReelFocus Fresh Blood Short Film Program is included in the selection system of the BJIFF Organizing Committee for the first time. The Jury of this section consists of Jury President Peggy Chiao, film producer and supervisor from Taiwan, China, and six members, namely screenwriter Chen Yu, actress Jiang Qinqin, actor Qu Chuxiao, Derek Hui, editor and director from Hong Kong, China, actor Yu Shi, and actor Zu Feng.
Jury of ReelFocus Fresh Blood Short Film Program
▍Creating a film festival with diverse events
The Beijing Film Panorama with a total of 16 screening sub-sections has selected nearly 240 excellent works from home and abroad, and plans to screen these films at 27 cinemas and theaters in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, totaling about 750 screenings. Meanwhile, this section will launch three Cinema Zones for the first time -- Cinema Zone along the Chang'an Street, Western Campus Cinema Zone, and Northern Cinema Zone. As for film selection, it will present the “Dynamic Youth, Driving Force of Chinese Films”, “Her France”, Retrospective of Tiantan Award Jury President Emir Kusturica and other units. Numerous highly-rated masterpieces, such as Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Blade Runner 2049, Pulp Fiction, The Story of Qiu-Ju, and The Spirit of the Beehive, will be screened.
Lin Siwei, Deputy Head of the China Film Archive
and Deputy Secretary-General of the BJIFF Organizing Committee
Click here to view the first batch of films for the Beijing Film Panorama
This year's Film Carnival will continue to take place in Huairou District, Beijing under the theme of “Follow the Footsteps of Films, Enjoy Life in Huairou”. From April 21 to May 4, more than 40 activities will be launched at "7+N" venues district-wide, featuring the journeys of Viewing the Best Films, Rejoicing in Cinematic Dreams, Encountering in Youthful Days, Enjoying Amazing Competitions, and Visiting the Natural Scenery. These endeavors aim to provide citizens with diverse cultural experiences, allowing them to “experience film and television culture, enjoy the life in Huairou, and spend their weekends at the Film Town”.
Jiao Baojun, member of the Standing Committee and Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Huairou District Committee
and Deputy Secretary General of the BJIFF Organizing Committee
The “Film+” section will mobilize social forces to host a wide range of film-focused crossover activities, including Science and Technology Section, Short Video Section, Game-Based Animated Films Section, new Movement Section, Film + Fashion Section, ASUS e-Volunteer Social Good Video Project, NEWHER Women-Focused Film Section, Art & Vision Certain Unit, First Film Season for Diplomats, Magic Editing Forum, Beijing Ethnic Film Festival, "Brands Power Chinese Movies" Live Streaming for Nonprofits, Run For Fun, BJIFF Basketball Game, Card Game Invitational Tournament for Filmmakers, Film Songs Chorus, “Love of Music” Film Soundtrack Concert, Xiong'an Future Video Festival, etc.
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary, the Beijing International Sports Film Week this year themed “Films in Two Decades Embrace Dual-Olympic Dreams”, will host film screenings, forums and a series of sports film+ activities. The event aims to inherit the Beijing Olympic legacy, promote the Olympic spirit, and strengthen the role of Beijing as an international exchange center.
The 14th BJIFF will officially kick off the First AIGC Film Shorts Section. Through the sufficient exploration of AIGC technology and its applications, the event aims to provide a broad display platform for creators, and promote the exchange and development among industries in all respects.
First AIGC Film Shorts Section of the 14th BJIFF
Besides, the first film-themed Yanqi Lake International Film Music Festival will be convened on April 20 and 21 at the Beijing Yanqi Lake Convention & Exhibition Center (BYCC). It will receive more than 10,000 audiences each day, becoming the first film music festival held during an international film festival.
▍Chinese and foreign filmmakers will exchange opinions and discuss the future of cinema
This year's Theme Forum will host four core forums and three workshops & masterclasses.
The four core forums will be organized under the theme of the “Establishment and Breakthrough amidst the Changing Film Industry Landscape”, “The Excellence and Diversity of Film Creation”, “Breakthroughs and Navigating Challenges in Film Investment and Financing”, and “Empowering Film Production and Development with Digital High-Tech Innovations”, respectively. Numerous film professionals from China, Canada, Poland, Lebanon and other countries and regions will get together and discuss hot topics such as the development of AI technology, diversity of film creation, breakthroughs in investment and financing, filming with virtual technology, etc. The Theme Forum this year will invite Huang Jianxin, Chairman of Beijing Film Association and Chinese famous director, as Art Advisor.
Huang Jianxin, Theme Forum Art Advisor
Three workshops & masterclasses will be held. The Emir Kusturica Workshop & Masterclass, themed “Epic National History and Spiritual Miracle”, will invite well-known writer Yu Hua as the panelist. Emir Kusturica is named as Jury President of Tiantan Award this year. At the Ann Hui Workshop & Masterclass, director Vivian Qu will serve as the panelist and professor Dai Jinhua as the moderator. Ann Hui is a famous director in Hong Kong, China. At the Joan Chen Workshop & Masterclass, director Feng Xiaogang will serve as the panelist and writer Xu Zhiyuan as the moderator. Joan Chen is a renowned actress and director in China.
Moreover, this year's BJIFF will additionally launch the Screen Acting Open Courses, involving guest interview, script reading, live performance and other sessions, highlighting the interaction and practice of the activity. It will also host a few special forums, such as Young Filmmakers Forum, Young Film Critics Forum and China Film Capital Development Forum. Meanwhile, the Beijing Film and Television Production Service Mechanism Launch & Beijing Film and Television Resources Promotion Conference will be convened, aiming to deepen the interpretation of industry policies.
▍ Providing more support for new filmmakers and works, and welcoming young filmmakers back home
This year’s Beijing Film Market will take place at the Langyuan Station and Bona Film Industrial Park as the sub-venue from April 19 to 22. Under the theme of "Display, Promotion, Transaction and Exchange", this section will fully integrate the high-quality film resources at home and abroad, and organize a series of activities in five sections, namely Exhibition, Project Pitches, Industry Conversations, Market Screening, and Events & Activities.
Venue of BJIFF Beijing
Film Market: Langyuan Station
The Exhibition this year will continue to adhere to the purpose of “trading as the core and exhibition as the carrier”, create a “Film Copyright Transaction Platform” based on the “Film Factor Transaction Platform", set up various types of exhibition booths, and actively build a bridge for film and television communication between China and the world.
This year's Project Pitches has received 769 project submissions. Through the first-round and second-round reviews and final-round roadshow, eight quality projects will be finally selected. All shortlisted projects are able to carry out one-to-one business negotiations with market partners via the reservation function of the BJIFF official website.
This section will introduce the municipal film support fund for the first time, and join hands with Huairou District People’s Government of Beijing Municipality to support quality pitching projects and assist them in efficiently docking with market resources.
The Project Pitches this year will add the “homecoming” session of young filmmakers in previous years at the Project Pitches Awards Ceremony for the first time. Young filmmakers such as Larry Yang, Gu Xiaogang and Xu Lei will come back to the BJIFF. Besides, the Beijing Film Night Banquet, Young Filmmakers Salon, Outdoor Screening and other activities will be held, inviting the active participation of industrial guests and young filmmakers. Stanley Kwan, famous director, producer and executive producer from Hong Kong, China, will serve as President of the Final Jury for Project Pitches, while Chinese director and actor Dong Chengpeng (also known as “Da Peng”), actor Liu Haoran, Derek Tsang, director and executive producer from Hong Kong, China, and director and screenwriter Zhang Mo will serve as members.
Final Jury for Project Pitches
Zhang Ji, director, screenwriter and Vice-Chairman of the 11th Council of China Film Association, has been named Beijing Film Market Art Director. Zhang will work with well-known filmmakers in the industry to increase the influence and appeal of the Project Pitches, and better nurture new filmmakers and works.
Zhang Ji, Beijing Film Market Art Director
While continuing to pursue the principle of premium projection, the 14th BJIFF Market Screening will introduce the section concept for the first time, and classify film screenings into “Young Filmmakers for Project Pitches”, “Adaptation Potential”, “Forward Future” and other sections. Through film screenings facing senior film pickers and copyright owners in the film industry, it aims to provide film creators with a chance to display ideas and explore market potential.
The 14th BJIFF will launch the Movie Plus Energy Aggregation, a film crossover event, for the first time. With “movies, technology and consumption” at its core, the three-day event will gather over a hundred brands in IP derivatives, art & cultural creativity, wine & food, and other fields, and create a national crossover cultural carnival in the film and television industry.
Movie Plus Energy Aggregation
The 14th BJIFF will set up the “Future of Light and Shadow” Film Science and Technology Section for the first time. Based on the innovation model of “academics + technology + industry”, it will comprehensively display how AI empowers the whole film industry chain, and provide new ideas and solutions for the future development of cinema.
The BJIFF Job Fair will work closely with BOSS ZHIPIN and btime.cn to organize a large job fair both online and offline in partnership with more than 40 film and television companies. The activity aims to give more jobs and industry information to film and television graduates who are about to enter the workplace.
▍Strengthening exchanges and interaction among international filmmakers, and further deepening cultural exchanges and mutual learning
The cast & crew of the shortlisted films from the embassies of Brazil, Seychelles, Gabon, Mauritius and ASEAN countries in China, ambassadors of the embassies of countries where important guests come from, presidents of various international film festivals and exhibitions, and film and television representatives from Qatar, Greece and other countries will come to Beijing and conduct exchanges, thus further expanding the BJIFF’s “circle of friends” for international exchanges. The First Film Season for Diplomats will be launched, aiming to promote international film and television exchanges and cooperation through film sharing. Besides, the BJIFF International Lounge will open for the first time, focusing on promoting industrial exchanges among international guests, and providing more exchange opportunities for the collaboration between domestic and foreign film and television organizations. Other attendees at the BJIFF include distribution representatives from the United States, France, the UK, Japan and other countries and regions, the first representative of the African Film Association in China, and filmmakers from Poland, the Netherlands, Australia, Singapore and other countries and regions.
▍BCSFF will showcase the vitality of the youth, and participate in the cultural construction of the capital
The BJIFF · the 31st Beijing College Student Film Festival, under the principle of “Passion, Academic Sense, and Cultural Awareness”, will be hosted at the Haidian Campus of Beijing Normal University and in Dongcheng District, Beijing from April 20 to May 4. Through the Opening Ceremony, “Youth Night” Awards Ceremony, Excellent Chinese Films Solicitation and Selection, College Student Original Film Competition, Young Writers’ Scripts and Creativity Competition, College Students Film Review Competition, film screenings and meet-and-greets with cast & crew, academic and industry forums, and other activities, the BCSFF will gather the youth power to better promote the development of Chinese film industry.
The 14th BJIFF will continue to tell the compelling stories about China in the new era, boost momentum of the film industry, vitalize city consumption, enhance the effectiveness of international exchanges and cooperation, maximize its role of being a signature event of the capital, and contribute to the high-quality development of China’s film industry.
